Travel Insurance - is it worth it for what you get?

Tigerandahalf

If just travelling in Europe is the European Health Insurance Card sufficient?

Gran Hermano

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

If just travelling in Europe is the European Health Insurance Card sufficient?

Travel insurance covers you for more than just A&E treatment.
Personally I like the thought I'm covered for air ambulance home to Ireland or repatriation of my corpse in a worst case scenario.

BuffyBot

The EHIC card only grants you very basic (and not always free) care. Travel insurance covers a whole lot more

woodchuck

I've never had to claim travel insurance, but I never travel without it. It's a relatively small cost compared to the rest of what you'd spend on a holiday that could come in really REALLY handy some day.

Tigerandahalf

Ok
Ive looked at a few companies. 123.ie and multitrip.com.
The latter is 26 eur for basic package.
Would that be ok?

zagmund

Someone once told me the story of an aunt or uncle who was in Rome for a weekend, went to cross the road and got hit by a scooter. Not badly injured, but imobilised. No big deal when at home. Big deal when not at home.

Suffice to say that a few days stay at the hospital (along with accommodation for their other half who couldn't just pack up and return home) and their return flight cost *a lot* of money.

When going to Rome they reckoned they wouldn't need insurance "just for a weekend". I always have annual insurance as a matter of policy now just to be sure I'm covered. It's so easy to head off and forget to organise insurance.

z

woodchuck

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Ok
Ive looked at a few companies. 123.ie and multitrip.com.
The latter is 26 eur for basic package.
Would that be ok?

Sounds reasonable enough... is that for a single trip or annual cover though? Annual cover is usually worth a little extra if you think you might be going away again a second time in a year (even if it's just for a weekend). Also if you already have health insurance it can be cheaper going through them.

Tigerandahalf

It is 26 eur for the multi trip option. It seems almost too cheap!
A see there are excesses that you need to watch out for as well. Unless your claim was over a couple of hundred you would get no refund.
It seems most policies have medical coverage upto 1 million. That seems all you would really need. If your flight was cancelled would you be covered for accommodation costs both in the airport area and the actual accommodation you had booked in your destination area?
What about if you had a connecting flight but first leg was delayed?

woodchuck

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

It is 26 eur for the multi trip option. It seems almost too cheap!

Happy days

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

A see there are excesses that you need to watch out for as well. Unless your claim was over a couple of hundred you would get no refund.

Yeah there are always going to things like that in the terms and conditions. Most people aren't even aware of them! If you pay for an more expensive policy the excess might be less, but to be honest cheap and cheerful is usually the way to go. It's more to have a safety net incase something major goes wrong.

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

If your flight was cancelled would you be covered for accommodation costs both in the airport area and the actual accommodation you had booked in your destination area?
What about if you had a connecting flight but first leg was delayed?

I think the airlines themselves might have some sort of legal responsibility if a flight is cancelled (not sure of the ins and outs though). If these issues aren't clear in the terms and conditions you could always ring them up to find out. Things can very between different policies and insurers.

Tigerandahalf

But the airline wouldnt be responsible for your connecting flight especially if it was with a different carrier.
I think some policies do include this as they mention something about 'delayed departure'.

woodchuck

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

But the airline wouldnt be responsible for your connecting flight especially if it was with a different carrier.
I think some policies do include this as they mention something about 'delayed departure'.

Yeah I think if the connecting flight is a different airline it makes things a bit more complicated alright. If that's what you're worried about happening to you, it couldn't hurt give the insurance company a ring to see what they do for you in those situations?

laura29

Nooooo! Lol, i was abt to book that today and a guy in work recommended insureandgo , big price diff even tho its all fairly cheap 30/40 quid., got mine for 17 euro the gold cover which is v good, hope this helps

BuffyBot

Price is not everything, when it comes to travel insurance. You generally get what you pay for: cheap cover generally means less cover, more excesses.

Tigerandahalf

laura29 wrote: »

Nooooo! Lol, i was abt to book that today and a guy in work recommended insureandgo , big price diff even tho its all fairly cheap 30/40 quid., got mine for 17 euro the gold cover which is v good, hope this helps

17 eur for gold cover. I would be dubious about what level of cover you have. What are the excesses on the policy?

ScouseMouse

I have VHI and last year bought the addon for travel insurance. In Tenerife I tore ligaments and ended up in casualty. In and out in one hour. They saw WHO my insurance was and sorted. I was told the health card is Only accepted up in the capital and that's miles away. Same insurance covering me for orlando this year.

Tigerandahalf

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

laura29 wrote: »

Nooooo! Lol, i was abt to book that today and a guy in work recommended insureandgo , big price diff even tho its all fairly cheap 30/40 quid., got mine for 17 euro the gold cover which is v good, hope this helps

17 eur for gold cover. I would be dubious about what level of cover you have. What are the excesses on the policy?

I just checked. The gold cover is around 50 eur while the cheapest policy is 31 eur. The excess on the cheapest policy is 150 eur.
From what I see there isnt a huge difference in price between companies as they are all reinsured by the same big companies.

Tigerandahalf

laura29 wrote: »

Nooooo! Lol, i was abt to book that today and a guy in work recommended insureandgo , big price diff even tho its all fairly cheap 30/40 quid., got mine for 17 euro the gold cover which is v good, hope this helps

Laura that must be for a single trip I presume.

laura29

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

17 eur for gold cover. I would be dubious about what level of cover you have. What are the excesses on the policy?

The cover is great, i genuinely compared 123 and a few others and im getting the same cover for way less money, excess is the same as every other i checked that was my main concern when looking

laura29

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Laura that must be for a single trip I presume.

Ye it iust for a single family trip, kids r free on it

Tourism

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Ok
Ive looked at a few companies. 123.ie and multitrip.com.
The latter is 26 eur for basic package.
Would that be ok?

Both are very reputable travel insurance companies, but you will need to compare like with like. i.e. medical expenses, cancellation, baggage etc

Tourism

woodchuck wrote: »

Sounds reasonable enough... is that for a single trip or annual cover though? Annual cover is usually worth a little extra if you think you might be going away again a second time in a year (even if it's just for a weekend). Also if you already have health insurance it can be cheaper going through them.

I agree totally, if you plan on taking more than one trip per year it may be more cost efficient to purchase an annual (multi trip policy)

Tourism

BuffyBot wrote: »

Price is not everything, when it comes to travel insurance. You generally get what you pay for: cheap cover generally means less cover, more excesses.

Not necessarily, there a many insurers offering travel insurance in Ireland at different prices, some are more expensive then others due to overheads, profit margins and their claim loss ratio.

You will need to compare like with like, if in doubt give them a quick call before purchasing the policy. Telephone bookings may incure additonal charges.

Tourism

laura29 wrote: »

Ye it iust for a single family trip, kids r free on it

Kids are free on certain travel insurance policies depending on age limits or if they are living at home and in full time education. Always confirm with the travel insurance provider.

Kaner2004

I had an accident on holiday that required several days in hospital.
I had VHI travel insurance. I had to make one phone call and they sorted out everything else for us.
Ive stuck with them since

MissRach

I would have sometimes held back on getting travel insurance myself, but I had a recent trip abroad and luckily, my friend had convinced to purchase it. While away I got into a serious accident, needing air ambulance, the lot. I cannot imagine what I would have done had I not taken out that insurance. It is most definitely worth taking out! TRUST ME!!

MissRach

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I just checked. The gold cover is around 50 eur while the cheapest policy is 31 eur. The excess on the cheapest policy is 150 eur.
From what I see there isnt a huge difference in price between companies as they are all reinsured by the same big companies.

I purchased the Gold Cover with 123.ie. It was under €50 or around that price. But as I said in my last post, they covered me for everything. All I had to do was get in contact and they sorted it all, would recommend it