Booking Travel Insurance In N.Ireland But Flying Out Of Republic Of Ireland

Gemma32_2

I've never thought of this being a problem and have booked insurance like this many times in the past but my parents have asked me to check this out.

When booking your travel insurance in Northern Ireland are you covered if your flight departs from the Republic of Ireland?

My parents think they have heard a story on the radio of a case where the insurance company claimed the insurance was invalid because the flight departed outside of the UK.

Does anyone know if you have to tell the insurance company that your flight is departing from Republic of Ireland to be covered or are some policies different to others?

wacko911

Not an expert by any means, but afaik it wouldnt matter. As long as your insurance covers all the areas you are traving too there shouldn't be a problem.

D.A.

Your parents are correct - there was a story a few months back on On Your Behalf where someone had got travel insurance from (I think) Marks & Spencer, but it turned out their flights weren't covered as they were departing from Dublin.

I think the advice was to make sure you check with the insurer whether this situation is covered or not - if I remember correctly, they said it is actually covered by most insurers.

shiv2001

I got worried about this a couple of years ago and always check the insurance now. In some policies it actually states that the holiday must start from the UK i.e. flying. I would check with the insurance company. Although, I've found that the first person you speak to usually hasn't a clue what you're talking about.

sheerdelight

Read the terms of the insurance. In some policies it says cover starts when you leave your home(in NI) in the UK which I presume you will be doing. You don't want to be caught by the small print and find you are excluded. Bear also in mind you need cover in case something befalls you or your party before you get out of Ireland. - eg on the road to the airport! Also wise to book it as soon as holiday trip arranged especially if onforeseen things occur. You are frequently covered for illness within the family and resultant cancellation so don't leave it until the day before you are due to fly out. I flew to Austria last summer and I used Tesco Insurance and I was covered from moment I left the house. I had heard the radio program mentioned so I double checked a number of companies and read the small print just to be on the safe side. I wouldn't always depend on the call operator unfortunately.

jenny-wren

Surely travel insurance doesn't just cover flights? I would always have understood a policy to cover you from when you start your journey (i.e. leaving your home) and, if you have to travel to Dublin to catch a flight, you'd be covered for the first part of your journey be it by car, bus, train, ferry etc.

I have a policy with Boots and it covers me for roadside assistance in the UK and missing my departure. If my car breaks down 2 miles from home on the way to the airport I'm covered no matter where I am flying from.

Check the small print on the policy - it'll be hidden in there somewhere!

Gemma32_2

Thanks for all of your responses.

I got my answer today when I followed it up with a call to the online insurers I had bought the policy with.

I was not covered for a flight departing outside of the UK.

They were fine about it and cancelled the policy.

I have now rebooked with Insure and Go. I've been speaking to them on the phone and the policy they have given me covers for holidays departing UK and Ireland.

Glad I checked and definitely worth the peace of mind!

Phoolgrrrl

Ah bum. gonna have to check mine too. I thought it would cover since I would be leaving from house in NI so starting my journey. Will have to give them a call. Thanks op for bringing it up.

lazer

I had wondered this before as well, but always assumed that as the samll print usually states "journey must begin in the UK", i assumed this meant the journey began when i left my house in NI - therefore was covered.

A list of insurers that cover Dublin departures might be useful.

wayne77

My annual travel insurance policy with Columbus Direct, seems to be fine:

Duration Of Cover
Single Trips – [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]Section 1 Cancellation cover is effective from the time and date of issue of the insurance schedule and terminates on commencement of the planned trip. For all other sections, cover commences when you leave your home or business (whichever is the later) to commence the trip and terminates on whichever occurs first of the following: (1) The expiry of the period of cover; (2) Your return home as planned at the end of the trip; (3) Your first return home prior to the planned return at the end of the trip (except in the case of backpacker policies, where if you return to the UK or the Isle of Man within the planned trip dates, cover will be suspended from the time you arrive in the UK or the Isle of Man and will only resume once you leave immigration control in the country of your next ticketed destination). [/FONT][/FONT]Annual Multi Trips – [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]Section 1 Cancellation cover for each trip is effective from either the start date on the insurance schedule or the time and date at which each trip is booked (whichever is the later), and terminates on whichever occurs first of the following: (1) The commencement of each trip, or (2) The expiry of the period of cover. For all other sections, cover commences when you leave your home or business (whichever is later) to commence each trip and terminates on whichever occurs first of the following: (1) The expiry of the period of cover; (2) Your return home as planned at the end of each trip; (3) Your first return to your country of residence prior to the planned return date at the end of each trip; (4) Your period of travel exceeding the trip limit specified in your insurance schedule.
[/FONT][/FONT]

System

Never heard of this until I read this thread and just checked our annual policy with Insurefor.com to find ours is the same.

Contract period - Annual multi-trip - any number of return trips beginning and ending in your country of residence

Think I'll have to call them tomorrow to check if we are covered flying out of Dublin as that is usually the cheapest option for us. If it doesn't cover us I'm just glad we had no problems when we were away last June :eek:

Just checked my daughters policy (Debenhams) and hers says Your holiday or Journey starts when you leave your usual place of residence or business. That's a bit ambiguous I think where NI is concerned. That's 2 phonecalls I think.