Archive for the ‘Travel Insurance’ Category

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No World Cup travel insurance? It’s football CRAZY!

Friday, September 11th, 2009

As we speak thousands of football fans are planning next year’s trip to South Africa for the World Cup. We couldn’t have asked for better, England have qualified for the World Cup next June and everyone wants to go. To get hold of these tickets is going to take some doing (and spending) so there is all the more reason to get some travel insurance just in case!

According to the article “Travel insurance priority for fans heading to the World Cup finals” football fans would be well advised to sort out their travel insurance now instead of leaving it till the last minute for fear of something going wrong between now and then!

In many cases customers claim on their travel insurance before the trip or holiday even begins but would not have been able to do so should they have left their protection arrangements to the last minute.

There are numerous things that could go wrong prior to a trip in less than a year’s time such as being made redundant from your job, becoming ill and unable to travel and being called up for jury service.

The people at M&S insurance remind football fans that travel insurance could provide support from the moment a flight is embarked to returning back to England. For this reason it would be unwise to skip investing in a policy that is fully comprehensive well in advance of booking a trip.

All football fans who will seek the bargain offers of independent travel need be aware they will not have any of the protection a package tour operator will provide. Imagine if your flight is cancelled which meant you were unable to make other connections, travel insurance will allow you the freedom to finance the additional unplanned costs of your trip.

Don’t become a casualty of England’s World Cup place. Be organised – get travel insurance!

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One in ten Brits on holiday become scam victims

Monday, August 24th, 2009

According to the article “Sun, Sea and Scams” one in ten Brits will become a victim of a scam while on holiday this year. With this in mind, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have stressed Brits who are victims of such scams should report the incident to the local police in order to gain an incident report. Following on from this incidence, should you intend to claim on your travel insurance, your insurance company will require official report information.

Holiday scams can come in all shapes and sizes according to this recent article, whether your taxi driver takes you along the scenic route instead of the crow’s flight cheaper option or the timeshare ‘epidemic’ takes hold.

The resorts of Europe are of particular cause for concern because traditionally, out of the Brits who have holidayed there, twenty one per cent of visitors/holidaymakers have been conned in the past five years. As discovered in a recent poll by the travel insurers LV, the average amount of money that has change hands through these criminal dealings is equal to £250. The insurance company were able to surmise the worst culprits for conning British tourists were Spain, Turkey and France. Calling all Brits on holiday in Spain… beware! Out of all the countries in Europe you could be conned or scammed, Spain is the worst.

Backpackers need to be on their guard when visiting certain countries in Europe as research revealed that one in five backpacking holidaymakers were the targets of scams. Does this mean that lone travellers are the worst at risk from a scam artist? No! Even travelling in a couple is not in itself a means to avoid the con artists that work the European resorts. Forty three per cent of people conned on holiday were in fact couples.

If you are horrified by these statistics, you could be further shocked by the fact that these figures are based on incidences reported to the police. It is common knowledge that not all holiday crime is reported to the police and estimated that only one in ten victims do report their scam to the police.

Scamming is much more rife than statistics initially reveal. All Brits who are not holidaying at home this year and about to go on vacation to Europe should check their travel insurance is completely right for their trip. Additionally, ensure that you do report any crime (no matter how small it seems) to the police so that your insurance company can pay out on the claim without delay.

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Avoid taking an insurance holiday on vacation!

Friday, July 17th, 2009

If you are getting ready for your summer holidays at home in the British Isles, now is a good time to organise your family’s insurance. How easy it is to be of the opinion that when staying at home holiday insurance isn’t as important a necessity as it is when holidaying abroad. Beware of falling into this minefield of misapprehension for accidents unfortunately tend to happen wherever you are!

According to the article “Top tips for a hitch free summer holiday” summer holiday insurance doesn’t have to cost a fortune with a little help from the people at the moneysupermarket.com. By cutting back on our holiday insurance in order to save money, we could be walking into a false economy nightmare.

Why not kick off with a good travel insurance deal. Surprisingly, only 52% of the British holidaying public will purchase holiday insurance when vacationing at home! Accidents can happen wherever you are and for as little as nine pounds a family of four on holiday for a week can be covered. Why not get yourself a bargain and buy yourself some peace of mind?

Setting off for your holiday may not always run without a hitch. You could need roadside assistance and your holiday could be set back hours if you haven’t done your preparation! When taking out roadside cover doesn’t it make sense to (at the same time) check out caravan cover, courtesy car arrangements and other added extras that you might consider relevant.

Camping insurance is set to raise a few eyebrows this summer as the price of tents come down and holidaymakers forego the comfortable self catering option en masse for some basic living. Camping insurance is not expensive which is surprising especially as tents are generally left unattended for hours on end. Camping insurance for the year could cost as little as £16 for the year covering equipment to the value of £10,000. While our possessions will be covered by our home insurance policies, the sensible thing to do is to not leave anything of any value inside an unguarded tent.

Caravan insurance offers great value for money in equal measures. If you are planning on caravanning this year for an annual £100 premium a policy could offer you cover of up to £1,125,000 as well as £15,000 personal accident protection.

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When holiday interruption pays insurance claims

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Many of us are being tempted away from our usual favourite Spanish resorts as we follow the bargain offers for the Caribbean, Florida and Mexico in the autumn. According to the article “Travel insurance limits Hurricane benefits!” many of the best deals are on offer during the hurricane season leaving holidaymakers wondering where they stand in terms of protection and insurance.

In the event of having to cancel a holiday or end your holiday early to avoid bad weather, many travel insurance policies only tend to offer the minimum of protection. On the positive side, many people holidaymaking during the hurricane season will not witness anything stronger than a sea breeze.

While it is rare that your travel insurance will cover any claim during anything other than a severe weather disaster, there are some exceptions to the rule.

What if you are aboard a cruise when a hurricane strikes? The good news is that ships are very likely to be able to steer around affected areas so you should be safe in the capable hands of the ship’s captain. Remember if your cruise liner uses a port that doesn’t feature on the itinerary to avoid sailing into trouble – there is some likelihood that your insurer will not entertain a complete refund. Although, depending upon the situation a cruise company may see fit to allow you an opportunity to reschedule your trip for another time.

On a further note, if you are concerned about your future travel, opt for a policy that will let you cancel for any reason. Be warned though, for peace of mind they do tend to cost you just that little more.

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STOP! Book travel insurance AFTER reading this!

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Travel insurance, what’s the big deal? At last, the moment we have all been waiting for has arrived, an article about travel insurance. By reading this article, you too can decide for yourself whether travel insurance is all it is cracked up to be.

The holiday season is suddenly upon us and as many of us consider the type of travel insurance we will require over 40% of us could be paying over the odds by purchasing cover through a travel agent. According to the article “Read this before buying travel insurance” many of us find taking out travel insurance with our travel agent saves ‘mucking about’ but are unaware that we could be saving money elsewhere. By shopping around for travel insurance we could save considerable amounts of money but we continue to take our policies out with the holiday companies.

One fact to bear in mind is that by no means is travel insurance an obligation when booking your holiday. Although it is good practice to purchase travel insurance as early as possible you do not have to get it at the point of booking.

What is a good travel insurance policy? Firstly, it should provide (at the minimum) a million pounds of cover for third party in addition to legal fees and five million pounds worth of cover for medical expenses. Thirdly, cancellation cover (without a large excess) to protect against the full cost of the holiday is very necessary. Note these points are essential cover, other types of cover such as for delays in departure, delay of luggage and cash are considered non-essential in comparison.

For the better insurance deal check out moneysupermarket.com for ease of shopping as well as to make some considerable savings.

Next when shopping for travel insurance to best suit your needs, compare all the excesses and exclusion factors of all policies. Be aware that more often than not, a policy will exclude pre-existing medical conditions. Beware also of policies that do not cover you for accidents incurred whilst under the influence of alcohol.

When putting in a claim for lost or stolen items be prepared to provide your insurer with a police report. In the event that police are not interested in your lost phone, check your policy for accidental loss also check if there is a possibility of making a claim on your home contents insurance.

When buying travel insurance, do not be fooled into thinking a policy is better than it is because it covers you for all kinds of incidents. Certain types of cover may not be as useful as first it may seem! Considering departure delay and whether or not this is a good thing added onto your policy could be a saving grace. Many insurers rarely pay out on this kind of incidental although Virgin will pay £25 after a delay of 8 hours and a further £25 for an 8 hour delay thereafter. If your holiday is delayed by 24 hours, the majority of insurers will allow you to cancel your trip and some will even allow you to cancel your holiday after 12 hours.

Last but not least, don’t allow yourself to be seduced into saving money by not taking out travel insurance, it is a false economy to not do so even in this time of credit crunching. Save money on your travel insurance instead by shopping around for the best deals!

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Swine flu quarantine warning for visitors to China

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

If you are planning on visiting China in the near future you could face a stay in quarantine even if you don’t display any swine flu symptoms according to the article “U.S. warns travellers about China’s 7 day flu quarantine”.

In an effort to control the spread of the life threatening virus China are taking severe precautions and committing visitors to quarantine even though they do not show any symptoms of the bug. While the numbers of Americans facing China’s quarantine regulations are currently very low what is worrying is the unscientific process that the patient is screened.

Earlier in the month, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin was placed in quarantine upon arrival in Shanghai. The mayor himself displayed no symptoms of the H1N1 virus although somebody aboard the plane did. Ray Nagin was placed in quarantine because he had travelled from a country experiencing a swine flu outbreak and because he was sharing an enclosed space with a passenger exhibiting flu-like symptoms. China have been observing a strict regimen with regard to containing the world’s latest pandemic as the country has been seen to place visitors in quarantine for no other reason than a slightly raised temperature.

According to the article, these quarantine regulations are particularly raising alarm following reports of parents and their children being split up as well as less than appropriate conditions being experienced in confinement. While reports have been getting back to the State Department of unsuitable drinking water or food others are relaying unsanitary conditions being forced upon travellers from the US.

In the event of travelling to China, it is stressed that all US visitors check their travel insurance provides protection against losses caused by unexpected detainment in Chinese quarantine.

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Know your rights as a holiday package consumer?

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

If you are planning on going on your holidays this year make sure you do the following before setting off for the travel agent! When booking a holiday package it is important that we consider what will happen should we need to cancel or if your holiday goes completely wrong for one reason or another. Where do we stand?

According to the article “Good things come in holiday packages – if they’re bonded” we the consumer need to be aware of our rights as a holiday consumer and help is at hand!

The Package Holidays and Travel Trade Act 1995 states that a ‘package holiday’ should combine at least two of the following – accommodation, guided tour services and flights. Lastly, to be a package holiday you don’t have to go abroad as your trip can be inside the UK as well as outside of it.

It is absolutely essential that you book your holiday with a bonded or licensed travel agent in case anything should go wrong. With a licensed agent if they were to go bust all would not be lost and you would receive assistance.

When reading the brochure, ensure that the information you are seeing is not misleading you in some way. According to travel agent legislation all the information set out before you should be accurate and in no way misleading. It should be a case of what you see is what you will get as transportation, living accommodation and date information should be accurate.

A fundamental priority (when reading the brochure) is to make sure you are familiar with all information to do with holiday cancellation. Additionally, you should familiarise yourself with details relating to price, payment terms, itinerary, mandatory charges, health recommendations and amongst other things visa and passport requirements. Next check that you agree with all the terms and conditions (normally situated at the back of your brochure) and should be read with care as it includes all the facts about cancellation.

In a majority of cases the deposit will be forfeited when a holiday is cancelled after that, how much money is lost depends upon how much time there is between the dates of the holiday and when you cancel. If you read all the small print this will come as no surprise.

In the event of having to cancel a holiday, check your travel insurance in order to see if you can recoup any of your losses. Remember to buy your travel insurance at the time of booking your holiday but remember you can purchase this from another source if you require.

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When too much alcohol could cancel out your travel insurance!

Friday, June 12th, 2009

If you have an accident under the influence of alcohol, did you know your travel insurance most likely will not cover you? When questioned only one quarter of all Brits realised this sobering fact but hopefully more will be aware thanks to the article “Drunk holidaymakers put travel insurance at risk”.

A recent survey carried out by a London based travel insurance consultant revealed much more besides including the fact that eighty per cent of the seventy per cent of people unaware of travel insurance small print get very drunk while on holiday abroad. Should you have an accident on holiday you will be required to fund your medical expenses with no assistance from your insurance.

The message from this article is to steer clear of drunken stupors when on holiday. With the cost of a broken limb setting you back tens of thousands of pounds perhaps it is time for the thirteen per cent of skiers who take to the slopes following alcohol to go for a lie down instead. Your travel insurance will not bail you out of crippling medical bill dept!

By drinking excessively abroad you could be one of the growing numbers who have their travel insurance claims rejected when reporting the loss of valuables like a camera, mobile phone or purse.

Out of people who have had failed claims about nineteen per cent were for damage brought about by fights and twenty eight per cent due to drunken accident claims. Shockingly, about twenty one per cent claimed for hospital costs due to alcohol induced dehydration or alcohol poisoning.

One way to sober up abroad is to consider the costs of a day’s stay in hospital. The amounts in question can easily range from £870 to £1,300 per day! Fancy a drink now?

Concerning the matter of how much alcohol is too much the answer comes back from the insurance specialists that each case is taken on face value. Should alcohol turn up on a medical report your claim for a travel insurance pay out may struggle to get off the ground!

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How to beat the holiday fraudsters!

Friday, June 12th, 2009

When heading off on holiday, the last thing you tend to think about is that fraudsters will con you out of all your savings. Here is how to stay one step ahead of the holiday con artists and to survive your stay in the sun with your life savings in tact!

According to the article “’Free holiday’ scams abroad will catch out 400,000 Brits!” British holidaymakers have fallen for the manipulative persuasions of con artists and that plenty more will do so in the future. It all begins with scratch cards.

If you are handed a scratch card beware. This scratch card will more than likely show you as a winner of a free holiday or other prize but you must go to a predetermined venue to claim your winnings. It is here that scratch card winners will find themselves sitting for hours on end listening to a presentation on holiday homes and such like. Beware, there is no such thing as an innocent winning scratch card.

Travel insurance is a beautiful thing. What if you lost all your spending money, your passport, even your return ticket, what happens next if you have no fall back? Travel insurance means not getting let down if you get caught out. Another scam involves tomato ketchup. While being cleaned up after ketchup has been deliberately splashed on you, in the blink of an eye your wallet will disappear! Look out for the ketchup splashes of Argentina where this con is particularly favoured!

A con or scam can take place anywhere and similarities are found from country to country. If you go to Thailand, for example, watch out for strangers offering free drink or food for it could be drugged.

The key to surviving the con artists on holiday is to investigate the particular scam that is rife in the destination you are heading to and be prepared. Check out the ‘know before you go’ campaign courtesy of the foreign office.

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These times they are a changing – say hello to the Beccy!

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Say hello to the ‘Beccy’ aka Brits Escaping Credit Crunch Year! And who can blame them for there isn’t much happening around the UK at the moment (except perhaps more doom and gloom)!

More and more people are taking gap years out from their normal routines especially older people according to the report “MRL: Gap year travel insurance for travellers up to 45”.

In response to this new trend MRL Insurance are now offering cover to the over 45’s who are set on finding themselves in their middle years.

The catalyst that has brought about this change is of course the economic downtown providing people with a pocketful of redundancy to go off and see the world. Job-hunting has never been so challenging as numbers of the unemployed grow on a daily basis. What better motivation to take an extended holiday and see the world than when you find yourself out of a job with some spare cash in the bank?

Anyone thinking of taking a gap year should check out the standard policy at MRL in addition to its SuperCover policy. The SuperCover policy will provide excellent travel insurance cover for people intending to participate in somewhat hazard-ridden experiences. For once, these are policies that won’t discriminate you on age. These insurance policies will provide peace of mind cover for everything from dental and hospital treatment to personal liability and lost luggage.

All ‘Beccys’ should look into this cover whether you plan to take a long holiday or intend to offer your occupational services in another country for up to one year.

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