The UK Insurance Blog

According to the article “EHIC is not travel insurance” it is a risk for EHIC cardholders to not possess travel insurance when visiting the European continent. Many people travelled about Europe last year believing their EHIC cards would be all the protection they would need. Some of these people found out the hard way, that travel insurance was needed as well as their EHIC cards.

Three and a half million people from the British Isles travelled to Europe last year without travel insurance. They believed their EHIC card would be all they needed in the event of an emergency! The limitations of the card are such that it will only provide access to basic medical assistance and care within another country. Private medical attention and other assistance relating to a trip such as flights, lost luggage etc are not covered.

The insurance companies are particularly keen to stress that skiers heading off to the slopes for the winter should ensure they have travel insurance as well as their EHIC cards. Imagine if you needed to be airlifted off a mountain, who would pay for that if you have no travel insurance?

Aside from additional costs in the event of something going terribly wrong when visiting another country, there is the fact that even when you do have an EHIC card, it may not cover all your medical expenses. Fifty one per cent of cardholders, throughout last year found their medical costs abroad were not entirely covered. The average cost of medical expenses these people were required to find amounted to just under four hundred pounds each. If only these people had been able to realise before they set off the necessity for travel insurance also.

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When on holiday, anything can happen to your luggage. According to an interesting article in the telegraph online, you may after all, be able to control to some extent, what happens to your worldly travel goods.

Rule number one is to never be tempted to put anything you can’t bear to lose in your checked in hold luggage! Keep that special something close to you at all times! One thing is for sure, the owners of over forty million missing luggage items will not need convincing of that suggestion!

Another holiday tip is to ensure your luggage has a good label firmly attached. Write on the tag your flight number as well as your destination. As a caution, you should never ever check in for your flight late as this could attract luggage confusion by the baggage handlers.

The days of tying a piece of string around your suitcase have long gone! In an effort to avoid your insurance being invalidated, always lock your suitcase. In the US, you will need a TSA-approved lock so that airport officials only are able to inspect your luggage. Before you leave, inquire about attaching a tracking device to your luggage. This is not as expensive as it sounds, provided by CallUma, the service is officially known as Tag ‘n’ Traq and will only set you back from £19.50 annually.

Another way to avoid losing your luggage when travelling, is to not take any! Send it all beforehand with First Luggage. This service costs about £85 but involves the transportation of your luggage by FedEx. With FedEx your luggage is tracked with the latest technology.

If all these useful tips come to you too late! Don’t give up, nearly 85% of all lost luggage is found again with two days! It could still show!

In the event of your luggage being lost, prior to leaving the airport, you will need to complete a PIR (Property Irregularity Report). If you choose to claim on your insurance, you need to provide a copy of your PIR but first check the small print as some policies won’t cover checked-in luggage.

Remember, when your luggage fails to turn up, to request an advance for emergency supplies, all airlines are equipped to do this. Failing to show up after 48 hours, you should put in a claim with your airline for compensation (maximum of £300 per bag regardless of value) within seven days of the event.

Should your luggage never turn up, your last port of call could be the auction house at Tooting. In the United Kingdom, luggage not reclaimed is all auctioned off at Greasby’s in London.