Posted on June 13, 2017 at 10:30 am by BeeMyMinder
How to get cheaper summer travel insurance
We all know the travel insurance is a must when you’re booking your summer holiday, but they can quickly become expensive, especially if you’re making a purchase directly through a travel agency.
That’s why this month we’ve created this list of top ways to help you get cheaper summer holiday travel insurance, so you can enjoy your holiday away, safe in the knowledge that you’ve saved money and you’re covered whilst abroad.
Buy a policy as soon as you’ve booked
Booking a holiday is always an exciting time, but we would always recommend that you book your travel insurance policy on the same day. This may seem excessive, but most insurance policies cover you for cancellations or delays.
This means that you’re going to be protected in the run up to your holiday should anything go wrong that’s out of your control. If you’re planning a longer trip with multiple flights, make sure that your policy covers transfer cancellations and pays out in the unlikely event that it happens.
Shop around
We don’t need to write much on this, it’s the age-old adage that you need to shop around to get the best deal. Price comparison website are the best way to compare deals, but make sure that you do your research before choosing the cheapest option.
Understand what you’re buying
If you’ve booked your holiday through a travel agent, it’s the easiest way to get travel insurance but chances are it’s also going to be the most expensive. However, if you’ve decided to take the DIY route, it’s important that you understand the type of cover that you’re buying.
Single trip travel insurance
If you’re only taking a single trip, this may be the most suitable insurance policy for you. You can use this policy to cover just yourself, a couple or a family. Most travel insurance companies give you the option to filter by specific dates, locations and also the ability to adjust your voluntary excess.
Annual Multi Trip travel insurance
If you’re planning multiple trips throughout the year, an annual multi-trip insurance policy could help save you money compared to several, single trip policies.
However, it’s important that you read the T&Cs of the policy. Some may only cover you for a certain amount of trips per year, so make sure you read the details carefully before signing up.
Worldwide travel insurance
This policy is useful for those travelling outside of the EU, especially around the Americas and Australasia. It is possible to get cover for just Europe, but this cover helps towards the expensive medical treatments you’ll find further afield.
Extreme Sports travel insurance
Regardless of whether you’re going tobogganing, snowboarding, scuba diving or shark cage diving, you’re going to have to take out an extreme sports travel insurance policy. Any holiday where you’re going to be taking part in an activity that puts you at a higher risk of injury ultimately means you’re going to have a policy that covers any potential medical costs.
Family travel insurance
If you’re travelling with parents, children or siblings, it’s always worth seeing whether a family policy is cheaper compared to individual ones. A family insurance policy helps to cover illness or injury, theft and holiday cancellations. However, before you sign on the dotted line, it’s important (again) to read the T&Cs. Some policies only cover a certain number of children, won’t cover single parent families or restrictions on where each family member lives.
Over 65s travel insurance
Whether you’re over 65 yourself or you’re travelling with those who are, it’s worth doing research on a single policy for them and a separate policy for yourself. The premiums are going to be hired for those over 65, however there are insurers who cater for the older generations. These include:
Check your current accounts
Before you start to do your research, make sure that you check your current accounts to see whether you’re already covered. For example, if you took out a Nationwide Flex Plus account, you’ll receive worldwide cover for your family holiday, including winter sports trips, golf holidays, weddings abroad and business trips.
Avoid travel agent insurance policies
As we explained at the start of this post, purchasing an insurance policy directly through the travel agent can be even more expensive than taking out a policy yourself. Many travel agents can be seen to offer “free” policies, but these the price of these are often bundled into the price of the package holiday itself.
Understand the terms of your EHIC card
It’s a well-known fact that you’re able to apply for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before you travel. It does give you access to state-provided healthcare in European countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
However, you need to understand exactly what is and more importantly, isn’t covered.
What’s covered?
- Necessary medical treatment during your stay due to illness or an accident
- Access to reduced-cost or free medical treatment from state healthcare providers
- Treatment on the same basis as a resident of that country. You may have to pay patient contribution dependent on the local rules and regulations
- Treatment for pre-existing or chronic medical conditions
- Routine maternity care, as long as you’re not visiting for the sole purpose of giving birth
What isn’t covered?
- The costs of treatments received in a private medical practice, including those that aren’t part of the state healthcare system
- Travel costs of being brought back to the UK for treatment
- Travel costs for the sole purpose of receiving treatment abroad (including to give birth)
- Healthcare and treatment in regions where there is no state provided healthcare available
To apply for your own EHIC card or to find out more information, you can read more on the NHS website here.
So there we have it, our top tips on how to get cheaper summer holiday travel insurance. What do you think? Have we missed anything out? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so let us know in the comments below.
Remember to upload your travel insurance details quickly into BeeMyMinder under ‘Your Bills’. Set that handy reminder and before its anniversary you can decide to shop around again or cancel it (without incurring unnecessary renewal costs).
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