Advice on travel insurance

fifib

looking into getting travel insurance for myself and himself for our trip to states at the end of August and i dont know a whole lot about it and what were covered for etc.. though we will probably get the annual cover.
We've booked flights (international and internal) and accomodation (2 different cities) all seperately... how do we fair out with the basic travel insurance on these?
also is there anything specific we should be looking for as part of the policy?

i see too some sites you can select couple for 2 people - if we go for annual cover does this cover us for trips we make on our own? or should we get it individually?

Schrodingercat

If you buy the insurance after you book your flights, you are not covered if you need to cancel due to illness / bereavement etc.

You usually have to pay a bit extra to be covered for the states, so make sure you tick that box.

Couples insurance will cover you on trips alone, but I think to get it you are meant to be a couple who are cohabiting/married. Check the policy to be sure.
If you qualify there is no disadvantage to getting it over 2 single polices.

It all your other trips are going to be in europe sometimes its cheaper getting a single trip policy. Within Europe an E 1-11 form gets you medical cover, and if you are only bringing carry on luggage you are un-likely to lose it. (though insurance does give peace of mind).

For me ski/snow board trips and anywhere outside EU I get insurance otherwise I don't bother.

ScouseMouse

Make sure you get insurance.

If you have an accident abroad and have to be airlifted home it will cost thousands. Dont think it could happen to you? Did you see the episode of airport, where the experienced skier, on his first day on the slopes, got hit by a newbie?

He ended up with a broken leg and a nurse had to go out and bring him home. It took six airplane seats, two ambulances and a dedicated nurse to get him home to his local hospital.

Think it was about 18K sterling.

An E111 form entitles you to treatment equivilent to what you would get at home. NOTHING ELSE.

I take several small trips a year, maybe once a year go to the USA and do Tenerife every august. As I have BUPA, I am already covered upto 55k medical treatment, but top it up with ACE travel insurance. It costs me about €85 for the family for a year, and that includes worldwide (USA)

fifib

Schrodingercat wrote: »

If you buy the insurance after you book your flights, you are not covered if you need to cancel due to illness / bereavement etc.

This cannot be right? What about people who buy single trip cover? they have to buy travel insurance for the exact dates of their holiday before they book it? doesn't sound right to me

Ponster

fifib wrote: »

they have to buy travel insurance for the exact dates of their holiday before they book it? doesn't sound right to me

I can't be sure but I usually get single trip insurance and always have to give the exact dates that I'll be travelling.

Schrodingercat

fifib wrote: »

This cannot be right? What about people who buy single trip cover? they have to buy travel insurance for the exact dates of their holiday before they book it? doesn't sound right to me

Its to prevent people booking holidays then finding out they can't go and booking insurance, and claiming. Date of issue of policy has to be the same, or before date of making booking from my experience. If something happens while you are away you are covered the same as if you had bought the insurance before your flights.

When booking single trip You need to put the dates you want to be covered. Otherwise you could book a single trip policy, and have it cover multiple trips.

superscouse by trips not needing insurance I was more thinking weekends in London, rather than skiing. I agree if you are going skiing or doing any waterports /biking carrying valuables, make sure you have insurance.

fifib

Schrodingercat wrote: »

Its to prevent people booking holidays then finding out they can't go and booking insurance, and claiming. Date of issue of policy has to be the same, or before date of making booking from my experience. If something happens while you are away you are covered the same as if you had bought the insurance before your flights.

Just to update on this, your comment earlier on buying the insurance after you book your flights, you are not covered if you need to cancel due to illness / bereavement etc. is not entirely true.
Ive rang a few insurance companies and they all say the same. you will be covered from cancellation from the date you take out your policy as long as it is not something you knew would happen before taking out the policy. so if i got sick and knew I couldnt travel say in a months time and took out a policy today then I would not be covered for cancellations.
you do not have to have the policy before making any bookings. I told the comapnies I already had my flights a 1 hotel booked and paid for and they said this was fine I would still be covered by the policy

funkyjebus

Schrodingercat wrote: »

Its to prevent people booking holidays then finding out they can't go and booking insurance, and claiming. Date of issue of policy has to be the same, or before date of making booking from my experience. If something happens while you are away you are covered the same as if you had bought the insurance before your flights.

When booking single trip You need to put the dates you want to be covered. Otherwise you could book a single trip policy, and have it cover multiple trips.

superscouse by trips not needing insurance I was more thinking weekends in London, rather than skiing. I agree if you are going skiing or doing any waterports /biking carrying valuables, make sure you have insurance.

Never heard of this before and would doubt it. they would just look to supporting docs to verifvy that your claim ia not fraudulant. Im an insurance broker and my OH is in the states atm withher friend, they are travelling around the states for 5 weeks with internal flighta, multi accom, etc. I placed both there insurance with Allianz direct on their website on an annual basis as it was actually cheaper. the price depends if you already have a policy or if you have health insurance, but price should be 50 or 60. I did see cheaper, but after reading the policies (front to back!!) allianz was the best value for their cover.

more than happy to advise further, let me know.

fifib

funkyjebus wrote: »

I did see cheaper, but after reading the policies (front to back!!) allianz was the best value for their cover.

more than happy to advise further, let me know.

thanks for the recommendation! their the cheapest so far for us - €63

its weird on their policy and on 123.ie they say:
Valuables:
Photographic, audio, video and electrical equipment (including
cds, dvds, video and audio tapes and electronic games), MP3
players, computer equipment, binoculars, antiques, jewellery,
watches, furs, silks, precious stones and articles made of or
containing gold, silver or precious metals.

and all of these items list there are "not" included in the defination of valuables/personal possessions under the getcover.ie policy

funkyjebus

dont know get cover so cant advise. id imagine that they are covered but under a different heading. based on that id be turned off them. be vary wary of insurance with ambigious wording. note: valuables are different to personal property, it for expensive items. alos it does not have to be difined to be covered, once it isn't excluded elsewhere.

if you cant give me the exact extract of the getcover i might be more help. but as ive said before allianz is the only one id go for.

fifib

extracted from GetCover.ie Policy Document pg11

Personal Possessions
Luggage, clothing, valuables and personal items which are owned by You and have been either taken or purchased on the trip. The following are not included in the definition: Animal skins, antiques, articles made of or containing gold, bicycles, binoculars, bonds, buggies, camcorders, cameras, compact disc players, computer equipment, computer games and computer game consoles, computer or telecommunications equipment of any kind, contact or corneal lenses, coupons, diving equipment, documents of any kind, furs, ipods, jewellery, leather goods, marine and craft equipment, Mini-Disc players mobile phones, money, motor vehicles, MP3 players, musical instruments, photographic equipment, prams, precious or semi-precious stones, radios, sailboards or related equipment or fittings of any kind, securities, silks, silver or other precious metals, spectacles, stamps, surfboards, sunglasses, tape recorders, telescopes, television sets, travellers cheques, video equipment or DVD equipment of any kind, watches.

This has put me off them too. Im going to take a read of the VHI travel policy and then decide between them and Allianz

funkyjebus

fifib wrote: »

extracted from GetCover.ie Policy Document pg11



This has put me off them too. Im going to take a read of the VHI travel policy and then decide between them and Allianz

quite righty, just had a quick look at the policy, avoid avoid avoid. shocking cover restrictions.

spurious

If you are a member of a union, check with them as many have group policies that give you better rates and cover.

fifib

actually on a side note...I wasnt pricing for winter sports to be included but if we do happen to go skiing during our year on the policy (a big IF perhaps based on WHEN i win the lotto :rolleyes:) can you add winter sports cover on at a later stage or how would this work?

funkyjebus

fifib wrote: »

actually on a side note...I wasnt pricing for winter sports to be included but if we do happen to go skiing during our year on the policy (a big IF perhaps based on WHEN i win the lotto :rolleyes:) can you add winter sports cover on at a later stage or how would this work?

if its even a small if and not a when, i wouldnt bother now, just ring them to add before you go on one. it will proably cost the same, but i wouldnt tell them until i was sure. they will add it to the policy mid term without a problem.

mhairesa

Hey guys and girls,

I'm also looking for advice on travel insurance. Myself and my boyfriend are heading to the States next week for 30 days. Multiple cities and flights.

We have been pricing insurance for a few weeks and we're getting bogged down and confused with all of the different types of cover etc.

We have looked at multitrip.com and for the level of cover being offered we *think* it might be the best option. We are looking at the premium with flight cancellation which works out as €103 for the two of us. We have no health insurance at the mo.

Just looking for some guidance and some feedback from anyone who may have used multrip.com before or who knows anybody who has.

Thanks in advance!!