Tag: compare insurance

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Travel Insurance

Should I get travel insurance?

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When you are travelling abroad, getting insurance is vital. Travel insurance online covers anything that could go wrong while you’re away. The exact inclusions depend on your policy, but they can accommodate lost luggage, health emergencies, and flight cancellations.

If you’ve been on plenty of holidays and nothing has gone wrong, you might be wondering ‘do I need travel insurance?’. The answer is yes – and we’ll explain why in this article.

If you travel a lot, you’ll need it at some point

Although travel insurance can be expensive, something is bound to happen on a trip at least once in your life. If you have travel insurance, getting everything sorted will be much less of a headache! And you might even make all the money that you spent on insurance back once you submit a claim.

Travel insurance is not the same as health insurance

Even if you have health insurance in the UAE, travel insurance is a necessity if you are going abroad. Your UAE health insurance will only cover you when you’re in the country, so when you are abroad, it’s important that you have a separate policy in the event of a health emergency.

Travel credit card protection should be questioned

Some credit cards do offer a level of protection, that’s true. However, this protection is limited. Some will only cover costs if you booked your trip with that card, and the coverage is generally very low. While credit card coverage is a good backup, it’s not something that you should rely on solely.

Travel insurance covers some things that you may not have even considered

Travel insurance covers many things that you may not have even thought about. If you need to cut your trip short, your travel insurance policy may be able to compensate you for the money that you’ve spent on returning home. If you’ve missed your flight, you might be able to get some money back for this as well.

And that’s without mentioning the medical emergencies it can cover. On rare occasions, people are airlifted and taken to other cities with better medical facilities. If you have insurance, you’ll be covered if this happens to you – if you don’t, you’ll be paying it back out of your own pocket!

All in all, it’s essential that you get travel insurance, even if you’re only going away for a few days.

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Travel Insurance

When do I need extreme sports travel insurance?

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Harnessing the thrill of extreme sports and matching it with the joy of travel is a great way to spend a holiday and having the right travel insurance means you can enjoy your high octane adventures without too many worries.

What is extreme sports travel insurance?

Each insurance provider will have their own set of definitions and it’s important to check your policy meets your needs. There will be some common ground, so we’ve put together a quick round-up of what extreme sports travel insurance might cover.

High adrenaline activities

These are the things that spring to mind when you think of extreme sports and might include

• bungee jumping
• rock climbing
• white water rafting
• hang gliding
• sky diving

Other less obvious activities might also be considered extreme by your travel insurance company

• tubing
• banana boat ride
• swimming with dolphins
• horse riding

What may seem every day to you could be considered high risk by your insurer, so if you think you may do these kinds of activity it’s important to check you’re covered.

Other sports have dedicated policies, things like golf, water sports and winter sports need cover that allows for damage to essential kit, as well as increased risk of personal injury.

What sort of thing are covered by extreme sports travel insurance?

Again, this will vary according to your provider, but you’ll generally find the following inclusions

• Medical expenses – costs of treatment, hospital stays and ambulance fees
• Repatriation – to get you home in the case of medical necessity, or if you’ve missed your flight because of your treatment
• Personal injury – if you are left permanently disabled a lump sum may be payable
• Personal liability – to cover compensation costs if you damage property by accident or injure somebody by accident

I’m the spontaneous type – what should I do if I decide to do something extreme while I’m away?

If you’re not sure what activities you’ll be doing it’s a good idea to have your full policy document with you so you can check what is or isn’t included. If your chosen adrenaline fix isn’t on the list, a quick call to your insurer should get you covered, so you can amend your travel insurance and enjoy your thrills with complete peace of mind.

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Travel Insurance

A simple guide to travel insurance policies

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The variation in travel medical insurance can be as complex as deciding where to go on holiday. Be incredibly wary of policies that appear surprisingly cheap and make sure you fully understand what you are paying for! A cheap policy generally means poor levels of cover and high excesses. There are good deals out there, they just require a little more time and diligence to find. The following guide aims to make this a little easier for you.

Are you an avid traveller?

If so, it doesn’t make logical sense to take out a new policy every time you make a trip abroad, so look into multi-trip policies. These will cover all the trips you may make in a calendar year. If you tend to holiday more than the average person/family, it would be foolish to look past the various multi-trip options. Bear in mind, however, that these policies often include limits regarding the length of each trip.

Read the exclusions!

If you’re not a fan of reading more than you have to and normally skip the small print, you may want to revise this. Travel insurance policies all include a list of sporting activities or pursuits that are automatically covered, but lookout for the one’s that aren’t! This isn’t necessarily ad-hoc and is a common staple of many travel policies. However, some have exclusions for relatively ordinary activities such as hiking. This is where you could get caught out, so read the policy properly.

Protection against airlines and operators

Providing coverage in case an airline or holiday operator ceases to trade is not something that many people think about, but that doesn’t stop it happening and leaving travellers out of pocket. This is often not included in your average travel policy, so again, make sure you analyse your potential policies correctly.

There are many more methods for making sure you take out the most appropriate policy, so do your research, tailor your coverage, and make sure you don’t get caught out if something goes wrong!

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Health Insurance

Should I get health insurance for my child?

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As an adult with one eye to the future, you may be considering family medical insurance, also referred to as medical insurance. But what about your children? Is it worth getting health insurance for the whole family?

What are the benefits of children’s health insurance?

Health insurance would give your child access to medical care within a private hospital. If the worst were to happen and your child needed treatment for a medical condition, it is likely that with insurance they would be seen quicker than if they went through the normal channels of public healthcare.

Other benefits include access to expensive drugs that may not be otherwise available. You may also be given the option to pick and choose your specialist consultant, rather than have that choice made for you.

What are my options?

This is where comparing the health insurance market really comes into its own. As is common with any insurance, the increasing cost of the premium reflects the scale of your cover. It is important to compare many different options to suit the needs of your child, but the options are usually tiered into basic, medium, and comprehensive.

Depending on affordability, you may also be able to add on extra coverage for things such as teeth, eyes, and physiotherapy. Remember, what is included in your chosen policy is as important as what is excluded. Check the small print regarding the exclusions to keep yourself informed.

Their own policy or a family policy?

By comparing the insurance market, you’ll see that it’s possible to insure your child on a stand-alone policy. However, it is more common to take out a family policy. Each policy will differ in what conditions are covered and who can be covered, but adding a child or children should be straight forward. Some policies, for example, allow you to add a child from birth free of charge, and start charging a premium after their first birthday. It is also worth considering that many family policies discount pre-existing conditions when adding a child from birth, thus keeping your premium reasonable.

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Health Insurance Travel Insurance

3 travel insurance myths busted about pre-existing health conditions

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A lot of people are confused about just what medical conditions and which part of their medical history they have to declare when taking out a travel insurance quote. There is a misconception that only medical conditions a person is currently taking medication for need to be declared at the point of signing up for travel insurance, but this is not true. In this article, we bust some of the myths surrounding travel insurance applications and your medical history.

Myth 1: If I declare any pre-existing health conditions it will make my travel insurance more expensive.

Although this is partly true, declaring current health conditions you are suffering from doesn’t always mean a massive hike in your travel insurance bill. It all depends on what type of illness you have, and if it is likely to require emergency treatment in the near future. This is due to the fact that the insurance company will need to make sure you are fully covered for a medical emergency, and if you do fall ill whilst abroad then won’t have to worry about paying large medical bills.

Myth 2: There’s no need to declare a condition I have recovered from

A lot of people are unaware that it is important to declare any health problems in their past even if they have fully recovered from them. Just because you are healthy now, doesn’t mean that your previous illness could not return or affect other parts of your body at a later date.

Myth 3: I don’t need to declare a one-off medical episode

Yes, you do, if that condition has been confirmed as a medical condition, even if it isn’t causing any ongoing health concerns, it is always better to be truthful in case it flares up again. Otherwise, you could be left with large medical bills should you fall ill whilst travelling and it is connected to your previous one-off medical episode.

Summary

These are the three most popular myths surrounding declaring your medical history when applying for travel insurance, and hopefully this article has made things clearer with regards to what you need to declare to avoid problems further down the line.

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Car Insurance

Why you need to avoid lying on a car insurance application

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Have you ever bent the truth in order to save money? Although most people would not own up to blatantly lying when applying for a car insurance policy, withholding certain truths can have major consequences should the truth come out later on.

The consequences of lying on an insurance application to car insurance companies near me are serious

There is no way to soften this, but lying, withholding information or deliberate misrepresentation when completing an insurance form is insurance fraud. This is a serious matter and could lead to a criminal conviction and even imprisonment if you are found guilty in a court of law. At a bare minimum, you will find it incredibly difficult to get insurance for your car, and if you do, it will be much more expensive.

Your policy may be cancelled

If an insurance company feels as though you have not been entirely truthful on your application, they have every right to cancel the policy. This will then cause you a problem when you try to get insurance from another company, as you will be expected to disclose information on voided, cancelled or refused policies that have arisen in the past.

Your policy may be voided

A more serious scenario is if an insurance company has proof that you purposely withheld or changed vital information in order to get a cheaper policy. If this happens then the insurance company may void your policy from the start date, so it would appear as though the policy never existed. In addition to which, voiding a policy will automatically cancel any claims in progress, and that means any costs involved will have to be covered by you.

Policy refusal

The insurance company can also refuse to renew or even issue a car insurance policy due to non-disclosure or untruthfulness on an application. Things that people often lie about on an application include previous claims and previous convictions.

The bottom line

Lying on a car insurance policy application form is not worth the risk, as being found out later on can have dire consequences, leaving you uninsured, out of pocket and with a criminal record.

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Categories
Car Insurance

Top tips for young drivers in the UAE

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If you are a young driver in the UAE and have recently passed your test, you may find the process of choosing your car insurance overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Below we outline some top tips for young drivers to help you get the insurance quotes online you need at the best price possible.

1. Choose the right cover

While it may be tempting to opt for less insurance coverage, if you would be unable to replace your car if it was involved in an accident, then it is advisable to select a fully comprehensive insurance policy. This will ensure, no matter what scenario you may be involved in, e.g. a traffic collision or an act of vandalism, you will have the cover you need.

2. Prove you are a low-risk driver

As a new driver, the best way to prove to insurance companies that you are not a risk is by driving as safely as possible. In your second year as a newly-approved driver, you will be able to significantly lower your insurance quote if you have not made any claims or been involved in any accidents.

3. Carefully select your vehicle

Vehicles with expensive customisations, such as alloy wheels or powerful engines, are more expensive to insure. This is due to the fact it is more expensive for insurance companies to repair or replace them. While it may be tempting to choose an expensive model as your first car, it is better value to choose a car that meets your needs and does not have unnecessary customisations.

4. Compare car insurance online

The best and most effective way to ensure you select the right insurance policy at the best price possible as a young driver is to compare car insurance online. This will ensure you are receiving the best value for the cover you need and will prevent you from having to contact multiple insurance providers individually for a car insurance quote which can be time-consuming.

If you are a young driver looking for car insurance in the UAE, visit Compare Insurance today. We can help you find the cover you need effortlessly.

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Travel Insurance

Why adding activity cover to your travel insurance policy makes sense

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When it comes to annual travel insurance, it can be tailored to cover many additional things such as extra cover for skiing trips or for going on a cruise for example. However, what about those activities that are more extreme, can they be covered too? Extreme sports and other riskier activities are becoming more popular than ever before, such as parasailing or bungee jumping, and for these types of activities you will need to get an activity pack added to your policy. These types of add-ons are ideal if you need to cover dangerous or hazardous activities that you may want to take part in whilst on vacation.

What type of activities can be covered?

Almost all dangerous or potentially hazardous activities can be covered by the addition of extra insurance cover. Activities such as abseiling, adventure racing, hot-air ballooning, climbing, hiking, dog sledding, hang gliding, caving, sailing, mountain biking and parachuting are just some that can be covered but there are hundreds more.

Make sure you get the right coverage

Although these activity packs are a useful addition to your travel insurance policy, not every insurance policy has them, so you should check the wording on your chosen policy before you sign up for it. In addition to which, some travel insurance policies have different packs for different activities, so you will need to double check everything is in order before you sign.

Make sure you’re honest with regards to medical conditions

Due to some medical conditions preventing you from being able to take part in certain high-risk activities, you may also find they will preclude you from adding the extra insurance cover to your policy. So, if you were to go ahead and take part in a dangerous activity in spite of your medical condition, and something went wrong, then you may not have enough insurance to cover your medical bills.

The bottom line

Dangerous sports and other hazardous activities can make for a great vacation, but it is doubly important you have the right level of travel insurance before you leave home, otherwise you could find that your holiday of a lifetime becomes the stuff of nightmares.

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Car Insurance

5 car insurance mistakes to avoid if you want to save money

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As a smart and conscientious driver, you will already know the benefits of having a decent car insurance policy for when things go wrong. Shopping around for the most suitable car insurance deal is something that all drivers should do, but many people often make mistakes with their car insurance policy. Here are some of the car insurance pitfalls to avoid.

1. Inadequate coverage

One mistake to avoid is to automatically sign up for the policy that offers the cheapest quote. That low quote often comes at the expense of offering you a policy that doesn’t provide enough protection e.g. 3rd party insurance, something you may not notice until you make a claim.

2. Not being truthful about prior insurance claims

Prior to furnishing you with a quote, all insurance companies will ask you to disclose information regarding any prior car insurance claims you may have made. You need to make sure that the information you provide is up to date as any undisclosed claims discovered further down the line could see an increase in the cost of your policy.

3. Not adding all drivers

You need to be completely honest with regards to how many people will be driving the vehicle on your policy. Failure to disclose one or more drivers could result in either an increase in your premium or your policy being cancelled altogether should this information be discovered by your provider.

4. Not adding accident forgiveness to your policy

Make sure you ask the insurance company you are requesting a quote from if they have such a thing as an accident forgiveness feature on their policy. Under this plan, the first collision you have will not see an increase in your policy’s premium.

5. Not getting all the discounts you are entitled to

One of the most common mistakes people make when taking out car insurance policies is not making sure they are getting all the discounts they qualify for. Most insurance companies offer discounts for those who have not made any previous claims (often called a no-claims bonus), or for having additional security measures fitted to the car. Even adding a dash camera can often lower your monthly premiums as the footage it offers will make deciding who was at fault should a collision occur much easier.

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Travel Insurance

4 common travel insurance mistakes to avoid

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You’ve purchased your tickets, checked that your visa and passport documentation is valid, purchased your holiday money and you’re all set to go. Well not quite, in the rush to get everything done prior to your trip it is easy to forget about travel insurance. In this article, we will take a look at some of the common errors travellers make when it comes to travel health insurance.

1. Forgoing vaccinations

If you are travelling to a country where diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever or malaria are commonplace, you will need to make sure you are vaccinated. Failure to do so will not only have the potential to make you seriously ill, but you’ll end up footing the bill for all the medical treatment you receive.

2. Failing to declare pre-existing medical conditions

Your travel insurance will not pay out should you fall ill due to a pre-existing medical condition if you have not declared it when taking out your policy. Not only will you then be liable for costs of medical treatment whilst abroad, but you will also have to foot the bill for any flights or changes to your travel plans that come as a result of your enforced rest.

3. Buying travel insurance just before you travel

Because travel insurance covers more than just falling ill when you are away, you need to sign up to a travel insurance policy as soon as you know you will be leaving the country. Airline strike disruption, flights cancelled due to adverse weather or cancelling your travel plans due to personal reasons can all be covered by a good travel insurance policy.

4. Don’t rely on free insurance policies

Many credit card companies and banks offer travel insurance perks, but you’ll need to read the small print carefully, as these policies typically cover emergencies only, and you will need a more comprehensive policy for peace of mind.

Summary

A travel insurance policy should give you peace of mind in the event of something unexpected happening, be it a medical emergency or flight cancellation, baggage loss etc, but always double-check your any travel insurance policy offers the best coverage before you buy.

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