Insurance
Since late 1998 UK travel
agents have been stopped forcing you to take their expensive travel insurance.
Competing policies can often be half the price of that of the travel agent. So
shop around! The market changes quickly so don't be afraid of getting another
quote.
Personal Possessions
While in the UK you would be well
advised to take out a personal possessions insurance policy. While not exactly
one of the world's most notorious crime spots, the UK has seen a steady increase
in theft over the last few years and crime statistics make alarming reading. Our
advice is to take out a policy at home before you embark on your journey. You
will probably be able to arrange cover for at least your first year. This will
probably work out cheaper than buying a policy in the UK when you will be paying
in good old British Pounds. Alternatively, when you get to the UK make contact
with an insurance broker either through the Yellow Pages or, for the best
competitive rates, search the web.
Car Insurance
Car insurance in the UK can be very
expensive. As a foreigner, perhaps even driving on the "wrong" side of
the road, you represent a higher level of risk no matter how skilled your
driving is. Our advice is to shop around.
Search the web. There are many
insurers online and quotes are becoming more competitive. Don't take the first
price offered to you. With hundreds of insurers to choose from it's unlikely
you'll find the best price at your first attempt.
Seek the advice of an insurance
broker. You'll find hundreds in the Yellow pages. It's their job to find you
the most competitive price and they have access to major insurers throughout
the UK. They get paid on commission; so don't worry about having to pay them a
fee.
Best of all, visit one of the
specialist insurers experienced in dealing with Southern Hemisphere travellers
in the UK. Our favourite is Downunder Insurance, staffed by experienced
travellers, underwritten by Lloyds of London and offering some of the
best-priced personal possessions, motor, traveller and adventure insurance
packages in the market. Visit their website at www.duinsure.co.uk.
Travel
Insurance
When you are about to embark
on an adventure, the last thing that crosses your mind is the likelihood of
personal injury or losing all your kit.
This does, however, happen
to some of us on occasion. The best way to ensure that it doesn’t destroy your
travelling experience is, to have adequate insurance.
I know it sounds like a
drag, but it makes sense if anything happens to you or your pack. Arriving in a
country where you don’t know many, or any, people, isn’t made any easier
when you have no clothes. It might entertain the locals for a bit, but won’t
do anything for your morale.
Most travel insurance
available in the UK is for onward travel, so make sure you sort out the trip
from NZ to the UK, before you board the plane. Most policies will cover
all the essentials while in the UK, but read the small print. You don’t want to find out that skiing isn’t
covered. Ask
lots of questions, remember, you are the one that is at risk should your policy
not cover the full range of activities you intend taking part in. Check for
clauses that could limit your cover. Don't assume that if you need medical
treatment that you can go to any hospital, get it taken care of and then claim
it on insurance. Many policies will only cover you if you use specific agents
they're affilated with. Always ask
which policy has the most affiliated agents - shop around before you buy.
Once here, it is a lot
cheaper to buy your insurance for onward trips, from UK companies. They have a
much wider range of products, and will certainly have one that fits your
proposed holiday.
Hopefully, you will never
need to test the company’s payout policies, but the peace of mind is
definitely worth the cost.
Check your travel
insurance policy and make sure you know the answers to the following questions:
 | How much
medical and baggage cover is provided?
| What is the
maximum length of the policy?
| Can I renew
the policy once I'm overseas?
| Is
repatriation covered?
| If I'm
seriously ill will my next of kin be able to travel to be with me?
| Can the policy
be extended?
| Does the
policy have a 24-hour emergency contact number?
| Can I make
claims overseas?
| What are the
restrictions on sporting cover - skiing, diving, etc?
| What is the
excess?
| What about
existing illnesses and conditions?
| Will the
policy cover me while I'm working?
| Will the
policy cover me while I'm on an overland adventure tour? |
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TIPS :
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Don't risk travelling without insurance - it could cost you a lot more in the
long run. |
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Arrange travel insurance as soon as you book your trip, this will ensure that
you are covered for cancellation and curtailment. |
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Always shop around. Buying travel insurance direct from a specialist is
usually better value than going to a travel agent or bank etc.
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Is the insurance company a member of the ABI and the Insurance Ombudsman?
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Does the insurance company have a Claims Charter?
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Check the levels of excess on the policy.
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It is important to be covered for medical expenses, personal accident,
personal liability, cancellation and curtailment of the trip, money/documents
and baggage. Other areas of cover usually include delay, missed departure, loss
of passport, legal expenses and assistance services.
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The E111 medical system is not a substitute for a proper travel insurance
policy. It is designed to provide free or low cost medical treatment in Europe
and only covers emergency treatment. The full cost of treatment is unlikely to
be covered and travellers often have to pay a large percentage of the medical
bill.
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Check the levels of cover and make sure they suit your particular
circumstances. Be wary of paying excessive premiums for unnecessary cover.
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Always declare pre-existing medical conditions and any hazardous
activities/sports you may be undertaking. Failure to do so could mean that you
are not covered if something goes wrong. This is important for any holiday you
may be going on, e.g. winter sports/summer holiday.
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Make sure your policy covers the full length of your trip.
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Is cancellation cover enough to cover the cost of your trip?
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Check that any expensive items you are taking away (e.g. video camera,
jewellery) are covered either by your travel insurance or some other form of
policy e.g. home contents.
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If going on a winter sports holiday, check that the policy covers off-piste
skiing, snowboarding, ski pack and ski equipment.
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Can you ring back to the UK and extend your cover if you decide to stay in a
country longer than anticipated?
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Can you ring back to the UK and extend your cover if you decide to take part
in a hazardous activity while away?
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Danger Zones - are you covered if you cross into a country considered to be
high risk?
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If you go away three or more times a year, investigate the benefits offered
by an annual policy. It will probably work out cheaper than buying several
single trip policies.
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If you go away three or more times a year and at least one of your trips is
ski, it maybe worthwhile opting for an annual policy including winter sports.
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If buying an annual policy, is the maximum trip duration enough for your
needs?
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Under the ABI (Association of British Insurers) code of practice, insurance
sellers are required to explain the policy and point out specific exclusions.
This often does not happen, so don't relay on the seller to provide all the
details - ask questions.
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Read the small print. Under the ABI code of practice you are entitled to full
refund within 14 days of purchase if the terms and conditions do not suit your
requirements.
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MORE
TIPS :
Consider
taking out cover for the following:
Baggage and belongings
Medical expenses
Cancellation and curtailment
Personal accident
Private and public liability
It is essential you check
the policy has the cover you need. The details of different policies can vary
considerably. Some travellers around Europe have found out too late that cover
for theft from vehicles is excluded!
Annual policy or
individual trip?
Buying travel insurance more than a couple of times a year soon becomes
expensive, so if you travel regularly from the UK for a few weeks at a time,
then it may be worth buying an annual multi trip policy. Your trips will have a
limit on them, often of 30-45 days, hence they are unsuitable if you are off on
a 6 month walkabout! For an extra payment you can cover winter sports.
As a safety measure it is advisable to get
some travel insurance for your trip home. It's a good idea to cover
yourself and your luggage just in case something goes wrong. If you
intend to travel to other countries and cities before you arrive home,
it is definitely advisable to take out insurance. Important things to
look at when buying travel insurance:
| Medical and dental cover
You could be injured or need emergency dental surgery whilst
travelling. It could prove a lot more expensive and time-consuming
if you don't have any cover for any emergencies.
| Hospital cover
(this may be included in medical cover, depending on what policy you
choose) Have a look at how much you will be covered for if you were
to have an accident and needed to go to hospital, especially if it
were for a long period of time.
| Loss of income
If you had an accident or were stranded somewhere on your journey,
you may not be able to return to work on time, therefore lose some
income.
| Luggage
Your luggage may be damaged or lost which would inconvenience you
and cost money to replace. This may affect your travels.
| Cancellation of your trip or
disruption to your journey
If your trip were cancelled or disrupted, have a look at the amount
of money for which you would be covered and the conditions under
which you can claim.
| Legal expenses
Cover for this would probably only be necessary if you intended to
travel on the way home. You could be stuck in a situation where you
needed legal assistance.
| Out of pocket expenses / Money
Unexpected expenses may need to be paid for which you may have
difficulty affording as it's not within budget. Your money could be
stolen which could leave you in awkward circumstances. |
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Make sure you are covered for the entire
duration of your trip or else there's not much point in taking out
insurance at all. You will especially need to be covered whilst in
transit as circumstances can be particularly unpredictable.
