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Travel Insurance

What does ‘curtailment’ mean in travel insurance?

When you go on holiday, you never like to think that the worst-case scenario will come to pass. Sometimes, however, it does, and you may need to cut short your holiday plans to return home, potentially losing a small fortune as a result. When you take out a travel insurance policy, the vast majority of them will include something called a ‘curtailment’ clause which covers you for certain insured events which might force you to cut your holiday short.

What might curtailment cover?

You need to read the small print of your insurance policy very carefully to see what the curtailment clause might cover. On the whole, they will see you receive a pro-rata refund on any pre-booked accommodation, excursions or vehicle hire you’ve arranged as part of your holiday, should certain unavoidable life events occur while you’re on vacation.

These insured events might include you or a member of your party becoming ill or being injured whilst on holiday, or the death, injury or serious illness of a family member at home. Other reasons may include your compulsory call up for jury service, a terrorist attack on your holiday destination or your home being made uninhabitable by something like a fire, flood or serious burglary.

What can you claim?

Every travel insurance firm will have different curtailment clauses, so you need to scrutinise exactly what yours will cover you for. Most will make sure you are refunded for any hotel bills or self-catering accommodation you cannot use because your holiday has been cut short. Some will also grant you pro-rata refunds on car hire or for any pre-arranged excursions and trips out that you won’t be able to take up.

Taking out a travel insurance policy with a curtailment clause gives you peace of mind when you go on holiday, and knowing you’re covered for unforeseen and deeply traumatic incidents can be a great comfort. If the worst happens, there is a safety net in place to make sure your return home is as smooth, stress-free and straightforward as possible, so you’re not left out of pocket.

For more information on the holiday insurance cover offered by Compare Insurance, simply visit our main website or get in touch today.

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Travel Insurance

Why is travel insurance is important? 3 top reasons

You’ve picked your destination, the flights are booked, and your itinerary is perfectly planned. Your dream holiday is just around the corner but there could be one vital factor you’re forgetting – travel insurance. You may be tempted to not bother with it to save time and money, but this may end up costing you much more if something goes wrong. Here we answer the question, why is top travel insurance important?

1. Overseas medical issues could be pricey

It’s never ideal to fall ill while abroad, but it happens. If you or a loved one needs medical attention, you will need relevant travel insurance to cover medical costs. Without it, you could find yourself faced with a hefty hospital bill which will vary depending on the country you are in and what treatment you require. A travel insurance policy that covers emergency medical bills will ensure that you don’t face more stress than you need to in the face of injury or illness abroad.

2. It covers the unexpected

We’ve all had to face annoying inconveniences when going on a trip, whether that’s a delayed flight, missing luggage, or even having to cancel at the last minute. With travel insurance in place, you can relax in the run-up to your holiday knowing that if anything is to go wrong before or during it, you won’t lose out financially.

For example, hotels aren’t always willing to issue a refund if your delayed flight means you can’t make it for the first night – a good travel insurance policy should cover the cost of alternate accommodation. You can’t plan for every possible mishap, but travel insurance gives you the best chance of not getting caught out by unexpected losses.

3. It’s not expensive

As we said above, you may be tempted to skip paying for travel insurance to save money, but the reality is that not having it could be a real costly move. Travel insurance doesn’t have to be expensive and there are plenty of options to choose from if you do your research. This is where comparison websites like Compare Insurance come in very handy to help you find the best deal that covers everything you need it to.

Travel insurance is a little extra cost that could go a long way in making your holiday everything you hoped. Don’t get caught out by not putting some time aside to find the insurance policy that is the best for you.

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Travel Insurance

Can you buy travel insurance when already abroad?

Getting ready for a vacation requires a lot of administration. You have to book flights, hotels, activities, and tours (not to mention all your COVID-19 testing kits).

As such, some people forget to buy single trip insurance before they travel. They then wind up in their destination worrying about whether they can get it or not, now that they’re already vacationing.

In this post, we explore when and how you can get travel insurance if you’re already abroad.

Yes, you can buy a travel insurance policy while already abroad

You can buy a travel insurance policy from some vendors while you’re abroad. However, there is a catch — you need to wait a certain period of time before the policy will kick in, usually three days or so.

Because of this, travel insurance works similarly to all other kinds of insurance. You can’t buy a cover to protect you against losses already incurred. Instead, you have to wait a few days before you can make a claim.

Not all insurers will allow you to take out an insurance policy once abroad

Please note that many insurers will not let you take out an insurance policy if you are already at your destination. Before signing up for any policy, check its terms and conditions in the small print. Even if you’re able to purchase the policy after filling out your information, check the small print. It may contain a clause that makes your policy invalid if you’re already left.

If you’re already abroad but you plan to visit another destination later on, then you can usually take out a policy for onward travel. These cover things like flight and hotel cancellations, medical care in the destination country, and baggage losses. However, if you make a claim, the insurer will want to see evidence of your itinerary. For the policy to be valid, you’ll need to demonstrate that you indeed left the country in which you bought the policy and went to a new destination.

What does travel insurance cover if you are already abroad?

Any insurance you buy abroad should cover the risks you face from that point in your vacation onwards. For instance, medical expenses and risks associated with the return flight should be included.

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Travel Insurance

What is multi-trip travel insurance?

Whether it’s business or pleasure, travelling to several places and experiencing different cultures can be exciting. However, it may also mean facing different travelling related health conditions that may be costly. If you travel a lot, purchasing a single trip travel insurance can be tedious and costly. In this case, taking multi-trip best travel health insurance is the best decision for you.

Multi-trip travel insurance is a 12-month insurance plan that covers more than one trip in a year, saving you from getting new insurance every time you travel.

Benefits of multi-trip travel insurance

1. Medical expenses are covered

This type of insurance safeguards your finances by covering all medical costs that you may incur while travelling by yourself or with your family. Multi-trip worldwide insurance can cover evacuation costs to your home country.

2. Cancellation costs are covered

If by any chance you want to cancel a trip or a hotel reservation last minute, this insurance policy covers all costs, including pre-booked flight tickets.

3. Liability costs are covered

This insurance plan can cover costs incurred by a third party. For example, this can be helpful when you are travelling with kids, and they mistakenly cause damage to a third party.

4. Cost-effective

Multi-trip travel insurance saves you money and the hassle of buying new insurance every time you travel.

5. Suitable for last-minute trips

This type of insurance makes it easy to prepare for any unplanned trips.

6. Useful for business travellers

If your work involves a lot of travelling, a multi-trip insurance policy will save a lot in time and financial management compared to a single-trip insurance cover.

Let us help you

Looking for the best travelling insurance can be a lot of work, but that should not worry you. Our online comparison tool can help you get the multi-trip insurance cover you want by comparing travel insurance quotes and policies from different companies. Feel free to use it today for your ideal multi-trip insurance cover.

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Travel Insurance

Three surprising things your travel insurance may cover

It’s extremely important to make sure that you have valid holiday safe insurance when going abroad, especially within the current Coronavirus pandemic. There are several things that seem certain to be contained within any travel insurance policy (for example, hospital treatment and hotel cancellations), but there are also many other things that may be included that holidaymakers are not aware of. Listed below are three surprising things your travel insurance may cover.

Death

Whilst most travel insurance companies cover injury to some degree, many policies also cover death. This will depend on the policy itself, so it is worth checking before trying to claim for this, but many travel insurance policies will cover the cost of cancelling a trip if a close friend or family member dies, even if they were not one of the people listed on the policy. Some travel insurance policies even cover the policyholder against death, with the repatriation of remains sometimes covered – your family may even receive a pay-out if you die on your trip, although this may not apply if you visit a country where travel is warned against due to potential danger.

Small medical costs

Surprisingly, a lot of people don’t realise that travel insurance usually covers the cost of small medical procedures, with many instead thinking it only stretches to major surgery. Whilst there may be an excess to pay (so the cost of smaller treatment may actually be cheaper than paying the excess), it’s worth checking out, in case you do encounter minor injury when on holiday.

Pets

When considering travel insurance, it’s usually assumed that it only covers humans. Whilst separate animal/pet insurance can be purchased that is specifically designed for your pet, some travel insurance companies have now started to cover pets under general travel insurance policies. Each policy will differ, but some things a general travel insurance policy may cover include emergency vets visits and treatment, cancellation of the trip in case your pet is too ill for you to travel, and early return costs in case you and your pet have to return home early. If you are taking a pet on holiday with you, it is important to make sure they are covered by your policy.

Shopping for holiday cancellation insurance can sometimes be overwhelming – contact us today to find the best travel insurance policy for your trip!

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Travel Insurance

Who can I cover in my travel insurance policy?

If it’s your first time buying travel insurance, it’s normal to wonder whether you can include other people in your policy. This way, when you travel with them, whether that’s your partner, child, friend or extended family member, you have peace of mind knowing they’re also protected from unforeseen circumstances.

Keep reading to find out who you can cover with your best cheap travel insurance policy.

1. Yourself

An individual travel insurance policy covers you from any expenses related to accidents and unfortunate events such as flight cancellation. It’s the most common form of travel insurance and is ideal for people that take solo trips and vacations abroad.

2. You and your partner

Also known as a couple’s policy, this travel insurance policy covers both you and your partner when travelling overseas. It’s much cheaper than taking out two separate policies while still providing the same benefits as an individual policy. Just ensure your partner is named in the policy to avoid any surprises.

3. You and your family

If you and your family members like taking annual trips or vacations, you’re better off buying a family travel insurance policy. This keeps your loved ones safe on holiday by covering lost luggage, cancellations, disruptions and medical treatment abroad.

Normally, family travel insurance policies cover one or two adults and up to eight children under 18. However, this can vary depending on the provider, so speak to your insurer first. Some policies might also require you to live under one roof.

4. You and your friends

If you’re heading overseas with your friends or co-workers, you can buy a group travel insurance policy to protect everyone. Group policies cover a group of individuals that aren’t necessarily family and are a way to save money rather than everyone buying their own policy. However, you all have to travel at the same time for your claims to be valid.

Let us help

Shopping around for travel insurance can be overwhelming. This is why we have an online comparison tool that you can use to find and compare travel insurance quotes and policies from different providers.

Feel free to use it today to find your ideal overseas medical insurance policy.

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Travel Insurance

A guide to renewing your travel insurance policy

Buying an annual travel insurance policy is an excellent choice as you get comprehensive cover for every trip you take throughout the year. Unfortunately, your policy expires at the end of the 365 days, and you have to renew it to get continuous cover. Renewing your policy saves you the stress of having to start another policy from scratch every time your annual cover expires.

Keep reading to learn how you can renew your travel insurance policy.

How to renew your travel insurance policy

You can renew your annual travel insurance policy in two ways:

1. Auto-renew

When you first purchase your travel insurance policy, your provider will ask you whether you’d like them to automatically renew the cover each year. This way, you get hassle-free continuous cover throughout, giving you peace of mind.

Travel insurance auto-renewal is an excellent option as it gives you one less thing to worry about, especially if you’re busy with work, school or family. Similarly, auto-renewal removes the risk of your policy expiring as your annual cover rolls over to another year with no gaps.

A reliable insurer should notify you before the renewal date of your policy, detailing any changes to the premium or the policy terms and conditions.

2. Get in touch to renew your policy

If you don’t choose the auto-renew feature when you initially buy your annual travel insurance policy, you’ll have to renew your policy yourself by getting in touch with your provider. Normally, you don’t have to remember the expiry date by heart as your insurer sends you reminders, informing you when your insurance is due.

They’ll ask you whether you’d like to renew your policy for another year, and you’ll have to respond to get details on policy or price changes. Unfortunately, this can be tasking for many, but it saves you money if you’re not planning on travelling the following year by simply not paying for the renewal.

Additionally, it allows you to shop around for other policies and compare them to yours to see whether you’re getting the best value for your money.

Feel free to use our comparison tools at Compare Insurance today to find your ideal international medical insurance and annual travel insurance policy.

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Travel Insurance

Can I buy travel insurance after booking my trip?

Have you booked yourself a spontaneous or unplanned trip and need to get insured quickly? Or perhaps you forgot to buy travel insurance until the last minute? If so, it’s never too late to get a comprehensive travel insurance policy. You can purchase travel insurance after booking your trip.

Keep reading to learn more about purchasing a last-minute travel insurance cover.

Buying last-minute travel insurance

Like a standard travel insurance cover, last-minute travel insurance protects you financially from unforeseen circumstances and accidents. For example, if you fall ill during your trip, a good insurance policy will cover your medical costs, including emergency repatriation services.

Usually, you can purchase a last-minute travel insurance policy on the same day as you travel, as long as you haven’t been through customs or left your country of residence.

Limitations to buying your policy after booking

It’s essential to note that there are limitations to purchasing your travel insurance cover after booking. For one, it won’t cover the losses associated with a foreseeable event.

Picture this: You have already booked your flight, and the government issues a warning for a storm or hurricane. In this case, this is a foreseeable event with the potential of affecting your travel by delaying or cancelling your flight.

Since you’re fully aware of the flight cancellation before buying your policy, insurers are less likely to consider your claim.

Another drawback to last-minute travel insurance is that you don’t get enough time to compare quotes and policies from different providers. This, in turn, can cause you to spend more than you have to on a policy. Additionally, you may not catch certain exclusions or exceptions in your policy that burn a hole in your pocket later on.

You’re better off shopping around for a travel insurance policy early on to give yourself enough time to read and understand terms and conditions and what’s covered or not.

At Compare Insurance, we recommend shopping for travel insurance for over 70s one or two months before your trip. But, if you need last-minute travel insurance, you can use our tools and resources to compare quotes from different providers.

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Travel Insurance

What does travel insurance actually cover?

Travel insurance over 70 products vary from provider to provider. Therefore, the losses they cover are not always the same.

In this post, we take a look at what your policy might cover, and what it might not.

Cancellations

Travel insurance usually covers cancellations. Cancellations occur when you need to cancel some aspect of your trip, usually because of circumstances outside of your control.

Cancellations cover cancelled tour packages, aeroplane tickets, cruise fares, and hotel rooms. Mostly, they only apply if you cancel for qualifying reasons. For instance, they might cover cancellation costs if you lose your job, get sick, or can’t travel because of adverse weather.

Some travel insurance policies will cover you for any reason, though they tend to be more expensive.

Medical emergencies overseas

Travel insurance also usually covers the cost of medical care overseas. If you don’t have this cover, you may have to pay out-of-pocket. And, depending on where you go and the medical attention you require, that could be expensive.

Lost baggage

Travel insurance often covers lost, stolen, or damaged baggage as well as compensates for any delay in receiving your items.

Emergency evacuations

You may experience a health emergency while abroad. If so, evacuation coverage helps. This cover pays for emergency travel arrangements related to your medical care.

You can activate the emergency evacuation clause on your policy if your health deteriorates beyond a certain point, usually defined by local medical personnel. Coverage may include ambulance trips to the hospital, airlifts to better-equipped facilities, and flights back home.

Please note that evacuations can be exceptionally expensive – often reaching $50,000 or more.

Phone assistance

Travel arrangements and plans can go wrong while you are abroad. Because of this, many travel insurers offer 24/7 assistance, anywhere in the world. These services can help you if you need to get medical transportation, find your baggage, or locate a lost passport.

Additional coverage

Lastly, some groups of travellers require additional coverage to protect them against losses. For instance, if you are travelling to a dangerous part of the world, you may require life insurance. You may also benefit from hazardous sports cover which covers any medical costs you incur as a result of scuba diving or sailing accidents.

Find an insurance policy to suit your needs at Compare Insurance today.

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Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for a cruise holiday

If you’re thinking about going on a cruise this holiday season, you might want to consider purchasing cruise travel insurance. Why? While cruises are a great way to see and explore the world, they open you up to numerous vulnerabilities that can leave you injured, hurt, sick or even dead. Having annual worldwide travel insurance to fall back on when this happens gives you peace of mind at sea.

What is cruise travel insurance?

Cruise travel insurance is a type of cover that protects you from the things that might happen while you’re on a cruise, e.g., missed port stops. Simply put, it covers the specific risks and activities associated with a cruise trip, ensuring you don’t have to pay for expenses out-of-pocket.

Cruise travel insurance is typically classified as a specialist type of insurance as it covers you from situations that a standard policy won’t cover. As a result, it tends to be pricier than a regular cover. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t find an affordable policy.

What does cruise travel insurance cover?

The features of each cruise insurance policy vary by insurer, but a reliable policy should cover the following:

• Medical emergency expenses and medical repatriation
• Curtailment – cutting short your trip, e.g., from two months to one month
• Personal belongings
• Missed departure
• Cabin confinement – if the ship’s medical officer confines you to your cabin for health reasons
• Unused excursion – if you can’t use a pre-planned excursion

It’s vital to note that different providers have different guidelines for their policies. For instance, while some insurers might cover you for curtailment regardless of the reason for shortening your trip, others may only cover you if your trip is shortened due to medical reasons and family emergencies.

So, be sure to read in between the fine print to understand what situations warrant reimbursement and those that don’t.

How do I get affordable cruise travel insurance?

The best way to get affordable insurance is to compare policies from different providers. Luckily for you, at Compare Insurance, we have tools and resources that you can use to compare quotes from multiple insurers at a time.

Use our comparison tool today to get competitive pricing on cruise travel insurance.

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