Planning insurance important when booking a summer holiday

Talk about plans for summer holidays often don't include insurance.

Travel Insurance News - 07/08/2008

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Insurance industry experts warn that holidaymakers should ensure that they have adequate and suitable travel insurance before leaving home.

Whether the holiday is a long-awaited family trip or a last-minute bargain break, a hop to Europe or an around-the-world cruise, almost anything can happen and it’s important to be covered for unforeseen circumstances, says financial services analysis provider Defaqto.

UK residents’ European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will take care of free or low-cost medical treatment and can also help travellers receive treatment more quickly, but the card is sent by post and it usually takes about a week to receive it. Planning ahead and ordering the card as soon as possible is important as well, notes the head of Insight at Defaqto, Brian Brown.

While the no-cost EHIC offers a level of protection, it doesn’t cover things non-health-related matters, such as cancellations, lost baggage or the cost of returning home in case of serious illness - so even if the holiday is a break on the continent, proper travel cover can take car of a wide range of circumstances.

For last-minute bookings, Defaqto suggests taking out a travel insurance policy that does not include coverage for cancellation, and this may save a few pounds from the cost. The actual policy should be taken along on the trip, so that in the event an emergency arises, the traveller has ready access to their claims number.

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