When to book travel insurance

bobblebob

I know the standard guidance is always book your travel insurance as soon as you book the holiday, so you're covered straight away. However my situation is abit different:

Ive booked a holiday with an adventure travel company as a package deal, and they require at least 6 other customers to book on to guarantee the trip will run. Until then the trip isn't guaranteed to run it could be cancelled if they dont get the required number of customers (in which case you get a full refund or can book another trip).

So is it best to book my insurance now or wait until the trip is guaranteed to go ahead? if i pay for insurance now and the trip gets cancelled, i then lose out on the travel insurance money

fifeken

Buy it now.  If you break a leg tomorrow and the trip goes ahead you'll lose your money unless you have insurance (assuming the travel company T&Cs are in their favour).

bobblebob

fifeken said:

Buy it now.  If you break a leg tomorrow and the trip goes ahead you'll lose your money unless you have insurance (assuming the travel company T&Cs are in their favour).

Thanks. They do say you "can change your booking any time at no extra cost (normally £40)" but the actual T&C are abit more vague and instead say they will do their best to change at no cost, but this isnt always possible. 

So i think best to book now

NoodleDoodleMan

Maybe an annual policy would suit you ?

Depends on how often you travel abroad of course ?

Some decent deals with packaged bank accounts.

Brie

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Maybe an annual policy would suit you ?

Depends on how often you travel abroad of course ?

Some decent deals with packaged bank accounts.

Agree about the annual policy and packaged bank accounts in general but do ensure that they will actually cover you for whatever adventure it is you are on.  Better to pay extra if you have to rather than find out the whole policy is void because you didn't check it includes that country or that activity.

bobblebob

Thanks will look at annual make sure it covers what i need

Bank account insurance rarely covers what i need though as i do alot of high altitude trekking

Voyager2002

bobblebob said:

fifeken said:

Buy it now.  If you break a leg tomorrow and the trip goes ahead you'll lose your money unless you have insurance (assuming the travel company T&Cs are in their favour).

Thanks. They do say you "can change your booking any time at no extra cost (normally £40)" but the actual T&C are abit more vague and instead say they will do their best to change at no cost, but this isnt always possible. 

So i think best to book now

I strongly suggest that you ask them by email and get something written stating the precise cancellation terms.

Simple fairness suggests that until they guarantee that your holiday will take place on specific dates (that is, so long as they keep the right to cancel without penalty) you should also be free to cancel. In the event of an insurance claim the insurer would want to see the precise contract.

NoodleDoodleMan

bobblebob said:

Thanks will look at annual make sure it covers what i need

Bank account insurance rarely covers what i need though as i do alot of high altitude trekking

Ours allows additional risks to be covered with a premium add on - not too costly if memory serves.