Cheap travel insurance for school trip

fox2319

Any hints on what sort of insurance would be most appropriate for my son's upcoming trip with his school? He's 10 and going on a 3 night residential trip in a week or so.

Thanks in advance

mandragora_2

Why do you think you need any? It's worth checking with the school - all the trips run by my school carry local authority insurance as standard anyway. For our school that means that if your child is unwell on the day of the trip, you can claim back the money spent on the trip bar the first £15.

fox2319

In the letter which they sent home about the trip, they advised that we take out travel insurance / personal injury insurance. I know there will be local authority insurance and presumably the facility will have its own insurance too but I was wondering if there is anything else we need.

JaniceUK

Tesco family policies cover children travelling alone, very useful

mandragora_2

fox2319 wrote: »

In the letter which they sent home about the trip, they advised that we take out travel insurance / personal injury insurance. I know there will be local authority insurance and presumably the facility will have its own insurance too but I was wondering if there is anything else we need.

I'd definitely ask them why they think you need more - it's my bet that no-one in the school has even thought to ask the local authority if there is cover in place. If you think about it, they pretty much have to - imagine a school trip abroad, little Johnny gets appendicitis and mummy hasn't bought him any travel insurance. What would the staff be expected to do in that case?

Most local authority policies even cover for the eventuality of loss/theft of personal items, so long as you register a report with the local police, to generate a log number or other formal record. I don't blame schools for not telling parents this (even if they know about it) as it makes for much less hassle if kids don't bring costly personal items with them in the first place, and then can't possibly lose them.

Edit - I've just found this on my local authority website, giving details of their policy in regard to trips and visits:

The school journey policy provides an indemnity against specified risks associated with
cancellation, limited personal accident cover, medical expenses, loss of personal effects
and legal liability. Each and every member of a school journey party who is either a person
involved in full-time or part-time education or a teacher or other adult not over 65 years of
age is insured. The policy covers any trip or excursion not exceeding 31 days in duration
(including exchange visits and work experience placements) approved by the council
which involves travel outside the school boundaries but excludes trips or excursions where
insurance is provided as a part of the package price. The policy also includes limited
winter sports cover (skiing, ski walks, the use of ski-bobs and toboggans, skating and
snow boards but not jumps, with or without ramps), all to a standard appropriate to the

person insured’s experience and training as judged by qualified instructors.

dacouch

I agree with mandragon.

Either someone at the school does not know what they are doing or think its better for people to have their own insurance.

Imagine the problem if each of the pupils had insurance with different Insurers, it would be a nightmare if there was a problem and they had to ring and report it to each of the Insurers. In addition theres always the chance one person did not have insurance or their Insurers decided they did not want to pay out.

Go back to the school and get them to confirm whats happening