The importance of travel insurance

With prime holiday time approaching fast, many will have already booked breaks at home or abroad. With prices of holidays rising, it makes sense to insure your holiday so that you are not out of pocket should the unexpected happen.

Unforeseen events can ruin your break before you even take off, so taking appropriate action to cover yourself and your family is not only good sense but may also save you money to be insured.

According to the Consumer Council¹, a good insurance policy should cover you for:

• Missed flight departures / connections
• Cancellation or restriction of your holiday caused by an unexpected event, e.g. illness
• Illness, injury or death while you are away
• Repatriation – getting you back home
• Loss, theft or damage to your belongings or luggage
• Liability for accidents to others
• If the airline goes out of business
• Natural disasters, natural events e.g. volcanic ash clouds and severe weather
• Political instability
• Security risks

Of course, you can pick and choose what features are important to you as not every policy will be as comprehensive and it is just as important that you know what your policy does not cover, as well as what it does.

Common exclusions
Travel disruption caused by natural disaster, volcanic ash, civil unrest or
terrorism may not be included

• Claims for a pre-existing medical condition or illness at the time of taking out your policy that has not been declared
• Alcohol and drug related incidents
• Missing valuables from check-in luggage

Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) and travel insurance
If you are travelling to Europe, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is no longer valid, although it will still be valid in the EU until it expires². You can apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), free of charge from the NHS, in addition to taking out travel insurance. The GHIC allows travellers to access healthcare in most European countries at a reduced cost or sometimes free of charge.

However, it is not an alternative to travel insurance and it does not cover the following:-

• getting you back to the UK (repatriation)
• private medical treatment
• dental treatment in some countries

How do I get a GHIC?
You can apply online at https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

You should apply at least 2 weeks before travelling to make sure the card arrives on time. Also, if you are already covered via a bank account or home insurance, do check to see if it is sufficient for the holiday or journey you are planning to take.

Sources

1. The Consumer Council (2024) Travel Insurance. Available at: https://www.consumercouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/original/Travel_Insurance_Factsheet_-_5.12.14.pdf[Accessed 17 Jul 2024]

• NHS (2024) Get healthcare cover abroad with a UK GHIC or UK EHIC. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/ [Accessed 17 Jul 2024]

All the information in this article is correct as of the publish date 25^th July 2024. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. The information provided in this article, including text, graphics and images does not, and is not intended to, substitute advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available in this article are for general informational purposes only. Information in this article may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.

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