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Travel Insurance

What does a good travel insurance policy look like?

If you’re asking yourself what a good travel insurance policy looks like, you’ve come to the right place. To ensure you buy the right policy for yourself, we’ve highlighted some must-haves that make for the perfect long term travel insurance plan.

Must-have features

Travel insurance policies vary, and they offer different features and cover different losses. However, there are some features that you should never compromise on when purchasing a policy, such as:

1. Medical expenses

A good policy should cover medical expenses up to a limit of £5m. However, if there’s any treatment that can wait until you return home (according to a medical opinion), it won’t be covered.

2. Repatriation service

This feature should be covered automatically, and it includes the costs of getting you back home for medical reasons. Again, any treatment that isn’t necessary and can wait till you get back home won’t be covered.

3. Cancellation

A reliable policy covers cancellation for £2,000 or more, but remember, insurers only cover this in certain circumstances. For instance, they may only cover cancellation if you fall ill, so read the terms and conditions of your policy carefully.

4. Missed departure

An ideal travel insurance policy should cover delayed or missed departure in cases beyond your control, such as vehicle breakdown or bad weather. Normally, policies will give you £500 or more.

5. Baggage cover

If you’re travelling to high-risk or expensive shopping destinations like the UAE, you need a baggage cover to protect you from luggage loss or theft. A good policy should cover £1,500 or more.

6. Travel abandonment

A reasonable travel insurance policy should cover you for travel abandonment for £2,000 or more. But remember, insurers only cover this in certain circumstances, so read between the fine print to find exceptions and exclusions.

7. Personal liability cover

Most travel insurance policies will give you £2 million or more in personal liability cover.

Bottom line

An ideal travel insurance policy must have these seven features. If it doesn’t, you’re better off finding another provider. Luckily for you, we’ve made that easy with our travel insurance comparison tool, which allows you to compare plans and policies from various providers.

Use it today and find the perfect insurance policy for your travelling needs.

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Travel Insurance

How to compare travel insurance quotes

Are you thinking about getting travel insurance? If so, you’ve probably already learned about coverage, exclusions, exceptions, and policies. Now, it’s time to compare quotes from different providers. Here’s a detailed guide that can help you with this for cheap worldwide travel insurance.

But first, why compare travel insurance quotes?

It can be tempting to purchase the first insurance plan that comes your way, but it may not provide the best cover for your travelling needs. Besides, you may be paying more than you have to.

So, compare travel insurance quotes from various providers first before buying any cover. This not only ensures you get the best coverage but also saves you money as you can get more coverage at a competitive price.

How to compare travel insurance quotes

It’s no secret that comparing quotes can be an overwhelming and time-consuming task. However, long gone are the days when you had to contact several insurers to get a single quote.

Today, with advanced tools and resources such as Compare Insurance, you can get travel insurance costs, plans and policies from different providers with the single click of a button. This allows you to compare quotes side by side and analyse what each covers to get the best plan for your travelling needs.

To compare quotes using Compare Insurance, you’ll need to enter some basic information about your trip. This includes:

• Travel dates – departure and return
• Destination
• Where you reside
• Number of travellers

You’ll then get various quotes from insurers with information about what’s covered, e.g., trip cancellation and loss of baggage and the benefits offered. The quote also includes terms and conditions to ensure you understand the guidelines of each policy.

It’s vital to read these terms and conditions to be aware of any exclusions and exceptions that might cost you significantly during your trip. Once you’re done with your comparison, choose your travel insurance provider and make your secure online payment.

Comparison made easy

Compare Insurance makes quote comparison quick and easy for travellers who need efficient cover at a competitive price.

What are you waiting for? Use our comparison tool today to get travel insurance that meets your travelling needs.

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Travel Insurance

Everything you need to know about travel insurance and pre-existing medical conditions

Travel insurance is intended to cover you for any mishaps and accidents that may occur whilst you are on holiday. It should cover your luggage, reimburse you for cancelled flights, and cover any unexpected medical expenses. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, however, it is crucial that you find the best travel insurance with medical conditions for you.

What is considered a pre-existing condition?

Insurance defines pre-existing conditions as illnesses or injuries that you had before taking out the policy. This includes both physical and non-physical conditions, including but not limited to, cancer, epilepsy, diabetes, anxiety, and depression.

Pregnancy is not usually considered a pre-existing condition, and your insurance should cover you for any medical emergencies related to the pregnancy. There are also some restrictions about how late into the pregnancy you can travel, so always check with the insurer to make sure that you are covered.

How much are insurance premiums?

Medical costs are the most expensive type of claim made against travel insurance, and as a result, insurance for people with an existing condition tend to be higher. The effect on the premium will depend on your condition. Unfortunately, some insurers may not cover certain conditions at all, however, there are specialist insurers that will be able to help you out.

Do I need a medical examination?

Some insurers may insist on a medical examination to get cover, and others may simply ask you several in-depth questions about your condition. Whilst these are invasive questions that can be uncomfortable to answer, they are necessary to enable the insurance company to tailor the cover to your needs.

Why should I declare a medical condition?

It is crucial that you declare any pre-existing medical conditions on your policy. If you don’t declare the condition and then go on to make a claim related to this condition, your claim may be rejected, forcing you to cover the costs yourself.

Travel insurance is a critical investment for anyone, but especially for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. At Compare Insurance, we can help you to compare travel insurance policies from a range of providers. Simply use our search engine to find and compare the best options for you.

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Health Insurance Travel Insurance

Are you over-insured, underinsured or just right?

Ideally, everyone wants to have as much travel insurance as they need to protect themselves from the risks of travelling abroad. Unfortunately, determining how much coverage you need can be difficult. That’s why many people are underinsured or overinsured instead of having the right amount of travel insurance.

Keep reading to find out how you can avoid both issues.

What’s underinsurance?

Underinsurance occurs when you don’t have enough insurance to cover your needs. It can occur due to several reasons, including:

• You haven’t updated or reviewed your travel insurance policy in years, yet your insurance needs have changed.
• You’ve paid for the least amount of travel coverage to save money on your premiums.

If the amount paid by your insurer after an emergency or accident doesn’t cover your expenses and you have to pay more money out-of-pocket, you’re most likely underinsured. This results in severe economic losses for you.

What’s over-insurance?

Over-insurance occurs when you purchase too much coverage, and the coverage exceeds the risk that’s insured. For instance, if you only travel once a year during the holidays, taking an annual policy is over-insurance as you’re paying for multiple trips.

The problem with over-insurance is that it increases your premiums, making your travel insurance costly.

How to avoid both

The best way to avoid over-insuring and underinsuring is by identifying your travel insurance needs so that you can pay for exactly what you need. For instance, if you’re going to partake in dangerous sports activities such as skydiving, you may want to get additional cover so that you’re safely insured from injuries. If not, skip it to avoid over-insurance from travel insurance providers.

Similarly, don’t insure refundable trip costs as it only raises your premiums. Instead, insure pre-paid and non-refundable costs.

All in all, know what you’re going to do and the risks involved, where you’re travelling to, and how many times you plan on travelling in a year before purchasing any policy.

Additionally, compare quotes from different insurers to know what’s covered and what’s not. This can help you get a better policy at a competitive price. You can use our resources here at Compare Insurance to compare policies from various providers.

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Travel Insurance

How to save money on travel insurance

How can I save money when purchasing travel insurance? This is a commonly asked question among international travellers. Keep reading to learn how you can find an insurance plan that meets all your travel needs without taking more money out of your vacation fund than necessary.

1. Don’t insure refundable trip costs

When paying for your travel insurance policy, only cover the trip costs that are non-refundable and pre-paid. Refundable costs are not only unnecessary, but they also raise the price of your premium, making your policy more expensive.

For example, if your flight gets cancelled and the airline offers you a voucher for the cost of the flight, you can easily take it, eliminating the need for flight cancellation.

2. Avoid over-insuring emergency evacuations

Most insurers offer millions worth of coverage for medical evacuations, which is too much. On average, you’re more likely to spend no more than a couple of hundred thousand, and this is for extreme cases. So, don’t over-insure emergency evacuations, as it only raises your travel insurance costs.

However, don’t forgo it altogether either, as evacuations are too expensive to cover out-of-pocket.

3. Take an annual policy

If you travel multiple times in a year, consider purchasing an annual travel insurance policy, as it can save you a lot of money and time over covering individual trips with separate plans. Furthermore, annual policies are convenient, as you get one plan with the same coverage and assistance all year long.

4. Only buy add-ons when you really need them

Add-ons, such as Cancel for Any Reason, rental car coverage and pre-existing conditions, make your travel insurance more expensive than it should be. Therefore, you should carefully consider what add-ons you want to get and why before including them in your policy. For instance, if you’re sure you won’t rent a vehicle when travelling abroad, there’s no need to buy rental car coverage.

Try spending a little more time with your policy, reading the fine print, and understanding what’s covered or not. You can also compare policies from different providers to determine whether they cover what you need at no extra cost.

To aid the process, use our tools and resources at Compare Insurance to find your cheap schengen travel insurance plan.

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Travel Insurance

How to become a digital nomad

Are you planning to travel to different countries whilst working online? If so, this guide is for you! We’ve put together a helpful list of things not to forget when you start your journey to becoming a digital nomad.

The right kit

Most digital nomads need at least a good laptop and smartphone. However, depending on your career, you may need a good camera or other technology too. Also, don’t forget things like hard drives and adaptors.

A lot of digital nomads buy their kit while travelling. This is a good option if you are spending time in cities or in countries that are known for their tech. However, if you are planning to live right by the beach or in the mountains, you might need to bring your kit with you.

Clothing relevant to your destination and travel style

Digital nomads typically visit more than one destination each year, so you will want to make sure that your wardrobe is versatile. For example, if you are going trekking in the Himalayas and spending time on a tropical beach, you will want mountain wear and beach wear – but not too much of both. You could also buy appropriate clothes when you get to a new destination.

Spend some time thinking about what clothing you might need for your particular situation. Then, write a list of ‘must-take’ clothes and acquire them. Think about versatile items that you can wear in multiple situations. Finally, get your bag and see if all the clothes will fit in there. If they don’t, you might need to rethink your packing strategy.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is essential if you are a digital nomad. If anything happens to you while out of your home country, you will need travel insurance to pay for it. If you are spending a long time out of your country, it may make sense to purchase annual travel insurance. This is often cheaper than buying insurance for a longer trip.

At Compare Insurance, we are experts at comparing all of the best annual family travel insurance providers in the UAE. Use our search engine to compare insurance to find the best travel insurance policy for your trip today.

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Travel Insurance

Single trip vs annual travel insurance: What’s the difference?

If you’re planning to travel this year, you’ll have to choose between a single trip and an annual multi-trip policy. But, what is the difference, and which one is right for you? Keep reading to find out.

Single trip policy

Generally, a single travel insurance policy only covers you for one holiday trip. That means it ends when you come back home, and you’ll have to purchase another policy if you travel again. A single trip policy is suitable for anyone who travels once a year as it’s cheaper than an annual cover. The only downside is that it provides shorter-term cover.

It’s vital to note that single trip travel insurance gets more expensive per trip. For instance, if you go on a few holidays each year and take out a single policy each time, the costs add up. Fortunately, you get specific cover for your trip, unlike an annual policy, where the cover is not specific to each trip.

Annual multi-trip policy

An annual travel insurance policy covers you for a year from the date the policy starts. So, whether you go for two or ten trips in a year, you’re protected from any damages, emergencies and unforeseen circumstances.

However, insurers can limit you to around 31 days per trip, with others limiting you for up to sixty days per trip. Be sure to check with your provider to know the limitations of your multi-trip policy.

The beauty of annual travel insurance is that you only need to buy one policy every year, and it’s cheaper per trip.

Which is right for you?

Both single trip and multi-trip policies should cover medical expenses, cancellations, personal money and baggage, which makes choosing one difficult. However, it all depends on your personal situation. If you’re sure you’ll only travel once for the next 12 months, you’re better off purchasing a single trip policy.

Alternatively, if you don’t know how many trips you’ll take in a year, take an annual policy. While it’s more expensive, it gives you peace of mind knowing you’re covered.

Feel free to use our resources here at Compare Insurance to find the right travel insurance policy for you.

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Travel Insurance

Why you should avoid cheap travel insurance

There’s no question that no one wants to pay more for travel insurance than they have to. However, there’s a big difference between paying for cheap travel insurance and insurance that’s the best value for your money. Below, we’ll look at why you should avoid cheap travel insurance and how to get affordable travel insurance instead.

Cheap travel insurance

Generally, cheap travel insurance is the minimum amount of cover you can get for travelling. This can include medical expenses if you get injured or ill abroad and personal injury cover for accidents. In other words, you under-insure yourself to save money by paying for the least amount of cover.

Unfortunately, this tactic forces you to pay for expenses out-of-pocket in case of an emergency, accident or unforeseen circumstance. For instance, if your partner suddenly falls ill before your trip and you have to stay behind to take care of them, a cheap insurance policy will most likely not cover trip cancellation or missed departure. So, you’ll spend more money buying new tickets and rebooking accommodation, resulting in losses.

Additionally, cheap travel insurance may not cover damage caused by you, e.g., causing injury or damaging property. However, with a comprehensive policy, you can purchase such cover at an additional cost, guaranteeing you’re protected.

All in all, with cheap travel insurance, you’ll end up spending more to cover your travel than you had saved when buying your policy.

Remember, accidents happen, and no matter how careful you are, you can’t avoid them. Your luggage can get stolen at the airport or hotel, or you can be robbed in a new country. In this case, you want a comprehensive policy that protects you from a wide range of unforeseen circumstances.

So, how do you get affordable travel insurance?

The best way to get value for your travel insurance policy is to compare policies from different providers. Be sure to ask each insurer for quotes and compare what’s covered or not. This way, you can determine what you need and only pay for that.

Use Compare Insurance tools and resources today to compare quotes and cheap family travel insurance from various providers.

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Travel Insurance

Tips for getting the right travel insurance for your child

Travel insurance for kids is still a relatively new concept in many homes. Most people don’t understand what it entails, while others deem it as an unnecessary expense. However, like adults, children need the best family travel insurance to protect and cover them in case of an emergency or accident. To help you purchase the right cover for your child, here are five tips to consider.

1. Family cover

If your child is going away with relatives or family friends, you might want to consider getting a group travel insurance policy. It’s cheaper than an individual cover and guarantees everyone on the trip is insured as long as they’re listed in the policy.

2. Single-trip

Another great way to keep your travel insurance expenses low is by purchasing a single-trip policy. However, this only works if your child travels once every year. If they travel multiple times throughout the year, you’re better off getting a multi-trip policy.

You can purchase multi-trip travel insurance to cover your kid alone or get a family pack that covers both adults and children.

Always compare single trip and multi-trip costs to see which package is the best value for your money. Although rare, some insurers have hidden additional costs that might make your single-trip insurance a bit expensive.

3. Check your policy carefully

Check over your travel insurance policy details to know what’s covered and what’s not. You don’t want any surprises when filing a claim. Besides, many insurance policies contain exclusions and exceptions that are stated in the fine print but are still confusing.

Luckily, by reading and understanding your policy, you can identify such loopholes and determine whether they can be covered at an additional cost. If you’re unsure about anything, be sure to ask your potential insurer for clarification.

5. Documents

If your child is travelling alone, you want them to access vital travel documentation easily in case they’re needed during the trip. Fortunately, you can use a cloud storage service like Google Docs or Dropbox to upload scans of essential documents, including insurance and passports.

To compare child travel insurance quotes, visit Compare Insurance today.

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Travel Insurance

What to watch out for when purchasing travel insurance

Travel insurance policies can be complicated, particularly if it’s your first time purchasing them. There are numerous guidelines to read and understand, and determining what you need to insure for your travel can be overwhelming. To help you get the best cover, here are four things to watch out for when buying best value travel insurance.

1. Exclusions

Providers structure travel insurance around risk mitigation. This means they only cover you to the extent that doesn’t compromise their business (profits and gains). So, it’s normal to find insurers restricting coverage in certain situations like extreme sports and losses incurred due to intoxication.

Hence, when buying travel insurance, identify the exclusions stated in the fine print and whether you can buy an additional policy to cover them.

2. Exceptions

Travel insurance exceptions are circumstances in which your insurer doesn’t cover all the expenses incurred as a result of a particular emergency or accident. For instance, while your insurer might cover a medical evacuation, they may not cover the actual treatment of your injuries.

So, it’s vital to examine the exceptions listed in your policy to learn about hidden additional costs.

3. Destinations covered

If you’re visiting more than one country, be sure to check that your policy covers every place you intend to visit. Travel insurers tend to avoid covering certain countries, especially if they’re known for having a high crime rate, to mitigate risks.

4. Duration of your trip

This might sound simple, but if you miscalculate your trip and are away for more days than your policy covers, it automatically becomes invalid. Therefore, if you lose any luggage or fall ill on the additional days, don’t expect to be reimbursed.

Calculate the days you’ll be away as accurately as possible, factoring in time zones and delays to ensure that you’re covered throughout your trip.

Bottom line

Travel insurance policies can be hard to decipher, but with these tips, you can ensure you get the coverage you need. Similarly, you can get the right cover by comparing policies and quotes from different providers.

Use Compare Insurance today to compare travel insurance products from top brands.

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