Travel Insurance
Useful Tips, Considerations, Resources
Medical Air Repatriation
A good travel insurance policy will pay any costs arising from emergency medical bills, and even repatriation by medical air-ambulance.
This is essential because even fast-developing nations like China have medical care nowhere near the standards or ethics of US or UK hospitals.
Many policies also cover the costs of items damaged on a journey, such as cameras and cash lost etc. Although beware the single item cover limits.
Free Travel Insurance
There are many banks, credit card companies that have started to include free travel insurance cover as part of using their service, especially on premium bank accounts and cards.
Please ensure it covers your destination and activities, as many UK policies might be 'Worldwide - excluding US' or exclude skiing. You could also discover although it is a 1-year policy each trip length is limited. Please check the small print carefully and ensure it will cover your trip.
Low Single Item Limits
Your policy might include, for example, $3000 of personal possessions, but this would have small print that might limit a single item payout to $500. So if your laptop was stolen, your $2000 dollar laptop would only pay out $500 dollars.
Photographers typically have a separate policy for photography equipment and have to hold valid receipts and list the serial numbers with the insurer.
Expensive Item Cover
It is worth checking if your home insurance policy can cover you, this can sometimes be a cheaper way to cover high-value item.
You might be able to get cover away from home for registered items. Please ensure you fully disclose the details of your trip, the value of the item and ensure you are fully covered. It's nice to travel and be confident that you are fully covered.
Photographers can often find specialist insurance from photo clubs, associations or specialist photography insurance brokers.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
If you have a pre-existing medical condition there are a number of insurance companies that could help you.
We don't endorse or recommend any company but clients from the UK might find Age UK 0845 600 3348, Insure and Go 0844 888 2787, Cancer Travel Insurance Services 0845 880 0163 useful places to start getting quotes, as these companies specialize in travel insurance for people with non-terminal cancer.
Insuring High-value Trips
If you are planning a long or luxurious holiday you might need to consider a high-value trip insurance.
A large number of companies offer insurance policies which include cover for cancellation charges of up to a full holiday cost of £5,000, above this value it becomes more challenging to find a policy.
Standard policies have different levels, such as bronze, silver, and gold, and cancelation and curtailment can vary from £1,000 to £5,000. Please ensure the total cost of your trip is covered.
To get insurance which includes covers you for cancellation charges of trips over £5,000 try Thomson partnersing with AXA, 0845 366 2212. They offer cancellation cover up to £20,000 per person.
American Express's 0800 232 277 cancellation cover is up to £12,500 per person.
Insure and Go, 0844 888 2787 offer cancellation cover up to £7,500 per person.
Correct at the time of writing.