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Travel Insurance Travel Insurance

Choosing the right levels of cover


Do you need Single trip or Annual Multi-Trip?


There are a number of different travel insurance policies tailored for each individual holiday with a range of optional levels of cover available to allow for a great degree of customisation for the policyholder. There are separate cover plans for winter excursions and holidays to tropical locations.


Wherever you're going and whatever you plan on doing, practically all travel insurance policies will cover either Single trips, for one holiday over a specified period of time – two weeks, for example – or for multiple trips abroad over the space of a year, although some polices will place a limit on the number of days you can travel each year.


Single-trip insurance is best suited for singles, couples and families who usually go on holiday once a year. Usually, you can apply for cover for a period lasting up to 3 months on a single trip plan, although many insurers will offer to extend the period of cover by a pre-set amount; 21 days for example.


Frequent travellers save money with annual multi-trip travel insurance, as in the long run it is much cheaper to have an annual multi-trip plan than it would be to purchase individual single-trip policies. Aside from saving money, buying an annual plan means you save time before each trip by avoiding the hassle of having to re-apply. Annual multi-trip plans can be tailored for individual travellers, couples, groups and families, with some insurers specialising in providing multi-trip insurance for business travellers.


The cost of annual multi-trip insurance will be around three times as much as single-trip insurance depending specifically on your destination and your activities. In some cases, you may end up saving money by taking out individual plans if you plan on travelling twice in one year, although this is not always the case – check the prices of each insurer, you may end up saving money if you are prepared to take out two single-trip policies, or you might not.


What is your destination?


• Europe Only & Worldwide Cover

When you apply for travel insurance you will be asked to enter your destination on the application form. This is because it is cheaper to provide insurance for holidaymakers travelling to the continent than to locations further afield. Because of this, some insurers will offer a 'Europe Only' option, which will be much less expensive than a single-trip or annual plan providing cover worldwide.


This is useful for those on single-trip plans going on holiday, but slightly less useful for people wanting to buy multi-trip insurance, as it limits your travel options to Europe only, although on the other hand, if you know that you will only be making trips to the continent that year and not anywhere else in the world, then this is not exactly a problem.


Some companies will offer Europe Only insurance alongside Rest of the World/Worldwide travel insurance, which, as is implied, provides cover for trips anywhere and are significantly more expensive. You will still have to inform your insurer of your destination, so that should you need to contact them for whatever reason, they will be able to put you in touch with local hospitals, garages, embassies etc.


It is possible to apply for cover for trips to specified destinations, with specific deals for trips to predominantly English-speaking countries such  as the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.


• Winter Sports

Winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding have become increasingly popular over the years, and more and more insurers are insuring travellers looking for a bit of action on and off piste. Winter sports insurance typically provides cover for the usual flight delays/cancellations, accidents, loss or theft of passports, wallets, money etc, as well as additional cover for loss and or breakage of skis, boards, ski poles or any winter sports equipment, whether it is your personal equipment or it is rented.


Just as typical holiday insurance provides cover for missed or cancelled flights, a standard feature with most winter sports insurance plans is piste closure cover – if you arrive at your destination and find that the slopes have had to be closed due to a lack of powder, or an avalanche, then the cost of transport to alternative sites will be covered by piste closure. In the case of there being nothing available within a certain local proximity, which will be stated in the policy document, then compensation may be offered. Cash for closure is not always a given however, so be sure to check the small print.


Again, prices for ski insurance vary depending on where in the world you want to go; generally they differ on a Europe Only/Rest of World Exc. USA & Canada/Rest of World Inc. USA & Canada basis.


Off piste cover is an area to which attention must be paid. Although some insurers include cover for any accidents, losses or breakages sustained during off-piste activities, check the smallprint of the policy – many policies require skiers going off-piste to be accompanied by a qualified instructor or guide, and if a severe weather/avalanche warning is issued by the local authorities, then you may not be liable to make a claim should something happen.


• Backpacking Expeditions

Intrepid types looking to explore the world on foot, or simply after for a budget adventure, then there are a number of insurance plans designed to cater for everyone from seasoned backpackers to students on gap years. Cover for backpacking trips is available for all ages ranges, although some will have separate policies for those aged 36 and over. Each year, thousands of gap year students travel the world in this way, and as such many companies have tailored backpacking insurance policies to specifically cater for this demographic. Periods of cover for backpacker insurance can last from 31 days to 18 months and anything in between.


Cover typically includes everything you would expect to find in standard travel insurance – loss or theft of certain items, such as passports, wallets, money and travellers cheques, and any medical expenses. Cover for medical expenses in particular is crucial if you are planning on travelling to countries where there are specific health risks or a place where there is no NHS – see our section on First Aid Abroad for more information.


Cover for adventurous sports such as mountain biking, kayaking, abseiling etc is available from some insurers as a part of backpacker insurance, either included in the policy as standard, or available as an extra fee. Gap year insurance plans often come with or include the option to add winter sports cover to the policy. Companies who provide insurance for sports will list the activities which they will and will not cover under a policy.

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