With the onset of the holiday season, Marketing Stockport member C&C Insurance Brokers are giving advice to travellers this summer.
Many people believe that they do not need travel insurance as they are travelling with an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). The EHIC card is only valid in European Union countries and whilst this allows you to get state healthcare at a reduced cost and in some cases, for free, the costs of prescriptions and additional treatments can add up.
Having a comprehensive travel insurance policy ensures that any medical expenses can be reclaimed from the insurer if cover is in place.
It is essential that all pre-existing medical conditions are disclosed as insurers can exclude cover for claims arising as a result of an existing illness or medical condition. You should do this for all members of the family or group who are travelling.
You should be aware that the majority of policies exclude certain sports and activities so it is worth checking the policy prior to travel. If you know that you are going to be taking part in an activity or sport, you may need to extend your policy to include the cover required. Winter sports are not usually covered as standard and your policy should be extended to cover this.
Insurers often exclude cover for injuries arising from drug, solvent or alcohol abuse or from jumping from buildings, balconies or vehicles so caution is advised!
C&C recommend that you do not rely on your travel policy for your personal possessions cover. Whilst insurers provide cover for your belongings, they often limit the amount per item, often to £250, which may not be enough to replace electronic devices. Household insurance can be extended to include personal possessions on a worldwide basis and should have a higher limit per item. It is useful to keep an inventory of items that you would take with you, along with serial numbers, to speed up a claim in the event of a loss.
The majority of travel insurance policies provide a good level of cancellation cover. Cover is usually provided if your trip must be cancelled due to an accident or illness suffered by you, a close family member or another person travelling in your party. You are advised to check the policy wording for full details.
Don’t leave it too late to take out adequate cover – you cannot take out insurance once you have left the country. In order to protect yourself, it is recommended that you take out travel cover as soon as you book your travel in order to benefit from cancellation cover.
If you would like any advice on travel insurance, please do not hesitate to contact C&C on Tel: 0161 406 4800.