Travel insurance

[Chestereee]

So as the countdown begins I've decided to start really getting organised and am now stuck! I'm guessing travel insurance would be a good a idea but what does it need to cover etc, I already have health insurance and the car is all sorted so is it necessary?

[Storer]

When you say you have health insurance is it the type that gets you a private air ambulance home if you have a serious health issue?

We have blanket family travel insurance renewed automatically annually. We travel either together or individually (as in Le Mans for me or school trip for daughter) somewhere each year so it removes any worries. It is quite inexpensive too.........less than a meal out for two. Very cheap when you need it!

[James_N]

I went onto confused.com, put my details in and it came up with the best deals. Annual cover for me was less than £20

[SEE YA]

I am going with Insure&Go £44.

[gt6]

I get automatic cover for free with my current account, take my E111 and take out RAC cover for the car

[OvalOwl]

The E111 for free or subsidised medical care abroad is now an EHIC card.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC...

[Chestereee]

Okay so I have my EHIC card and we will have insurance for the car, what else do we need?

[gt6]

Nothing, anything else is optional

[Troubleatmill]

Chestereee said:

Okay so I have my EHIC card and we will have insurance for the car, what else do we need?

YOU NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE.


Source: http://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-insurance/e...
Do I need an EHIC if I have travel insurance?
While the EHIC will provide some cover, there is no such thing as EHIC travel insurance.

For example, the EHIC will not cover you for repatriation to the UK if your illness or accident is very serious, which alone can cost tens of thousands of pounds. Nor will the EHIC cover you for the whole host of other events that could go wrong when travelling abroad, such as lost or stolen luggage, cancellations and delays.

So while your European Health Insurance Card is a necessary addition to your travel wallet, it is crucial that you are also covered with the right travel insurance policy, whether this is a single trip or multi-trip package.

EHIC plus travel insurance is the safest and only option for European travellers.




http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC...
and from the NHS... ( for impartiality )

The EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It will not cover any private medical healthcare or costs such as mountain rescue in ski resorts, being flown back to the UK, or lost or stolen property.
Therefore, it is important to have both an EHIC and a valid private travel insurance policy.
Some insurers now insist you hold an EHIC and many will waive the excess if you have one.
The EHIC will not cover your medical expenses if you are going abroad specifically to have treatment (including giving birth). Find out more about planned treatment abroad.
You may not be able to use the card in some parts of the EEA as state-provided healthcare may not be available.

Edited by Troubleatmill on Monday 14th April 12:27

Edited by Troubleatmill on Monday 14th April 12:27

[SEE YA]

I think its for peace of mind, I am a RAC member however for cover for my LeMans trip they want £250 excess first should I need myself and car bought back.

The AA cover is better with there cover policy with parts and labour and car and myself back no excess and £144 should the worse happen.

I would hate to get stuck in France.

[AndrewMelley]

Having read this post about Travel Insurance, i would strongly suggest everyone going to Le Mans 24hrs, Le Mans Classic and any other motor sport event to take travel insurance. Unfortunately we get to hear about some awful cases where customers have not had travel insurance and the consequences are frightening.

The cost of travel insurance for a few days away in France is not expensive as a suggestion the Post Office are offering there standard polcy for about £14.00

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/travelinsurance/single...

Please read below the guidelines and suggestions from ABTA about travel insurance, take note of comments about EHIC cards!

Do I need travel insurance?

Yes. You shouldn’t leave the country without travel insurance.

Whilst you hopefully won’t have to make a claim, travel insurance is there to protect you in the event that something goes wrong – it will protect you from medical costs should you need to visit a doctor or receive treatment. It also covers holiday horrors from stolen bags to stomach upsets.

Every year ABTA and the Foreign Office see cases where holidaymakers, or their relatives, have suffered substantial medical expenses due to the costs of travelling uninsured. Even worse, some hospitals may refuse to treat you if you have neither holiday insurance nor sufficient funds to cover your treatment.

You may think you are covered by other forms of protection including European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) and your credit card but only travel insurance offers you the protection that you need to cover the wide range of problems that you may meet overseas.

[Rs2oo]

Car insurance is the thing most people forget. Many are insured to travel in Europe but it is very basic third party only and does not include theft or fire. Best to ring your Ins.Co. and upgrade after all, 300,000 drunk idiots in 9 fields with petrol, generators, fireworks, barbeques, fags, cigars, fires, Chinese lanterns, matches, lighters, fire-lighters, very combustible tents and the dodgy French electrics in the Houx campsite is a recipe for disaster. Thankfully over the years only a handful of cars have burnt to death but its not worth going without proper fully comprehensive insurance.

[AndrewMelley]

Very sound advice with regards to the car,its really important to take with you your vehicle insurance documents, if you get stopped by the Police this is the first thing they want to see. It's law in France to carry a high vis jacket also.

[gt6]

Rs2oo said:

Car insurance is the thing most people forget. Many are insured to travel in Europe but it is very basic third party only and does not include theft or fire. Best to ring your Ins.Co. and upgrade after all, 300,000 drunk idiots in 9 fields with petrol, generators, fireworks, barbeques, fags, cigars, fires, Chinese lanterns, matches, lighters, fire-lighters, very combustible tents and the dodgy French electrics in the Houx campsite is a recipe for disaster. Thankfully over the years only a handful of cars have burnt to death but its not worth going without proper fully comprehensive insurance.

It is a good job Christopher columbus never asked you lot for advice otherwise America would be undiscovered, insurance is optional, you either take a chance and pay a small fee now or risk a bigger cost later if something happens, it is a form of legalised gambling. The sales pitch of people selling insurance is always the same but in reality it is up to you nothing is compulsory. But remember even with insurance read the small print they will take your money but will not always give you what you think you are getting.

[Troubleatmill]

gt6 said:

Rs2oo said:

Car insurance is the thing most people forget. Many are insured to travel in Europe but it is very basic third party only and does not include theft or fire. Best to ring your Ins.Co. and upgrade after all, 300,000 drunk idiots in 9 fields with petrol, generators, fireworks, barbeques, fags, cigars, fires, Chinese lanterns, matches, lighters, fire-lighters, very combustible tents and the dodgy French electrics in the Houx campsite is a recipe for disaster. Thankfully over the years only a handful of cars have burnt to death but its not worth going without proper fully comprehensive insurance.

It is a good job Christopher columbus never asked you lot for advice otherwise America would be undiscovered, insurance is optional, you either take a chance and pay a small fee now or risk a bigger cost later if something happens, it is a form of legalised gambling. The sales pitch of people selling insurance is always the same but in reality it is up to you nothing is compulsory. But remember even with insurance read the small print they will take your money but will not always give you what you think you are getting.

@GT6 - Do you have home contents insurance? I bet you do. There is no difference.
Similarly - if you have spent £30K on a car - would you just insure it for 3rd party, fire and theft?

[AndrewMelley]

That's fair enough and that's life you take your chance. However we had a customer in a Le Mans hospital for 4 month's following a car accident (no fault of his own) and had to be flown home by air ambulance and the bill was in excess of £50k. I think £14.00 on some decent Travel Insurance it money very well spent.

[SEE YA]

AndrewMelley said:

That's fair enough and that's life you take your chance. However we had a customer in a Le Mans hospital for 4 month's following a car accident (no fault of his own) and had to be flown home by air ambulance and the bill was in excess of £50k. I think £14.00 on some decent Travel Insurance it money very well spent.

+1

[gt6]

Insurance is optional, you either buy it or you don't, the choice is yours, but like most people i object to being told "You must do it" The insurance companies pay out a fraction of what they collect in premiums, in fact the return on money in is better on a one armed bandit machine. Yes I do have insurance on some things but not everything. If you have a choice to do what you do with your money it is better than someone else spending it. And yes i worked for a financial company for 35 years before i retired so i know exactly how the industry works. All i am saying is let people decide for them selves that is a free society

[Storer]

Some things are worth taking a risk on. Some not.

I never take insurance warranties (extended warranties over and above the sellers or manufacturers) on any household electrical goods. The amount I save easily pays for any repairs, but I do tend to buy quality brands.

I do not search for the cheapest insurance for my cars, home, business or travel. I want the best cover and the knowledge they will pay out without (too much) quibbling if I need them.

For a large chunk of our insurance I use a company where I know the local agent personally and he will help me sort any issue. You may have guessed my travel insurance is with his company!

I have no sympathy with people who find themselves facing massive problems when they have an issue with health/holiday company/airline when they travel without adequate insurance.

If you can't stretch to the small cost of the travel insurance you really can't afford the trip!


Paul

[Rs2oo]

£25 extra on my car insurance to upgrade to fully comprehensive for the five days. Pocket-money for peace of mind. Personally GT6, I think its good advice to give people about car insurance because many people don't realise their fully comp. insurance in the UK turns to 3rd Party only abroad. Don't forget, Christopher Columbus was Third Party only when his ship the Santa Maria grounded on a reef near Cap Haitien and sank the following day. He should have upgraded to fully comprehensive, cost him a fortune.

Edited by Rs2oo on Monday 21st April 19:02