MoneySaving Poll: Do you travel with or without travel insurance?

moxter

Insurance has a negative expectation value, so I generally avoid it for any situations that are theoretically affordable; I'd rather pay for a new phone or a new flight etc. In my book insurance is only worth it for peace of mind for the low-likelihood situations where a huge expense is required - ie huge medical bills or a house burning down.

I don't bother at all for any travel within the EU. That's what the EU is for. Doubtless UKIP etc would love us to be faced with thousands of pounds of medical bills to be paid up front in cash when you break your leg in France.

Outside the EU I'd look for a level of cover that paid for medical bills, but lost luggage, flight delays/cancellations and so on I'd rather suck up and use my money more wisely elsewhere.

hazel1975_2

am looking for advice on this very topic really
in 2 weeks am going on cruise with family fof 12 nights around the med.
All of us have E111 card however am not sure whether should still get travel insurance or not
Child 1 has nut allergies as well as various other allergies, plus recently had an eye operation
child 2 suffers from frequent ear infections and has long ENT history.

Will an E111 be enough as am conscious that if I get an off the shelf policy it probably wont cover the pre-existing conditions and will they refuse to pay out if anything occured?

Anyone advice before i start to spend ages on phone/website to be horrified at the high premium i am expecting to be quoted?

thanks!

zagfles

hazel1975 wrote: »

am looking for advice on this very topic really
in 2 weeks am going on cruise with family fof 12 nights around the med.
All of us have E111 card however am not sure whether should still get travel insurance or not
Child 1 has nut allergies as well as various other allergies, plus recently had an eye operation
child 2 suffers from frequent ear infections and has long ENT history.

Will an E111 be enough as am conscious that if I get an off the shelf policy it probably wont cover the pre-existing conditions and will they refuse to pay out if anything occured?

Anyone advice before i start to spend ages on phone/website to be horrified at the high premium i am expecting to be quoted?

thanks!

You say "the med", there are a lot of non-EU countries on the med, where is the cruise going? In any case I doubt the EHIC card would cover eg an emergency medical evacuation from the ship, ask the cruise company about this.

hazel1975_2

Thanks Zagfles
Portugal and Canaries so am assuming we will be ok
Cruise company says should get travel insurance but am assuming they would say that!

zagfles

hazel1975 wrote: »

Thanks Zagfles
Portugal and Canaries so am assuming we will be ok
Cruise company says should get travel insurance but am assuming they would say that!

I guess you failed geography at school Sorry only kidding, but neither Portugal or the Canaries are on the med! If the ship sails from Portugal to the Canaries you're in international waters off West Africa (mainly Morocco), I don't think the EHIC covers Morocco and I doubt it would cover an emergency airlift to hospital anyway. Which is why you need to ask the cruise company what happens should you need it.

hazel1975_2

Well you are probably right on that front! there is a group of us and i havent really paid much attention to now as I didnt book it!

very good point and will check on this. thanks!

Mark_Beech

If you can get travel insurance at an affordable price ..... then it makes sense to go for it.
The issue is that if pre-existing medical conditions are excluded (and they usually are) then the most likely problems you might suffer on holiday will NOT be covered in any event.
You need to be really clear with your insurers about just exactly WHAT is covered. Don't make any assumptions.

TBagpuss

I wouldn't go abroad without insurance. EHIC doesn't cover everything, and doesn't help with the costs of repatriation if you were seriously ill or injured.

I don't buy insurance for travelling in the UK. I suppose that if I were booking an expensive holiday I might, but in the UK I usually either stay with friends or family, or have short breaks. House and car insurance would cover most damage or loss, so my risk is fairly minor.

Hazel - I would definitely buy insurance if I were you. It's my understanding that the EHIC allows you to get the same treatment you would if you were a national of the country concerned, which means that in some cases you have to pay a contribution, or to pay for things which would be free here. In some countries you have to pay up front and then claim back costs

It doesn't cover costs of repatriation if you are not able to travel back as originally planned.

Also, not every hospital or doctor accepts the EHIC.

hgotsparkle

I look at travel insurance as more health insurance than the flights/luggage/whatever. I only really go with the EU and yes I have an EHIC card but thatonly allows you medical care at the same price as locals so you're still paying.
As me and OH are healthy and have no pre-exisying conditions then its ine for us and we do get it.
I just bought ours for this year last week, £7.35 for the 2 of us for a week, be silly not to really!

kkgree1

I've never considered getting travel insurance for UK holidays, but always will if we go abroad. It doesn't have to be expensive - there are specialist insurers who will cover pre-existing medical conditions. Both my husband and I have had competitive quotes with Freedom Insurance. We used to use Direct Travel insurance but they have now increased their premiums for some conditions (though still very competitive for Asthma sufferers).

Even in the EU you never know when you will need insurance. A friend was in Benidorm over the weekend on a hen do. The hen got very ill (alcohol related) but wasn't insured and the doctor refused to see her until she paid a E98 charge. I'm not sure what the final bill will be but it isn't something you want to think about if you, your family or friends get ill.