MSE News: Don't wait till your holiday to buy insurance

Torry_Quine

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

The above responses would suggest that I am mistaken. Good job I've never had to claim, if that's the case!

Sounds fine to me. You get insurance cover from the time of booking for unforeseen events and fr events during the two weeks of the holiday in your example.

Eye2013

This advice doesn't always work. Most people don't realise your not covered for civil disturbances and riot. I had a holiday cancelled a few years back when protestors occupied Thailands airport. Luckily the hotel were prepared to give me a full refund, as were the airline. The only people who wouldn't have given me a refund were the insurance company. Luckily I never took out a policy!

luci

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

The way I always understood it was that I purchased (say) 14 days travel insurance with specific dates of travel. It would cover me for certain things relating to those dates of travel (for example, breakdown on the way to the airport), but would also cover me for other things in the period between booking & travel (for example, major illness/death of person travelling).

If you buy single trip insurance at the same time as you book your travel, you have to state the dates you will be on holiday. Once you have bought it, you are covered for cancellation due to illness or accident from that date, provided the policy includes cancellation.

There are many threads on here from people who "were going to get it nearer the time" only to have some unforeseen event happen. With no insurance cover they will have lost at least the deposit on a package holiday or the total cost of flights if bought separately.