Travel Insurance:

It would be nice and easy to be able to recommend a travel insurance suitable for all. Unfortunately, the industry is geared to avoid direct comparison one with another to ensure they all get a cut of this very large cake. Choosing travel insurance is now more of a minefield than ever, particularly with an annual insurance policy.

1. The first pointer when choosing an insurance company is to make sure that the company is securely underwritten. Clients of Kingfisher Insurance, the company which went into liquidation early in 2005, will regret that they failed to check or notice this important detail. At best they simply lost their insurance cover, at worst they lost any claims in hand. Many people went travelling without insurance completely unaware that Kingfisher had gone to the wall.

2. For an annual insurance, check the maximum duration of any trip. Most companies offer 30 days maximum which will not suit those planning a major trip or a long stay holiday. There is still plenty of choice amongst those offering 60 days or longer. Watch out too for an annual limit on the total number of days away in a year. When planning a long stay or a major trip exceeding 30 days, make sure that your house insurance matches the time away or can be extended to cover the period.

3. Check age limitations. Insurers may require a higher premium for clients over 65 or 70 but there are still many companies which will insure seniors without additional cost up to, and sometimes exceeding, 75. It is this age group which is more likely to travel on extended stays but many companies, although willing to insure above 65, often cut down the maximum stay to 30 days.

4. Be certain to list known health conditions on applying. If in doubt, ring the company and talk through any uncertainties. Insurers are constantly looking for reasons not to pay out on claims and, if they half suspect an undeclared health problem, they will track it down like a bloodhound. I had a chest infection which required antibiotics and on declaring this I learnt that I would not be covered for any health claim relating to this until I had been clear for 6 months.

5. Hazardous pursuits are mostly excluded but the definition of these pursuits can vary widely. Activities such as skydiving, canyoning, horse jumping, gliding and diving below a certain depth are unlikely to be covered by a standard policy. If you intend to engage in any hazardous activities make sure that you are fully covered. Others like skiing need to be checked carefully. Be aware also that many companies exclude medical assistance for motor bike injuries.

6. In the event of an emergency at home, take instruction from your insurers before taking any action. It may be necessary to purchase return flight tickets through them if your own tickets cannot be changed.

7. Finally, make sure you have contact details with you in case of an emergency. For single travellers, it is useful to exchange insurance details with a travelling companion in case one has to act for the other or carry them on your person.

Remember, there is no hiding place and you need to be one step ahead of the insurers

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