Travel Insurance Essentials
Travel insurance is a guarantee that protection whilst abroad is assured. The UK might have a comprehensive health system, but other countries don’t. They can often charge extortionate fees for treatment, repatriation costs are high, and any thefts may need to be paid for out of the victim’s own pocket if they fail to have insurance. What that in mind, here are the things you need to know when taking out travel insurance.
Barrier to Entry
Don’t make Mr. customs reach for the (proverbial) rubber gloves
Although travel insurance is often thought of as an optional extra, it’s not an optional extra when it comes to entering some countries. Cuba is one example. It’s a prerequisite to have travel insurance to even enter the country as they demand that the individual show their documents at the airport. Always check whether the country of choice has specific insurance requirements.
Be sure to check with your provider that your coverage will still apply to the country you are entering. If in doubt call them up and double check.
Age and Conditions
There are many types of insurance and many levels of cover. Make sure you have the right cover for the travel you are undertaking. One of the biggest mistakes that tourists tend to make is that they take out a totally inappropriate travel insurance cover for a family holiday. In reality, they should be making sure that the insurance policy is tailored specifically towards the needs of the particular country/countries they are traveling to.
We can all be guilty of under insuring ourselves to save a few extra pounds, so go with a reputable insurer for extra peace of mind.
Options
Annual travel insurance should be taken out if traveling is more than a one-time-per-year event. This will cover multiple trips a year and will save a lot of hassle. It can also mean big savings as there are normally some discounts applied to these types of travel insurance policies.
I am a big fan of worldwide travel insurance bought on a yearly basis. It means that I don’t have to worry about where or what I am doing and it means I am covered whereever I go. Just double check that your policy also covers things like extreme sports and skiing if you are keen on that kind of thing.
Whatever the case may be, don’t go without taking out travel insurance. The risk simply isn’t worth it and it can have devastating effects on a tourist’s health (and bank account).