New Travel Insurance discussion area

mikeriley_2

mikeriley wrote: »

OK after a bit of digging and comparing ive narrowed it down to the following options for single trip policy which all appear to have same level of cover;
-the AA
-direct travel insurance
-american express
-columbus

all the above are around the £30 to £35 mark
(or the post office or direct line at £50 but cant see what the extra £15 gets you!)

Anyone had any experience of any of these?
cheers

....perhaps i should of added that this is for a D.I.Y. holiday not a package deal - not sure if this should affect my choice from the above list?

Thanks
Mike

FH_Brit

mikeriley wrote: »

Me and wife off on diy holiday with relatives. We will have our insurance they will have theirs. One of relatives has just discovered medical condition which is to be investigated over next few weeks but outcome is that they might have to cancel holiday. This relative has already booked flights ( with my money for our flights) and is soon to pay for accomodation ( 2 weeks at £400 per week--we pay for 1 week relatives pay for other week- we all to be staying in same appartment). If relative is to ill to travel and they cancel and we also cancel holiday what are we all able to claim back? ( I haven't set up my insurance for me and wife yet but relative has annual policy). What would happen if me and wife still go on holiday but relatives doesn't considering they are to / will be paying for 1 of the weeks?
Thanks in advance!

MIKE - It all depends on your policies - many would have required declaration of close relatives med condition, that is if it was known (diagnosed) when policy taken out).

Your policy may differ from theirs.

Unfortunately, it depends on if you declaired, how close the relative, and other conditions. You can only call the IC's cust. service and ask them.

The money thing is irrelevant, if they agreed to pay, then that is an agreemet between you and them, and if you cannot afford and they will not/cannot pay as a "gift" to you then you'd have to find the money elsewhere.

If you still go on holiday, that's fine - if they have booked and don't pay then that's between them and the Airline/Hotel etc. (legally none of your business as the booking you made you have paid for)

FH_Brit

Incapuppy wrote: »

You will not be able to claim anything back for you and your wife since the circumstance with your relative has occurred before you have travel insurance in place. Do you have any existing travel insurance as part of a bank account or credit card?

See my response - not being able to claim depends on if they declared it not if it existed before policy taken - if they declared "Uncle Freddies' terminal illness and the IC accepted it, then it is irellevant if it was diagnosed before the policy was taken out.

FH_Brit

mikeriley wrote: »

Thanks for replies. No insurance I'm afraid. Question is, if relative paid for all our flights but obviously it's each persons individual name against each flight will relative be able to claim for all of us if we all cancel as it was they who made the booking and paid out the money to the airline? (even though we are not in his insurance)?

It is irellevant who paid, it is the name on the booking, that is why no matter who booked, organized insurance or paid it is your responsibility to insure your trip. Even if Mum & Dad (of an adult) takes out insurance, then the declaration stat "Does any traveller have......" and therefore it is impossible for anyone else to know 100% what your medical history is (my father did not know that I have diabetes for 3 years!). People think that just because they have insurance everything wil be ok - well that ain't so! And if YOU did not have insurance then (in easy to understand language - no offence meant) Tough Luck and know better next time!

Your relative will not be able to claim and, if they are going to loose out after "treating" you to a holiday, then (again easy to undestand language) YOU need to step up and pay then what they have lost as YOU should have insured your trip - not them! It's like them buying you a car, very nice of them, but then would you expect them to pay for the car's insurance, Road Tax, Petrol, Maitnenance, Repairs, Parking/Speeding tickets - no! They shared the cost of your holiday and because you did not insure then they will loose out if you have to cancel.

mikeriley_2

many thanks for the feedback! Any thoughts on the policies i mentioned above?

FH_Brit

I was just looking - I have dealt with them all - Fortis (Post Office) is by far the best after claims service and that alone is worth the £15 extra in my view. To answer your question - The difference is Fortis are far less trying to wangle out of paying your claim, they know their responsibility and they carry it out.

Others will try to dealy payment (which means people like me taking legal action against YOU not them) or trying to get out of paying altogether. There is nothing wrong with the others that you mention, just that Fortis are FAR superior, and with travel insurance like any other product or service, you really do get what you pay for.

mikeriley_2

FH Brit, whilst the relative has paid the airline for all of our flights, we have passed our share of money on to the relative....and its my families names against our seats on the booking. (ditto for the apartment) The problem we have is that just after the flights and apartment were booked, the medical condition came to light just as we were considering which insurance policy to take out (all occured over short space of time). Guess i will just have to take out a policy and hope they cover me - problem is, is that the diagnosis of the relatives condition probably wont be known for a few weeks yet so i need to take out insurance with a company who will likely be flexible to this situation and who will continue to cover me when the diagnosis is known and then when i contact the ins co. to let them know the outcome

FH_Brit

Sylvergrunge wrote: »

Hi all,

Just booked a holiday to Spain, villa and flights separately, and am looking at purchasing travel insurance. There are 6 of us: Me, Hubby, 2 daughters (4 + 6) and both Grannys. My question is, do I buy insurance for the party as a whole or do I buy family travel insurance for us and let the Grannys get there's separately? Will it be much difference in cost?

Thanks in advance for any replies. :money:

I hope I'm not too late (been out of the office) .......

Insure you, Hubby and daughters on yor family policy. Tell Granny's to get their own, and make sure they do (if your feeling generous you can still pay for it). You do not know everything about Granny's past medical history (or insurance for that matter) and no matter how well you think you know Granny, you cannot be 100% sure. If the unmentionable happened and one of you (you. hubby, daughters) should have a claim, and Granny did not disclose a medical condition it would void EVERYONE's policy.

FH_Brit

Mike - Legally, if you are not diagnosed yet, then you don't have it.
I suggest that you get cover immediately (don't lie, you'll loose out in the long run and it's illegal) but inform the insurer that your relative (and if it aint parent or parent in law - some cover grand parents too - it's unlikely that they'll cover it). Do it NOW, the longer you leave it the less chance you'll get cover - Tell the IC that your relative has a test result pending, and you may have to tell them what illness the test is for, as some illnesses will not be covered at all.

I think you got a "job and a half" buit good luck and keep us informed.

mikeriley_2

FH Brit, cheers for advice.....so you rekon the Post Office may be a good option (considering circumstances) as oppose to some of the others i mentioned?