Holiday Insurance

[surveyor]

Any recommendations?

I'm off the comparison websites after having to wade through acres of small print to find for instance volcano delays excluded.

I'd like cover that will protect me - not take my money and be filled with exclusions.

[TheD]

I did a survey of the small print in loads of different policies and it would make you wonder if it would cover you at all. An insurance buddy of mine says to get the cheapest as they are all the same, and always declare everything that is wrong or has been wrong, because they will contact your doctor and if they find anything information from him that doesn't tally with your info you're fecked.
He uses Jet2 by the way

[LuS1fer]

I always buy the one with the lowest excess that is still cheap.

[jmorgan]

Not sure I did this right but used Defaqto to filter what I needed then went through the policies of those that were left and made sure we had volcano cover. Ended up with Boots multi trip gold.


Edit. Defaqto

Also not many did the natural disaster cover when you dug deeper it would seem, at least not to something suitable.

Edited by jmorgan on Friday 15th February 08:34

[condor]

I think it depends on where you're going and what you're doing.
If just travelling in the UK I'd go with the self-insurance option

[ChasW]

A friend works in the insurance industry and explained how most people buy travel insurance when the biggest claim risk has already passed. Unless you are travelling outside Europe, where E111 is effectively your health cover, the major problem is cancellation. It's only ever happened to me once when I had to cancel a family ski trip because one of my kids had an accident 6 weeks before. Fortunately I had an annual multi-trip policy. All other incidents such as wallet theft, loss of belongings etc seem to carry ridiculous excesses.

Having said that my cousin broke her neck while on holiday in Florida, not tragic thankfully, but still a nasty experience. She was in intensive care for a long time. She had taken out a bog standard policy over the counter from her bank before she left. Many months later when all the costs were settled she saw a copy of the final bill.......$2million.

[Deva Link]

TheD said:

.... and always declare everything that is wrong or has been wrong, because they will contact your doctor and if they find anything information from him that doesn't tally with your info you're fecked.

I did that when my Dad was ill with multiple things and they listened carefully and than said "thanks very much - cover for all those things is excluded". So it was a bit pointless telling them.

One thing I learned (from the volcano issue) is, if you make your own arrangement rather than go on a package then make sure you’re covered (and covered to a sufficient level) for independently arranged travel. A lot of basic insurance assumes you’re on a package – so once you’re checked in the tour operator has to look after you until you arrive back. If you make your own arrangements you could be stuffed if your flight out is cancelled and you can’t cancel accommodation, car hire, etc. And you can also be stuffed if the there’s a problem with the return flights.

In the end we were fine when the volcano happenned - we were on the first transatlantic flight out of Manchester after the ban was lifted but the lack of clarity from the insurer was very annoying. In the end they cancelled the (annual) policy and refunded the premium just to get rid of me - even though they'd been at risk while we were away.

[oblio]

I have annual multitrip with American Express for 2 adults and a our 15yo son. Wife has MS (declared) and both her and the nipper have asthma, again declared. Costs around £37 per annum and Im not an Amex card holder either!