Annual travel insurance... any insights please?

HBelfast

Hi,

I'm trying to weigh up the pros and cons of getting annual travel insurance. 

Does anyone have any dos and don'ts on this?

I've tried researching on Compare The Market, and frankly some of the deals seem overly cheap!

Feeling quite confused and would love to hear any insights,

Thanks!

H

amanda1024

Definitely get some, look carefully at what it covers/doesn’t cover, check excesses etc. But for low cost destinations travel is fairly low risk so premiums often are low; prices go up for more specialist cover, riskier destinations/activities, pre-existing conditions

youth_leader

I would recommend checking the Covid cover on any insurance, as well as full repatriation if you die abroad. 

I  went with Staysure this year and went to New Zealand on a singles tour with Riviera Travel.  Unfortunately I got Covid in Queenstown and had to stay there on my own for four days. 

I rang the Staysure emergency number and they advised me.

The tour guide sorted out the hotel room for me at a slightly reduced rate.  I had to pay for my food, room service.  I had to pay to register at the medical centre, as well as the tests.  I had to pay triple fares for the taxi to take me to the medical centre, no-one wanted to take  me as I was positive.   I then had to pay for a flight to join the coach tour, Queenstown to Christchurch.  I paid 200% for the taxi to the airport. 

When I got back I submitted my claim on line and it was paid 11 days later, minus an excess of £63.

DullGreyGuy

HBelfast said:

I've tried researching on Compare The Market, and frankly some of the deals seem overly cheap!

When someone buys single trip cover you can be very sure that they are going to be travelling on a trip. A lot of people year on year renew their annual travel (particularly if it's "free" via a package bank account) and some may take no trips at all within the policy year. 

Similarly adding things like US cover, the single trip you know they are going to high cost US but annual some may add it "just in case" and go years without going outside of Europe. 

Insurance works on the principle of the common pool... premiums are collected together and paid out for claims (and operating costs). Hence those that travel extensively get a good price cross funded by those who buy "just in case" which doesn't materialise. 

katejo

youth_leader said:

I would recommend checking the Covid cover on any insurance, as well as full repatriation if you die abroad. 

I  went with Staysure this year and went to New Zealand on a singles tour with Riviera Travel.  Unfortunately I got Covid in Queenstown and had to stay there on my own for four days. 

I rang the Staysure emergency number and they advised me.

The tour guide sorted out the hotel room for me at a slightly reduced rate.  I had to pay for my food, room service.  I had to pay to register at the medical centre, as well as the tests.  I had to pay triple fares for the taxi to take me to the medical centre, no-one wanted to take  me as I was positive.   I then had to pay for a flight to join the coach tour, Queenstown to Christchurch.  I paid 200% for the taxi to the airport. 

When I got back I submitted my claim on line and it was paid 11 days later, minus an excess of £63.

This is just a curiosity question because I am considering trying Riviera Solo for the 1st time. Did they insist on you testing just in case it might be Covid? When I had Covid, it was like a mild cold. I couldn't go out then because it was during lockdown but, if I got the same symptoms now, I would treat it as a cold and say nothing. 

katejo

amanda1024 said:

Definitely get some, look carefully at what it covers/doesn’t cover, check excesses etc. But for low cost destinations travel is fairly low risk so premiums often are low; prices go up for more specialist cover, riskier destinations/activities, pre-existing conditions

I find it difficult to believe that anyone over about 30 doesn't have a single pre existing condition  which needs declaring. Because of this I can't see how anyone can automatically renew their policy (since renewal requires declaration of such conditions

DullGreyGuy

katejo said:

amanda1024 said:

Definitely get some, look carefully at what it covers/doesn’t cover, check excesses etc. But for low cost destinations travel is fairly low risk so premiums often are low; prices go up for more specialist cover, riskier destinations/activities, pre-existing conditions

I find it difficult to believe that anyone over about 30 doesn't have a single pre existing condition  which needs declaring. Because of this I can't see how anyone can automatically renew their policy (since renewal requires declaration of such conditions

Renewal will be on the basis that you still have Type II Diabetes or whatever else you declared when you first bought the policy... I'm not sure that everyone over 30 will have a chronic illness but even if they did they aren't necessarily getting a new one each year. 

katejo

DullGreyGuy said:

katejo said:

amanda1024 said:

Definitely get some, look carefully at what it covers/doesn’t cover, check excesses etc. But for low cost destinations travel is fairly low risk so premiums often are low; prices go up for more specialist cover, riskier destinations/activities, pre-existing conditions

I find it difficult to believe that anyone over about 30 doesn't have a single pre existing condition  which needs declaring. Because of this I can't see how anyone can automatically renew their policy (since renewal requires declaration of such conditions

Renewal will be on the basis that you still have Type II Diabetes or whatever else you declared when you first bought the policy... I'm not sure that everyone over 30 will have a chronic illness but even if they did they aren't necessarily getting a new one each year. 

My usual insurer requires that you complete the medical questions over again every year. You can't just say that it is unchanged from the previous year.

HBelfast

Thanks everyone, this is all extremely helpful. 

DullGreyGuy

katejo said:

DullGreyGuy said:

katejo said:

amanda1024 said:

Definitely get some, look carefully at what it covers/doesn’t cover, check excesses etc. But for low cost destinations travel is fairly low risk so premiums often are low; prices go up for more specialist cover, riskier destinations/activities, pre-existing conditions

I find it difficult to believe that anyone over about 30 doesn't have a single pre existing condition  which needs declaring. Because of this I can't see how anyone can automatically renew their policy (since renewal requires declaration of such conditions

Renewal will be on the basis that you still have Type II Diabetes or whatever else you declared when you first bought the policy... I'm not sure that everyone over 30 will have a chronic illness but even if they did they aren't necessarily getting a new one each year. 

My usual insurer requires that you complete the medical questions over again every year. You can't just say that it is unchanged from the previous year.

They will quote on an assumption nothing has changed but require that you inform them of any changes.

katejo

DullGreyGuy said:

katejo said:

DullGreyGuy said:

katejo said:

amanda1024 said:

Definitely get some, look carefully at what it covers/doesn’t cover, check excesses etc. But for low cost destinations travel is fairly low risk so premiums often are low; prices go up for more specialist cover, riskier destinations/activities, pre-existing conditions

I find it difficult to believe that anyone over about 30 doesn't have a single pre existing condition  which needs declaring. Because of this I can't see how anyone can automatically renew their policy (since renewal requires declaration of such conditions

Renewal will be on the basis that you still have Type II Diabetes or whatever else you declared when you first bought the policy... I'm not sure that everyone over 30 will have a chronic illness but even if they did they aren't necessarily getting a new one each year. 

My usual insurer requires that you complete the medical questions over again every year. You can't just say that it is unchanged from the previous year.

They will quote on an assumption nothing has changed but require that you inform them of any changes.

Insure & Go doesn't do that. I was offered a renewal in December which I didn't pursue due to waiting for minor surgery. However, I have always had to answer the medical questions from scratch every time. I can't just say that it is unchanged from the previous year. Any  renewal quote sent to me excludes all medical cover.