Health and Safety: Travel Insurance

Your holiday will probably be an amazing experience full of treasured memories. However, if something goes wrong when you’re abroad without cover, you’re likely to remember your trip for all the wrong reasons. Travel insurance can protect you and your loved ones from the cost of unforeseen medical bills and more and means that you don’t have to worry about additional costs in an emergency. Read our helpful guide on how to get travel insurance savvy.

We would always recommend that you consider travel insurance as part of your trip

You never know what unexpected events are around the corner, this is why we would always recommend that you consider travel insurance when booking your holiday. Read on for advice on travel insurance.

What travel insurance policy is right for me?

This will depend on your individual needs, so some of the factors you’ll need to consider are where you travelling to and for how long, what kind of activities you are interested in and how often you’ll be travelling over a 12 month period. Standard travel insurance can differ between providers so make sure you check exactly what the policy does and doesn’t cover, the excesses payable and the level of cover to ensure the policy works for you. It’s really important to disclose any pre-existing medical conditions when asked otherwise you risk invalidating your insurance policy.

Do I need to take my travel insurance documents away with me?

Downloading your policy to your phone means that you will have your documents to hand, should you need them. However, we recommend taking a physical copy in your suitcase. This means if you lose your phone or run out of battery, then you can still produce your policy documents if you need to. Also, make sure that everyone covered by the policy has access to the emergency assistance contact number for the insurance provider.

Does travel insurance provide the same cover as my EHIC?

This depends on the level of cover you take out but generally, no it doesn’t. On the 1st January 2021, the free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) changed to the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). The GHIC gives you access to necessary medical treatment either for free or at a reduced cost in a select number of countries. It may not cover the country that you are travelling to or the medical care that you may need. The GHIC therefore only helps with the cost of medical treatment, it does not provide cover for things that travel insurance usually does such as repatriation, cancellation, getting back home if you miss or are unable to board your flight due to health problems or if your luggage goes missing or is stolen. So whilst it’s certainly worth travelling with your GHIC, you should also consider taking out travel insurance that is specifically tailored to your needs to give you that additional peace of mind in case something happens. To find out more about what your GHIC covers, please visit their website.

Will Brexit affect my travel insurance?

You can find advice about potential changes to travel insurance and medical cover abroad relating to the UK leaving the European Union on our Brexit travel advice page.

When should I purchase my travel insurance?

The earlier the better in our opinion as the sooner you sort it, the sooner you’re covered if something goes wrong – especially if you’re unable to travel, but this is entirely up to you. Often, we decide to buy later and then forget to do so. Also, buying early may mean you have more time to shop around for a great deal that gives you the right level of cover.