Why I never bother with travel insurance

Nobjocki

Travel insurance is very much like car breakdown insurance - I've never had either and have yet to breakdown or need flying back from a holiday.

I accept there are occasions when this happens but, statistically, the number of people taking out holiday insurance every year versus those who actually claim on it must make it a comparative waste of money.

jonnyd281

Nobjocki wrote: »

Travel insurance is very much like car breakdown insurance - I've never had either and have yet to breakdown or need flying back from a holiday.

I accept there are occasions when this happens but, statistically, the number of people taking out holiday insurance every year versus those who actually claim on it must make it a comparative waste of money.

And when you are hurt abroad and they expect YOU to pay for the treatment and the plane to get you home what will you do?

There was a couple on the news recently who had to raise £16K plus to get the wife home because they had no travel insurance (she had fallen and broken her back). They had a European Health Insurance Card which covers treatment, but nothing else.

The family were on the TV saying how disgusting it was that the Government EHIC didn't cover the cost of flying them home, yet it states on the back make sure you have valid travel insurance and that it is only valid for medical expenses.

Why should the public purse have to pay to fly you back when you're hurt abroad because you can't be bothered with travel insurance?

photome

Nobjocki wrote: »

Travel insurance is very much like car breakdown insurance - I've never had either and have yet to breakdown or need flying back from a holiday.

I accept there are occasions when this happens but, statistically, the number of people taking out holiday insurance every year versus those who actually claim on it must make it a comparative waste of money.

I guess you are just looking for a reaction but here goes

Car breakdown insurance, I am with you no real need its never going to cost you more than a few hundred pounds

Travel insurance on the other hand could save you a 6 figure bill from the states

Nobjocki

photome wrote: »

I guess you are just looking for a reaction but here goes

Car breakdown insurance, I am with you no real need its never going to cost you more than a few hundred pounds

Travel insurance on the other hand could save you a 6 figure bill from the states

I don't disagree with you.
But life is always about weighing up the pros and cons between what you'd like and what you can afford and what is really necessary.
Yes, there are the well publicised cases of people in horrendous accidents needing to be flown home by medivac.
But there are also millions of other people who go abroad on holiday without incident - and co-incidentally a lot of them don't fall off hotel balconies when they're drunk or ride motorbikes without crash helmets when they've had a dozen San Miquels.
The real problem is that British holidaymakers come from a nation of obedient sheep, being herded about by Nanny State officialdom and told exactly what and what not to do.
And they've lost the power of independent thought.
I mean, do you REALLY think an insurance company is there to help you or to avoid, at all costs and with the use of very small print, any obligations they might have ?

alanrowell

Nobjocki wrote: »

The real problem is that British holidaymakers come from a nation of obedient sheep, being herded about by Nanny State officialdom and told exactly what and what not to do.
And they've lost the power of independent thought.

Well you are certainly proving that. If this was a nanny state then there would be compulsory travel insurance. That there isn't automatically disproves your argument.

Nobjocki wrote: »

I mean, do you REALLY think an insurance company is there to help you or to avoid, at all costs and with the use of very small print, any obligations they might have ?

And what does that have to do with the subject matter? As people on this thread have shown insurance companies do pay out for rather large bills, so whilst your claim may make an interesting talking point, it doesn't affect the fact that insurance companies do pay out.

shockingmoment

hairy_g wrote: »

Insureandgo have a policy (black) on which the excess for normal activity appears to be nil.

http://quote.insureandgo.com/Single/compare.aspx#

Wouldn't recommend Insure and Go.

Stuck in Malaysia - volcanic ash issue - I&G refused to pay a penny. Been with them for years, family, platinum, annual - never had reason to claim for anything. But when you needed them most - they wriggled and squirmed and used their weasel words.....

However - had a 'free' policy (discovered purely by accident) with HSBC - who very kindly paid for the hotel bills for a week - 4 of us, 2 rooms.

Post Office amongst others also paid out.

Despite being disappointed by I&G poor attitude - I'd never travel without insurance.

To be fair to I&G - they were prevented from paying by their underwriters.

Still disappointed though. Annual policy won't be renewed with them when it expires!

zaksmum

You would need to be totally out of your mind to travel without insurance. I had a very serious road traffic accident abroad that has left me disabled, and believe me, the last thing you need to be worrying about at a time like that is how your medical bills are going to be paid and how astronomical the cost of the air ambulance will be.

You just have to familiarise yourself with the exclusions etc., and don't do anything you know isn't covered, like hazardous sports or taking drugs or drinking too much. Make sure you disclose any pre existing conditions and take good care of yourself and your belongings.

For the sake of a few quid it's peace of mind which is invaluable.

shirlgirl2004

We had to pay £12,000 when our brother, in his 30s, suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm. There was no warning, he went on holiday an apparently normal healthy person and came back by air ambulance. His treatment was covered by the EHIC system but if we hadn't had the money he would have had to stay out there. We were lucky he had only gone to Spain.

Greenlight77

When you can take out travel insurance for as little as £14 a year as noted by Martin in his guide it's bonkers not to take out a policy.

OK you may have to pay a large excess to claim for things like loss of baggage etc which may not make it worthwhile but it's essential to cover yourself for any accidents. My dad sadly died suddenly whilst on holiday in Spain a few years ago from a heart attack. The insurance paid for the post mortem and the repatriation of his body back to England and all the paperwork involved. I can't begin to think what it would have cost if we'd have had to pay for it.

Pollycat

Nobjocki wrote: »

Travel insurance is very much like car breakdown insurance - I've never had either and have yet to breakdown or need flying back from a holiday.

I accept there are occasions when this happens but, statistically, the number of people taking out holiday insurance every year versus those who actually claim on it must make it a comparative waste of money.

If you want to rely on statistics to make a decision not to buy travel insurance that might just save you (or your family) loads of money (and stress and worry) if you are taken seriously ill or have serious accident abroad, then that's up to you.

I, possibly like lots of other posters on here who can see the benefits of having travel insurance) will just shrug my shoulders, tut and say 'stupid !!!!!!' if I read of your distraught family trying to raise money to bring you home after you've played the odds - and lost. :cool:

Your choice, mate - I just have more sense.