Travel insurance query

misstree_2

I wonder if someone can help me understand how this works?

I am going to USA from 2 - 7 October. I may also go to Europe next year so thought it would be cheaper to get annual cover.
This afternoon, I went onto supermarket.com as recommended from here and proceeded to get quotes. The one I was interested in was Flexicover direct which quoted me - £31.90. Unfortunately I didn't have time to proceed and buy the policy so thought I'd leave it til this evening.
When I try to get any quotes now..this message appears...

Compare annual multi-trip prices below.
Did you know? If you apply for an annual multi-trip policy starting on the date you plan to travel you will not be covered for cancellation before this date.
Change start date?


I don't understand this at all. At first I thought maybe I have to start the cover immediately, so if in the unfortunate circumstances that I did have to cancel then I would be covered for that. I tried changing the date to the 21 September but it said the same thing.
The next thing I thought was, maybe it means that if I had to cancel the policy, then I wouldn't get the policy money back, as it would be under 14 days, but this is just an opinion and I'm not sure if I'm right.
Sorry if this sounds dull but I never holiday outside of this country and have no idea how travel insurance works. Apart from that, I don't think that message is really clear on what exactly I wouldn't be covered for in the event of cancellation. I also assumed that I would have to book the cover from the date I'm leaving and not beforehand..don't know and I'm confusing myself more now! haha

Anyway, if anyone can help clear this confusion up I'd be so grateful. I haven't really got the time or really want to go to a travel agents to ask.

:confused:

Mobeer

I would take it to mean that any travel\holiday cancellation is not covered if you cancel your travel\holiday before the insurance policy starts.

E.g., Holiday on 10th, insurance starts 9th, and you cancel before the 9th. Since your insurance policy has not started, you have no cancellation cover.

dmg24

Yep, Mobeer is correct.

You don't think our cats are going to fight if I post here, do you?!

Here goes ... x

IvanOpinion

If you think aboout it then it makes sense ... why would insurance cover you for an event that happened before the insurance started ? ... if it did then anybody, upon realising they could not travel could simply buy insurance knowing they were going to claim etc. note also that any 'known' conditions that may stop you from travelling at the time of buying insurance may not be covered either ... so check if this may be the case!

Ivan

dzug

That message will come up if you try to buy an annual policy starting on a future date.
You tried on 20th to buy a policy starting on 21st - a future date. It was warning you that if something happened in the remainder of the evening to prevent you travelling, you would not be covered....

(Alternatively the message may show up regardless... just a catch all)

misstree_2

dzug wrote: »

That message will come up if you try to buy an annual policy starting on a future date.
You tried on 20th to buy a policy starting on 21st - a future date. It was warning you that if something happened in the remainder of the evening to prevent you travelling, you would not be covered....

(Alternatively the message may show up regardless... just a catch all)

I thought of that and just tried again putting today's date in, but it said it was invalid - obviously too last minute. I can also understand what everyone else is saying cos that's what I thought also. I looked at the FAQ but it only had a statement about single trip policies, and that was that you would be covered for the whole trip cancelled from the time and date it was booked and not the holiday start date....but nothing about annual policies!

I also tried going through the company I wanted, elsewhere but the quotes are more expensive. I think I need to actually speak to a person or try a different company that does explain more...even if I do have to pay more.