There are many insurance companies offering travel insurance to help cover medical and other expenses when you go abroad. It can be confusing to select a travel policy when you’re ready to go on holiday, but if you compare the insurance policies online, you can select the one with the coverage you need. When you are shopping for a policy, asking these questions can help you find the best policy for your trip.
How Are You Travelling?
While most travel insurance policies will provide coverage for both air and sea travel, you will want to double check the coverage if you are going on a cruise. Travel insurance may be unnecessary if you are only travelling a few miles from shore or if you are taking a river cruise in the United Kingdom. Any injuries or illnesses you suffer while on such a cruise will usually be covered by private health insurance or under NHS insurance.
However, if the ship sails under the flag of a different country and/or you are cruising in international waters, regular medical insurance will not cover medical expenses due to illness or injury. You will need a travel insurance policy to help cover any necessary visits to a doctor, hospitalisation, or travel expenses to transfer you from the ship to a hospital in your local area. If a regular travel insurance policy doesn’t include coverage for cruises, you may be able to buy a policy that specifically insures cruise holidays.
How Old Are You?
Your age will help determine if you qualify for a medical travel insurance policy, and its cost. The older you are, the more difficult it can be to find an insurance company willing to cover you for medical and travel expenses. While some companies charge a premium for their policies if you are over 50, other insurance companies offer policies for people over 65 years of age.
As with any other type of insurance, companies that sell travel policies consider the risk of providing coverage for senior citizens. Older travellers have a higher risk of becoming ill or being injured during a holiday, so the insurance company is more likely to pay for their expenses. This makes it harder for older people to find coverage at a low cost, but there are specific travel policies that provide coverage for senior citizens.
When you use the Medical Travel Compared guide to buying travel insurance online, you need to carefully examine each policy option if you are an older person. Make sure they provide coverage for travellers of your age and, if they don’t, find out if you can buy a separate policy for older travellers. Having this information beforehand is necessary before going on holiday in case something does happen to you.
How Is Your Health?
Most travel insurance policies have exceptions for medical coverage depending on your medical condition. When you apply for coverage, you will be asked if you have certain medical issues and you need to disclose them, even if they are exempt from coverage. Many insurance companies will not provide travel insurance to people who have heart conditions, are diabetics, have epilepsy, or have been diagnosed with cancer.
While most regular travel policies will not cover someone with one of these pre-existing conditions, you still may be able to buy a policy that covers your specific medical issue. The coverage will probably be expensive because you are deemed to be more of a risk for becoming ill or sustaining an injury, but travelling without the coverage could be more costly if you do need to be treated for an illness or injury. In addition, if you don’t disclose your medical condition, and you receive treatment from a doctor or hospital, you will be liable for the full amount of your expenses if your condition is revealed.
How Are You Spending Your Holiday?
Even if you are a young person with excellent health, you may have problems finding a travel insurance policy if you intend to try some type of extreme sport. While your medical expenses will be covered if you are injured while on holiday, there are some exceptions to that coverage. If you are going on a ski holiday, snowboarding or want to try scuba diving, your medical expenses may not be covered if you are injured while participating in these sports.
Fortunately, there are policies that provide coverage if you are participating in an activity that is deemed risky. Most travel insurance companies will allow you to buy a separate policy in addition to a regular policy, so your medical expenses will be covered in case of an accident. If you know you want to learn how to surf, try parasailing or go rock climbing, compare travel insurance policies to make sure you have coverage for these extreme activities.
What Are You Taking with You?
Travel insurance isn’t just for holiday goers. If you are going abroad on business, you should buy a policy to provide medical coverage in case you fall ill or are involved in an accident. In addition, most policies provide coverage for other expenses, including missing a flight, losing luggage or cancellations. If you are taking any gadgets with you, you will want to find out if the policy covers them if they are lost, stolen or damaged on your trip.
While many policies cover personal belongings that are lost or stolen, they may exempt electronic devices from this coverage. However, you may be able to tack on gadget coverage to your regular travel policy to get your digital camera, laptop or smartphone insured for your trip. Most gadget coverage will cover multiple devices and for data or texts that were used on your lost or stolen devices.
When you’re comparing travel insurance policies online, use these questions to make sure you get the coverage you need for your holiday or business trip. While it is tempting to buy the first inexpensive policy you find, make sure you get the coverage you need so you can enjoy your holiday.
