Travel Insurance for Independent Travel

davidlizard

I ask this question every year - can anyone recommend a decent provider for travel insurance oriented towards independent (DIY) travel. I am more interested in depth of cover rather than cost.

Its for a family holiday to the Greek Islands next summer - the flights were booked this week, accomodation and ferries will be booked later.

One thing I see being a big problem over the next year or so is industrial action, resulting in missed connections and hotel bookings, so I am keen to insure against that particular risk in addition to the usual things.

I have found cover4travel.co.uk which looks very good - covers strike action (provided its not known about) and has DIY travel cover, but has the negative points that it does not appear to have scheduled airline failure cover, and is underwritten by Axa.

I am also aware that Endleigh, M&S and Axa themselves also provide policies for independent travel - can anyone suggest any others.

TIA

Dave

merlinormartin

Hi Dave

We are currently in the process of looking for DIY trip insurance ,,,, would be interested to hear peoples recommendations.

Have been looking at Direct-Travel insurance but not 100% if covers DIY.

davidlizard

Looking through the Direct-Travel link would address many of the things that could go wrong with DIY - many of the things that could go wrong you can take steps to avoid the impact, for example paying just the deposition for rooms and building flexibility into schedules to allow for delays. Additionally if things like accomodation is paid for on credit card then that will offer some additional protection.

£1500 for scheduled airline failure could be a bit light given how much some airlines were charging for return flights when XL folded.

Another one I have seen recommended was 1stoptravelinsurance.

Swiftcover, who I have used in the past has scheduled airline failure, but also has this under "delay and abandonment": Any claim that results from strikes or industrial action which were public knowledge before the start of your trip. So if the ATC decides to call a strike 2 days before I am due to go, then I am not covered with them.

lr1277

Try the travel insurance provided by Greenbee (part of John Lewis). They have an independent traveller option. If memory serves, they had good cover around volcanic ash clouds. Can't remember about industrial action. Underwritten by Axa though, though I don't know why that makes it a bad policy.