Travel Insurance: don’t leave home without it!

Sunglasses, shorts, sun cream, beach towels, boarding pass, passport, and… have you forgotten something?

With the Summer holiday season fast approaching, travel insurance should be on your mind. Comprehensive travel insurance can save both you and your family a lot of money if something goes wrong during your overseas holidays. It will also help you get the medical attention you need if you have an accident when travelling. Overseas hospital bills can cost thousands of euros, and a medical evacuation back to Ireland could cost thousands more. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs recommends that travellers purchase an appropriate travel insurance policy, as it cannot cover  emergency medical repatriation or expenses as a result of a personal emergency while you are abroad.

What’s at risk?

While things usually go smoothly, there is always a chance of something going wrong.

• Cancelled or curtailed (cut-short) holidays;

• Delayed or missed flights;

• Lost, damaged or delayed luggage;

• Lost or stolen items (like your passport);

• Liability if you cause an accident or damage property, and;

• Medical emergencies.

That’s where travel insurance can come to the rescue. Depending on your travel insurance policy, you can protect you and your family against these major inconveniences. Travel insurance is a great solution for holidaymakers as it covers a wide range of scenarios.

In addition to the risks listed above, travel insurance policy will usually cover:

• Medical care when abroad, including repatriation costs to Ireland;

• Loss or theft of money;

• Legal expenses and Personal liability cover if you injure a third party or damage their property in an accident; and

• A fixed payment if you suffer permanent disability or death.

Your policy should cover your entire trip, from departure to return, but if you travel several times a year, you could consider taking out a multi-trip or annual travel insurance policy

What is not covered?

As you can see, travel insurance can cover a lot of travel associated risks, but it can’t cover everything. The following risks will not be covered by a travel insurance policy:

• You won’t be covered to drive a car while abroad.

• Claims from a pre-existing medical condition usually aren’t covered.

• Losses of belongings seized by Customs or other state agencies will not be covered.

• Claims arising due to a war, civil war or a coup are not covered.

• Hazardous activities (like skiing or bungee jumping, for example) are often excluded. Ask in advance what is covered and what you may need to pay extra for.

Top tips:

1.      Make sure that you have saved the contact information for your travel insurance provider, including any emergency assistance phone numbers or details.  Many insurers will offer policyholders 24-hour emergency and assistance service. Making sure you have this information to hand when you need it will leave you with one less thing to worry about!

2.      If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it is important to be upfront and honest when taking out a policy. If you do not disclose a medical condition or do not truthfully answer the questions about the severity of the condition, any claim made on the policy may be rejected.

3.      As with all insurance policies, it is always a good idea to compare quotes from different insurance providers to find not just the most competitive price for the insurance, but more importantly the right cover that suits your needs.

Travel Insurance: don’t leave home without it!

With the Summer holiday season fast approaching, travel insurance should be on your mind. Comprehensive travel insurance can save both you and your family a lot of money if something goes wrong during your overseas holidays.