Travel Insurance (also known as Holiday Insurance) protects you against unexpected costs which arise whilst you are away from home, whether you are travelling on business or for a family holiday. Travel insurance is not compulsory, but it can give you peace of mind when you are away from home and faced with flight cancellation, lost luggage or injury.
There are several different types of travel insurance, all of which come under one of three broad headings: Single Trip, Annual Multi-Trip and Specialised Insurance. Single trip insurance is purchased to cover one trip, whilst annual multi-trip covers you for any number of trips you make throughout the year. In addition, there are specialised travel insurances, which can offer specific protection for particular holidays, such as ski or golf breaks.
The cover provided by the different types of insurance varies between individual policies and insurance providers. Travel insurance may cover: emergency medical expenses; travel delay or holiday cancellation; personal liability for accidents; hijack and mugging; any legal expenses; passport and baggage loss; baggage delay; money loss or theft, and sports equipment. Take time to choose your policy carefully, so that you are covered as comprehensively as you wish to be whilst paying a competitive price.
Making a claim against your travel insurance is relatively simple; insurers provide you with an easy claims telephone helpline, via which you can make a claim and check its progress. However, before making a claim you will need to check that your policy covers you for the claim you are about to make: read the small print of your contract for details of policy exclusions and restrictions.
This guide covers the key aspects of travel insurance. It is split up into six sections:
