8 Common travel insurance mistakes to avoid
18th Mar 2024 Travel Guides
4 min read
With summer fast approaching, it's time to book your trips. However, there are several travel insurance mistakes that could stop you from getting a payout, and need to be avoided
If
there’s one thing Brits love, it’s going on holiday. But it appears that many
British holidaymakers are making some serious travel insurance mistakes when it
comes to booking trips, with many being confronted with surprise medical or
cancellation fees. But which mistakes are the most common, and how do we stop
them from happening?
To help
Brits prevent any unexpected travel insurance costs this year, insurance
experts PayingTooMuch shared
the eight most common travel mistakes people make when booking their holiday,
and gave advice on how to prevent them happening to you.
1. Failing to disclose pre-existing medical conditions
It’s crucial that you tell your insurance provider about any
medical conditions you have. This includes any medical problems you have
experienced, or have been treated for recently. If you fail to disclose the
information, you won’t be covered for any issues related to the condition while
you’re on holiday.
"It’s crucial that you tell your insurance provider about any medical conditions you have "
Each insurance company is different, with some requesting you
inform them of all conditions in the past five years, while others might only
request information from the last 12 months. If you miss something out, and you
run into a medical issue, you’ll likely have to pay for this yourself.
There are
some medical conditions you should always let your insurers know about, even if
they happened a long time ago. These include things like heart conditions, high
blood pressure or cholesterol, diabetes, stroke or a brain haemorrhage.
If you’re
not sure if you need to mention a medical condition you have, it’s worth asking
your insurance provider.
2. Not letting your insurance provider know if there are any changes to your pre-existing medical conditions
Let your insurer know about any changes to your medical history. Credit: jeshoots.com
Another common mistake British holidaymakers fall into is failing
to report any health changes.
To make sure you’re not out of pocket during your holiday, you
need to inform your insurance provider of any developments in your medical
history.
Insurers ask for medical information in order to give you the
right level of cover. If anything changes health-wise, let your insurer know as
soon as possible to avoid any complications.
3. Buying travel insurance too late
The third mistake they shared is something many Brits can be
guilty of, leaving buying insurance until the last minute. A good rule of thumb
is to organise your travel insurance at the same time you book your holiday.
Travel insurance covers you for your holiday as well as the period
leading up to it. By booking your insurance at the same time as the holiday
itself, you’ll be covered if anything changes, or you need to cancel your trip.
"By booking your insurance at the same time as the holiday, you’ll be covered if anything changes"
You should also avoid organising insurance once you’ve already
departed for the holiday. You might be able to buy insurance at the airport,
but you won’t be able to once you’ve left the country. Make sure you organise
insurance well in advance so you’ll be covered for cancellations, and don’t run
the risk of not being covered at all while you’re away.
4. Not updating your travel insurance policy if the location or date of your trip changes
If you change your destination, you must let your insurer know. Credit: Unsplash
Another common mistake is not informing the insurer if your trip
dates change.
For both single and annual multi-trip policies, you’ll need to let
your insurer know if the destination of your trip changes. For annual policies,
you need to tell your insurer if your holiday is outside of the area you’re
already covered for.
This is especially important as insurance can cost more for some
countries, like the US, where medical costs are far higher. Making sure you’re
covered for the destination you’re actually going to is essential so you don’t
end up with a huge unexpected payment.
5. Taking out an annual policy for a long-stay trip
Because annual policies typically
cap trips at 31 days (though some extend to 50, age-dependent), consider a
single-trip policy for broader options if you’re planning on a longer journey.
6. Getting your details wrong when booking travel insurance
When you're preparing for your holiday, take time with your details for your travel insurance and don't make mistakes
Make sure to check your details carefully. You won’t be covered if
you’ve given your insurer the wrong information. Double-check everything you’ve
entered before finalising your travel insurance.
Ensure you check your details as soon as you receive your
documents. If you’ve spotted a mistake afterwards, most insurers will let you
amend your details.
7. Relying on your GHIC/EHIC card without travel insurance
Another
frequent mistake for Brits is the assumption that a GHIC or EHIC card will
offer the same level of protection as your travel insurance, and therefore
thinking you won’t need to buy insurance at all.
"Make sure you have travel insurance as well as your GHIC and EHIC cards "
The GHIC
(Global Health Insurance Card) and EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) give
UK travellers access to healthcare services in the European Economic Area (EEC)
and Switzerland. Even if you have one of these cards, you’ll still need to take
out insurance.
GHIC and
EHIC cover is limited to emergencies such as A&E visits or treatment for
pre-existing health conditions, so might not cover all health costs, or cover
fees if you need to get home in an emergency—so make sure you have travel
insurance as well as your card to avoid any unexpected payments!
8. Choosing the cheapest policy
Don't always go for the cheapest travel insurance, make sure you have the correct coverage. Credit: John McArthur
While it’s tempting to opt for the cheapest travel insurance policy
to save money in the short run, the cheapest travel insurance policy may not
include everything you potentially need.
If you need hospital treatment on holiday, you could end up out of
pocket if you don’t have enough medical cover. If something happens to your
baggage or if you experience cancellations, a cheap policy might not cover all
the costs.
Make sure you compare key features and benefits of travel
insurance policies, and not just the price. Insurance is vital for your trip,
so make sure you take the time to understand what you’re paying for.
Banner photo: Gustavo Fring
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