If you book a holiday and fail to take out adequate travel insurance at the same time

MarkElt

Incapuppy wrote: »

Don't come bleating on here when it all goes pearshaped and you end up out of pocket due to your own stupidity or ignorance.

How many threads recently???!!! :wall:


Perhaps it's time for a mass education programme or for it to be made mandatory to provide proof of insurance at the time of booking to protect people from themselves?

Yes, I am expecting a panning from a lot of people for my thoughts, but c'mon folks, it's not rocket science is it?

I agree but in my case personal circumstances meant a couple of my party found they couldn't make it a couple of hours after the booking and before we could confirm insurance, hence me looking for a buyer for part of my holiday. It's not always down to stupidity.

malkie76

There's a pretty solid arguement for taking out insurance before placing a booking, because as soon as you've made your book you are held to it if something changes - even if it's minutes after you've booked the holiday.

You can also take out insurance at exactly the same time as your holiday, or alternatively have a yearly policy covering you for everything.

Your story sounds no different to others, except that your changes were forced hours after booking.

HXDave

If needed, insurance can always be taken out BEFORE a booking is made. If then, you find that the holiday you want is no longer available, you can either cancel the policy with a full refund (this is law, provided it is within 14 days, the start date has not been reached and no claim is pending), and claim a full refund.

However we find that the majority of people take it out the same day as we book them (not with us, but with who they choose), as we always advise them that an insurance policy will not give any cover until it is paid for.

And yes, we have had people who have had to cancel holidays and lost thousands in the process. The one i remember is where a woman tripped and twisted her ankle 4 days before they were due to go. Lost over £3k, all because they were weaiting until last minute to sort out their insurance.

VERY VERY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE!

Regards

BTW, the Cuban authorities have made it COMPULSARY to have travel insurance when visiting their country, and it has to minimum cover too. If you get pulled over by them when going through customs (not exactly sure where they check it), and they check your insurance, if it's not good enough or you haven't got one, you have to buy a policy from then there on the spot (and i bet it wont be cheap). Otherwise, you will just be deported.

HXDave

interstellaflyer

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

I was using your experience as a example of my point. If people are forced to take out cover with their provider at the time of booking, people are going to pay over the odds, which some people can ill afford.

However, this thread is not about finding the cheapest deal or whether insurance should be compulsary, it's about going on holiday without insurance then coming on here to ask for help when it all goes pear shaped. I happen to agree that people should not be forced to take out insurance at the time of booking, for me it's personal preference, I know it's all done and dusted, one less thing to worry about, but to go on holiday overseas without insurance is extremely irresponsible and if it costs £70 for family of three from a high street travel agent then it just demonstrates how cheap it can be if you shop around which is the point, holiday insurance is not expensive so no excusses for not having it.

miamoo

Can I ask a question please. I am going to benidorm next June. Also I am going away for a week september/october (not yet booked).
If I get a yearly policy and choose europe only, what if I then book a holiday outside europe, can I upgrade the policy or do I need to buy seperate insurance?

HXDave

miamoo wrote: »

Can I ask a question please. I am going to benidorm next June. Also I am going away for a week september/october (not yet booked).
If I get a yearly policy and choose europe only, what if I then book a holiday outside europe, can I upgrade the policy or do I need to buy seperate insurance?

You would need to check with each individual insurance companies. Some may upgrade your policy to a world wide cover for the remainder of the policy duration, however some may charge you the full difference for the full year, even though you may only have a few months left on the policy. Others may say just tough, you only bought a European policy, that is all we are going to give you.

However, if you do decide to book a holiday outside of the european cover band, make sure you extend the insurance (if you find one that will) IMMEADIATELY! Effectively, having a holiday booked worldwide with only European travel insurance effectively means that the worldwide holiday is not covered in case you need to cancel.

Anyway, as someone mentioned before, this thread is not about the cost of travel insurance, it is about people who do not take travel insurance, or leave it until very last minute. Can we please keep the thread on track!

Regards

HXDave.