UK travel insurance necessary?

jakirk

A friends Mum and Dad have decided to go on a bus tour from Scotland to Cornwall and Devon and on booking they have been told they must have travel insurance, either supplied by the company at £20 each or they must supply details of their own insurance, which they don't have.

They are both over 65 and one of the reasons for holidaying in the UK is because of the cost of travel insurance for going abroad because of their pre-existing illnesses.

The husband had a heart attack last year.

Can the travel company say that they must have travel insurance and refuse to take their booking if they don't have travel insurance?

They have decided that if they must, they will take the insurance but consider it £40 less to spend on their holiday.

System

What is travel insurance supposed to cover?
Unforeseen costs to the operator, or the individual who is insured?

InsideInsurance

As long as it is said before they booked then yes, it is part of the contract and its up to your parents to decide if they want to accept the contract for the price offered.

There would be more of an argument if they buy first and had no way to know about this term before buying.

jakirk

What is travel insurance supposed to cover

That is what I am trying to discover.

InsideInsurance

It makes no difference what it covers, they can say you must have at least a dozen pink grapefruits to be able to book if thats part of the terms & conditions they make clear before you buy. As long it isnt an "ism" that the law prohibits then they are free to make these conditions of sale

jakirk

Slight miss-understanding by friends Dad and son interfering.

Insurance is only compulsory if travelling outside the UK although it is recommended for UK travel.

This is what is covered.


COVER SUM INSURED UP TO

Cancellation£3,500

MissedDeparture/Travel Delay £600/£60

PersonalAccident £15,000

Medical andother Expenses including Curtailment £2,000,000

AdditionalTravelling Expenses – United Kingdom £1,500

MedicalInconvenience Benefit £450 (£15 per 24 hours)

PersonalProperty/Loss of Passport £1,500/£200

PersonalLiability £2,000,000

DelayedBaggage £100

LegalExpenses £10,000

14 dayRefund Insurance Premium

rs65

Don’t think I have ever had travel insurance for a UK holiday.

Surely you would be able to use normal NHS and therefore wouldn’t incur medical expenses in the same way you would when abroad.

Personal liability and personal property may be covered under their home insurance.

Delayed baggage on a bus tour?

Cancellation/missed departure may be important though.

bouncydog1

Cancellation is the most important bit - if they fall ill and have to cancel the trip, they have to weigh up whether they can afford to lose the price of the holiday against the cost of the insurance - provided of course that their pre-existing conditions will be covered if the cause of the cancellation.

System

bouncyd!!! wrote: »

Cancellation is the most important bit - if they fall ill and have to cancel the trip, they have to weigh up whether they can afford to lose the price of the holiday against the cost of the insurance - provided of course that their pre-existing conditions will be covered if the cause of the cancellation.

Of course they can afford the price of the holiday - they wouldn't have booked if they couldn't. The question is how much they would mind taking the risk that they missed a holiday if they fell ill, compared with the cost of taking out insurance.

Lots of plans get changed if you are ill - that's life. Insurance is for people who mind, and you are entitled not to mind that much and be willing to take the risk. Why does the tour operator care whether you mind missing the holiday or not?