MSE News: Don't wait till your holiday to buy insurance

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Former_MSE_Helen
Former_MSE_Helen Posts: 2,382 Forumite
in Insurance & life assurance
"January is busiest time of the year for holiday bookings, and it's best to get travel insurance ASAP..."
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Don't wait till your holiday to buy insurance

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  • dacouch
    dacouch Posts: 21,637 Forumite
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    You've made a big issue about airlines going bust, it would have been wise to point out that a very significant amount of Travel Insurers do not cover this. Especially as MSE tends to prompt members to buy the cheapest cover which is even more likely to not include this cover.

    Another benefit of taking out cover early is if you subsequently develop a medical condition (Not exisiting at time of arranging cover) the Travel Insurer has to either continue providing cover for the trip or allow cancellation of the trip at their cost
  • skaterboy
    skaterboy Posts: 86 Forumite
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    One thing about travel insurance confuses me.

    If say I am going on holiday on the 1st Aug for two weeks, but I book the holiday in February.

    Do I need to buy an insurance policy that covers me from Feb to end of my holiday in August.

    Or do I buy the policy to just cover me for the two weeks in August?

    My misunderstanding is that for example if the airline goes bust in May, my travel insurance does not start until August.

    So how am I covered?

    If you get my drift :-)
  • Torry_Quine
    Torry_Quine Posts: 18,838 Forumite
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    skaterboy wrote: »
    One thing about travel insurance confuses me.

    If say I am going on holiday on the 1st Aug for two weeks, but I book the holiday in February.

    Do I need to buy an insurance policy that covers me from Feb to end of my holiday in August.

    Or do I buy the policy to just cover me for the two weeks in August?

    My misunderstanding is that for example if the airline goes bust in May, my travel insurance does not start until August.

    So how am I covered?

    If you get my drift :-)

    Your insurance would also cover you if for instance you had a health problem in May and could no longer go on holiday.
    Lost my soulmate so life is empty.

    I can bear pain myself, he said softly, but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have -
    Diana Gabaldon, Outlander
  • skaterboy
    skaterboy Posts: 86 Forumite
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    Torry_Quine wrote: »
    Your insurance would also cover you if for instance you had a health problem in May and could no longer go on holiday.

    So, are you saying I only need to purchase insurance for the two weeks , in my example, for August, but if something happens between when I booked it and August I am still covered?

    Cheers
  • Torry_Quine
    Torry_Quine Posts: 18,838 Forumite
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    skaterboy wrote: »
    So, are you saying I only need to purchase insurance for the two weeks , in my example, for August, but if something happens between when I booked it and August I am still covered?

    Cheers

    No, you pay for insurance from the date of booking to cover you for such things a illness before you go. If you were only covered for the actual dates of the holiday then you are only covered for events at theat time.
    Lost my soulmate so life is empty.

    I can bear pain myself, he said softly, but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have -
    Diana Gabaldon, Outlander
  • Tigsteroonie
    Tigsteroonie Posts: 24,954 Forumite
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    The way I always understood it was that I purchased (say) 14 days travel insurance with specific dates of travel. It would cover me for certain things relating to those dates of travel (for example, breakdown on the way to the airport), but would also cover me for other things in the period between booking & travel (for example, major illness/death of person travelling).
    :heartpuls Mrs Marleyboy :heartpuls

    MSE: many of the benefits of a helpful family, without disadvantages like having to compete for the tv remote

    :) Proud Parents to an Aut-some son :)
  • skaterboy
    skaterboy Posts: 86 Forumite
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    Torry_Quine wrote: »
    No, you pay for insurance from the date of booking to cover you for such things a illness before you go. If you were only covered for the actual dates of the holiday then you are only covered for events at theat time.

    So single trip insurance will never be worth buying, you may as well go for a annual insurance policy?
  • Torry_Quine
    Torry_Quine Posts: 18,838 Forumite
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    skaterboy wrote: »
    So single trip insurance will never be worth buying, you may as well go for a annual insurance policy?

    Depends how often you travel.
    Lost my soulmate so life is empty.

    I can bear pain myself, he said softly, but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have -
    Diana Gabaldon, Outlander
  • Tigsteroonie
    Tigsteroonie Posts: 24,954 Forumite
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    The above responses would suggest that I am mistaken. Good job I've never had to claim, if that's the case!
    :heartpuls Mrs Marleyboy :heartpuls

    MSE: many of the benefits of a helpful family, without disadvantages like having to compete for the tv remote

    :) Proud Parents to an Aut-some son :)
  • dacouch
    dacouch Posts: 21,637 Forumite
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    skaterboy wrote: »
    one thing about travel insurance confuses me.

    If say i am going on holiday on the 1st aug for two weeks, but i book the holiday in february.

    Do i need to buy an insurance policy that covers me from feb to end of my holiday in august.

    Or do i buy the policy to just cover me for the two weeks in august?

    My misunderstanding is that for example if the airline goes bust in may, my travel insurance does not start until august.

    So how am i covered?

    If you get my drift :-)

    dacouch wrote: »
    you've made a big issue about airlines going bust, it would have been wise to point out that a very significant amount of travel insurers do not cover this. Especially as mse tends to prompt members to buy the cheapest cover which is even more likely to not include this cover.

    q.e.d.......
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