Essential Travel Insurance Questions

By Author: Mathew Sabri
Total Articles: 33
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1. Is repatriation included in case of a serious medical necessity? The FCO suggests a policy should provide £1 million for Europe and £2 million for the rest of the world in order to pay medical bills and the cost of getting you home. This may include special arrangements for flights or even an air ambulance, all of which can be very costly.

2. Does your insurer provide 24-hour assistance? For obvious reasons this factor is especially important. Getting attention quickly, whatever the time of day or night, is vital. You don't want to be kept waiting to see whether or not a certain treatment will be paid for by your insurer.

3. How will you be reimbursed for cancellations, if at all? There are thousands of reasons why you may cancel a trip, but not all of these will be considered legitimate reasons by you insurer. Before doing anything definitely check what the insurer's stance is on this issue. It is also worth checking what provisions are in place should the tour operator or airline cancel your trip.

4. How soon does cancellation protection kick in? Either the insurer will vouch for your temporary ...
... accommodation or replacement flight or you will have to purchase them and be reimbursed later. This can make a big difference if money is tight. The recent Bangkok airport protests are a prime example of this cover coming in handy.

5. Are adventurous sports covered, and if so which ones aren't? Standard travel insurance policies do not automatically cover extreme sports, and even some you'd think might be fine actually aren't. The level of risk is key. Things such as paragliding or skiing won't be covered as standard, but things like swimming should be fine.

6. Will your insurer protect you against personal liability? Accidents can happen anywhere and sometimes they might be your fault. Causing a traffic accident is a common example, and despite the fact that you meant no harm if someone has become injured you may be sued. Personal liability cover can be invaluable and take the stress out of a possible holiday-ruining situation.

7. Does the policy offer reimbursement of legal expenses incurred if a damage claim needs to be made? This is the flip side of the previous question. Of course, it may be you who has suffered an injury because of somebody else, say whiplash in a car accident. You'll need to hire legal advisors to fight your corner, and your insurer can help you with this.

8. Are the limits for stolen or damaged items sufficient? Depending on where you're going and for how long, you may have possessions the value of which exceeds the limits of your insurance policy. Ski trips are a notable example of having valuable equipment. You can always up your cover limits if you're going to need the extra assurance, but make sure you do it before all your stuff gets stolen.

Make sure all the questions above are answered with cheap travel insurance from AA Travel Insurance. Wherever you are, their worldwide travel insurance policies ensure you are covered.