If you have a health emergency while you are abroad, then being taken back to the UK for treatment can be an expensive business. For example, an air ambulance from the East coast of America could cost anything up to 45,000GBP. Unless you have travel insurance, then this money is going to have to come out of your own pocket, as neither the British Embassy not the High Commission are willing to pay for this.
Some people believe that they do not need travel insurance thinking that their other policies, such as health insurance and life insurance, will cover them while they are overseas, but in fact this is hardly ever true. A standard travel insurance policy should include:
Insurance against potential medical costs incurred while abroad.
A twenty four hour emergency helpline, manned 365 days a year
Liability insurance, in case you accidentally damage property belonging to someone else
Insurance against the loss or theft of your belongings
Cancellation and curtailment insurance, in case your holiday plans go awry for whatever reason
It might also include legal insurance, personal accident insurance, and financial protection in case the airline or tour operator you are travelling with goes bust at any time.
Some incidences, such as those caused by drink or drug abuse, will not be covered by any travel insurance policy, and if you are careless with your possessions, then you may not be entitled to compensation if they are stolen, broken, or lost.
By far the cheapest way to get travel insurance is by looking on the web. Be warned, though, that some of the cheaper policies may not provide the cover you need, which could leave you exposed financially if you need to claim on them at any time.
If you are making more than one trip per year, you might want to consider taking out an annual travel insurance policy, rather than a separate policy for every trip. Not only will this save you the hassle of having to sort out travel insurance every time you leave the country, but it can also save you a lot of money as well.
For great deals on
holiday insurance with a wide range of activities covered as standard, visit Go Travel Insurance.
