Everyone loves a good holiday; some of us keep marking the calendar until the big day arrives. That said, don’t let the anticipation make you forget to deal with the most basic issues. Other than packing, bookings, and sending your cat to your aunt, remember to research carefully before you purchase any travel insurance policy. If you truly care about yourself and your family, here are 10 tips that will help you get the best value for money.
READ THROUGH THE FINE PRINT
When purchasing a suitable policy, however boring it is to read through it all, make sure to at least know what it covers. Most importantly it should offer medical coverage. Some policies exclude pre-existing medical conditions likely to lead to a claim. If you are planning to engage in ‘risky’ activities such as skiing in the Alps, trekking the Atlas, or scuba diving, check whether your policy covers such.
BUY YOUR POLICY DIRECTLY FROM THE INSURER
By now you probably know that airlines and travel agencies get outrageous commissions for selling policies, up to 50% in some cases! If you buy directly you will be saving a lot!
BE AWARE OF GOVERNMENT WARNINGS
Some insurers have for ages wiggled their way out of a reasonable claim by stating that the risk you were involved in was foreseen since there had been a fair government warning.
CONFIRM FROM YOUR HOME INSURER
It is good to check whether your electronic gadgets such as laptops, cameras and iPods are insured not only within your locality but also in other countries before you take on that pricey premium. Your home insurance may have already covered this, so confirm first.
GO THROUGH THE EXCLUSIONS
You may purchase a policy that seems to cover every concern you may have but there are things you should consider: if you got injured on the peaks of Himalayas, would your cover include airlifting? Insurers also like to insure for things that are less likely to happen, so they leave out things like, acts of God, and natural disasters.
ARE YOUR RECEIPTS SAFE?
While home insurers may not need your receipts for items you own, travel insurance agencies and other brokers would want full proof of ownership of all the items you insurer.
MULTI-TRIP OR SINGLE TRIP
If you are an avid traveler, that is if you travel more than twice a year it is cheaper to take the annual travel insurance policy than purchasing single trip policies.
WORLDWIDE POLICIES
Some countries are considered as parts of others and are covered in some policies. If you are in Europe and are travelling to Morocco you may not require to purchase a worldwide cover. Confirm which countries are listed in your travel area.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A DELAY?
For independent travelers who do everything themselves from flight bookings to accommodation arrangements, make sure your policy covers scheduled airline and end supply failure. This protects you in case there is any failure from airline to destination once you have already paid for your holiday.
FINALLY CHOOSE YOUR INSURER CAREFULLY
Some insurers may be operating under a huge brand name, at a glance the policies may appear similar but are not, as they are underwritten by others. In these policies the operators choose what to include or exclude depending on how much they want to sell for. Also, check out how they handle claims. You do not want to be one of their many dramatic stories.
…
This is a guest post from Tom at Navigator Travel Insurance. You can follow them on Twitter for more travel insurance tips and advice.
Photo by mountainhearth on Flickr