Travel Insurance - Don't skip it.

[Saleen836]

Saleen836 said:

audidoody said:

Check the conditions carefully. I chucked in my Barclays Premier account when I checked the travel policy small print which said I was only covered if I paid for the holiday and all associated costs with the debit card associated with the account.

So putting it on a credit card or bank transfer to the travel agent would have voided it.

I have the Premier Account and after reading your post went to check my paperwork, can't find the small print that states it must be paid for by the debit card attached to the account

Update on the above as Barclays are changing the packages included with the account, I telephoned the help line and asked if the insurance cover was only valid if the card attached to the account was used to pay for the holiday, the reply was...no, you could get your mum to pay for it in cash and you will still be covered on the travel insurance!

[Odhran]

Truely tiny compared to some figures quoted in this thread but a lady who works with my mum fainted whilst on holiday in the good old US of A. Had a few precautionary blood tests and was sent on her way. A few weeks later an invoice from the hospital landed on her door mat. £3k

[joshleb]

I mangled my leg up downhill mountain biking in the french alps a few years ago.

I got an ambulance to the hospital, and the Dr asked if I had insurance, so of course I said yes. An X-ray, MRI and a visit from a specialist later I was told they can't be conclusive because of the swelling. They then gave me a prescription list to get from the pharmacy next door.

€600 on medicine from the pharmacy later, and then the Dr tells me I can't possibly get a normal car back to UK, so have to organise an ambulance and plane to get me back.

Ultimately get back and UK Dr says the majority of what I got was prescribed was unnecessary, and they took the piss because I was on insurance, and that realistically I would have been safe to be sat in a car too on the way back.

Bloody French. My knee was proper fked though!

As much as they milked it, I am so glad I had insurance and it did get me back home swiftly and easily! The ultimate cost was in the 10, before all my surgery stared on my normal health insurance.

[hidetheelephants]

baldy1926 said:

A mate of mine from Yorkshire is somewhat on the tight side.
He went off to India a few years back with his wife and a work colleague.
They did not take out insurance they all ended up ill the 3rd member of the party caught an infection and could not see. She apparently had the last couple of days of the holiday being led around before the return flights to the uk.
Apparently insurance is now always taken out.
I have no idea what medical costs are in India

Accounts of people getting elective treatment in India suggest it's a lot cheaper than here, perhaps as little as 20% of the same treatment in europe.

[98elise]

We have finally got my brother to start taking out travel insurance. We were actually telling him that if he disn't pay for it, then the rest of us would, as its us that would be paying hospital bills if he ended up in a coma in some far flung hospital.

This is somone who didn't have travel insurance and ended up with a damaged knee after a sking accident. Luckily in that case he was only billed for a sledge rescue. They were close to calling a helicoper in to lift him of the mountain.

A neighbour colapsed while in Vegas and the ambulance bill alone was 5k.

[carreauchompeur]

It's one thing I never swerve, although it gets bloody expensive for long term, anything 'active' makes it worth it. I do wonder though on the more adventurous policies how rigourously they Police the height exclusions...

I didn't want to chance it so paid the extra 30 quid to change from 'hillwalking up to 2500m' up to 'hillwalking up to 4000m' since it would be a real bugger to have broken my leg at 2550m and required a helivac

[Trabi601]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

djc206 said:

I don't understand how travel insurance is so cheap to be honest, would never chance going anywhere without it.

It gets very expensive as you get older. It often costs the elderly more than the holiday.

Not just the elderly - once you have a medical condition, it hikes your premiums forever more.

We get free cover with our bank account - but I have to take out a separate policy elsewhere due to a heart condition. Whilst a couple of hundred quid a year isn't too bad, it is very irritating to have to pay it.

[cptsideways]

Any suggestions for annual cover with pre existing medical conditions? Had a PE (Pulminary Embolism) back in March. Some minor research suggest annual policy cover is a bit of an issue where individual trips are not so. Am on lifetime medication as that was the 2nd clot I had, so hopefully no more of them.

It's a bit of pain paying more but I'm at least still alive to go on holiday! Thank you NHS

[Trabi601]

I currently use Virgin - just looked at my policy - £151 a year for their Silver cover.

Some of the cover isn't as good as my Lloyds Bank cover, but it does cover my heart condition.

Suppose if I have a non heart related incident, Lloyds still cover me, as they know of the heart condition and will cover anything not related to it.

[so called]

I cover North America and India for a German company.
Originally the said that I was oversee under their travel insurance.
First time I tried to claim I was informed "not covered".
That cost me $5000,- for 5 hours in a Sacramento hospital.

After that got my own and have since visited 2 US hospitals, 1 day each and 6 days in a German hospital with a suspected heart attack.
The German hospital was interesting.
Private room, on-suite etc., lots of attention. Bill €1650,- ???
Small print stated private room not covered and hospital advised me €125,- per night but the insurance covered it anyway.
I'm travelling 270 days per year and the insurance provides me with a great deal of confidence.

[Glasgowrob]

Part of my business is arranging transport for people who take ill whilst on holiday for the UK part of their travels

Indeed so e horror stories of 6 figure medical bills etc etc, wouldn't even travel in the U.K. Without travel insurance.

Think taking ill needing you shipped home car shipped home accommodation etc etc soon mounts up and the insurance cover is peanuts and can normally be had with a bank account

[Glasgowrob]

Part of my business is arranging transport for people who take ill whilst on holiday for the UK part of their travels

Indeed so e horror stories of 6 figure medical bills etc etc, wouldn't even travel in the U.K. Without travel insurance.

Think taking ill needing you shipped home car shipped home accommodation etc etc soon mounts up and the insurance cover is peanuts and can normally be had with a bank account

[CoolHands]

But tourists to the UK don't need cover?

[GoneAnon]

Trimalleolar fracture of the ankle in Haiti stepping off a catamaran, cruise ship medical aid (first class, thank you Royal Caribbeann), open reduction and internal fixation and 3 nghts in a Jamaican hospital, followed by 3 nights in a hotel before flying home Virgin upper class proved to me the value of holiday insurance.

The insurance company we dealt with wasn't great but they got the job done eventually. Had to pay for the op on Amex and reclaim as the hosital reckoned they had been stiffed too often by UK/Eurpoean insurers.

[Condi]

Easiest way is to get an annual worldwide cover including anything you'll likely be doing such as winter sports, motorbike riding, diving etc. That way you only have to remember it once a year.

[popeyewhite]

jesta1865 said:

djc206 said:

I don't understand how travel insurance is so cheap to be honest, would never chance going anywhere without it.

I hope your wife is ok

because it's not compulsory, so we don't get bent over for it.

cynical, moi!

Also because it's not compulsory there's tough competition to sell very attractively priced policies to first timers. Like car insurance however once they've got you the premiums will soon creep up, but even then it's nowhere near as avaricious as the car insurers.

[popeyewhite]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

jesta1865 said:

djc206 said:

I don't understand how travel insurance is so cheap to be honest, would never chance going anywhere without it.

I hope your wife is ok

because it's not compulsory, so we don't get bent over for it.

cynical, moi!

Or it could be because most people buy it but never need to claim. They must sell millions of policies that run claim free. That pays for the odd horror story, and allows them to make a profit.

But...but... don't millions never claim off their car insurance?

[audidoody]

Saleen836 said:

Update on the above as Barclays are changing the packages included with the account, I telephoned the help line and asked if the insurance cover was only valid if the card attached to the account was used to pay for the holiday, the reply was...no, you could get your mum to pay for it in cash and you will still be covered on the travel insurance!

They lied






PM me if you want the entire T'&C's document sent to you as a PDF


I recommend anyone else relying on bundled bank travel insurance CAREFULLY check their policy!

Edited by audidoody on Monday 26th December 11:25

[craig1912]

audidoody said:

They lied






PM me if you want the entire T'&C's document sent to you as a PDF


I recommend anyone else relying on bundled bank travel insurance CAREFULLY check their policy!

Edited by audidoody on Monday 26th December 11:25

Good advice-and have to say that clause surprised me. Lloyds don't have the same restriction and I doubt others do. Seems a little unfair and would be interested to see if it has been tested. What would they do if you had paid for three different elements of the holiday on three different payment methods?

edit- they didn't lie- the t's & c's are for a Barclays Premier Card not a Barclays Premier Account- there is a difference and the travel pack attached to a Premier current account does not have the same conditions.

Edited by craig1912 on Monday 26th December 12:28

Edited by craig1912 on Monday 26th December 12:39

[Saleen836]

craig1912 said:

audidoody said:

They lied






PM me if you want the entire T'&C's document sent to you as a PDF


I recommend anyone else relying on bundled bank travel insurance CAREFULLY check their policy!

Edited by audidoody on Monday 26th December 11:25

Good advice-and have to say that clause surprised me. Lloyds don't have the same restriction and I doubt others do. Seems a little unfair and would be interested to see if it has been tested. What would they do if you had paid for three different elements of the holiday on three different payment methods?

edit- they didn't lie- the t's & c's are for a Barclays Premier Card not a Barclays Premier Account- there is a difference and the travel pack attached to a Premier current account does not have the same conditions.

Edited by craig1912 on Monday 26th December 12:28

Edited by craig1912 on Monday 26th December 12:39

This ^^^
I have the Premier Account and not a Premier Card, so the person on the phone didn't lie.