Travel Insurance

Click Here for a Travel Insurance Insurance Quote

What is Travel Insurance?

Travel Insurance is a form of insurance which is intended to cover any medical costs incurred when travelling either in the policy holder’s native country or abroad. Often it’s easy to take out a travel insurance policy which spans the period of your trip at the time when you make your booking, but this can be more expensive than taking out an independent policy elsewhere.

It’s also worth noting that the insurance policies offered by travel companies often include fewer benefits and cover fewer eventualities than travel insurance plans offered by companies which specialise in insurance.

Because the needs of different types of traveller are different there is a wide variety of types of travel insurance on the market including policies aimed at student backpackers, business travellers, holiday makers and thrill seekers, such as cliff divers who might be in slightly more risk of claiming.

Why is Travel Insurance important?

Generally, when we go to other countries we are exposed to different temperatures, diseases, bacteria, foods and experiences to those which our bodies are used to. Because of this various injections are required to protect us from things such as malaria before we travel and we’re also advised to only drink bottled water on certain continents.

However, no matter how many preventative measures we take to protect our unprepared immune systems, there is no guarantee that we won’t become ill and need medical help whilst away.

Add to this, the fact that many UK travellers eat exotic foods and drink alcohol to excess when away, not to mention taking part in new experiences such as diving, windsurfing and skiing and it’s increasingly clear why travel insurance is so important. Without it, if anything happened to you whilst away you might not be able to afford hospital treatment or medication.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

There are a number of common things which are covered by most travel insurance plans. Medical expense is the most obvious and important of these but other things covered include emergency evacuation costs, your funeral expenses, a pay out if you die or become disabled in any way, cancellation and curtailment cover, delayed departure cover on trains, planes and coaches and loss, theft and damage cover.

Replacement for any baggage which is lost or delayed when entrusted to airline staff, including important documents, any legal assistance you need whilst abroad, such as a solicitor or lawyer and personal liability cover on rental car damages can also be included.

Sometimes covered by policies, but not always, are complications regarding pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma as well as special plans for dangerous sports such as scuba diving and rock climbing. Travel to countries that are a high risk due to adverse weather conditions, war or political problems is also sometimes factored into a policy. Generally policies won’t ever cover terrorism, pregnancy and any injuries which are the result of alcohol or illegal drugs.

For premium travel insurance policies extras such as concierge and emergency assistance are often thrown in but the majority of travel insurance plans offer the policy holder a 24 hour hotline to call in the event that they need help.

What are the Benefits of Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance provides financial or medical aid when you need it most and are far away from your native country. However, it is the potential for disaster if you don’t have a relevant insurance plan.

It is not a legal requirement to take out travel insurance when we travel, so thousands of British citizens skip buying it every year. This is incredibly dangerous because it means that in the event of an accident or illness, uninsured Britons have no means to get help. This is fine if they speak the language and have plenty of money but even then if they died or became disabled these issues would be difficult to sort out without expert advice, either for them or for their loved ones.

Research by Sainsbury’s Travel this year showed that 1 in 4 British people fly abroad without any form of travel cover and the reason that people in the survey cited for this was not being able to afford to pay for it. According to the study adults aged between 55 and 64 were the most likely to go without insurance and they said they believed that they didn’t need it.

In a press release, Steve Johnson, the head of Insurance at Sainsbury’s said that it was ‘a false economy’ for people to go without travel insurance in an attempt to save money. He added that travel insurance: “should be regarded as a holiday essential” and said: “people are understandably looking at ways to reduce their outgoings; insurance is one thing that should not be omitted.”

Click Here for a Travel Insurance Insurance Quote

Further Travel Insurance Information

MRL Insurance - MRL Insurance Direct offers insurance for travel, car, home, wedding, pet, life, car breakdown, home emergency and more. All MRL Insurance policies have a 14-day Insurance Refund Guarantee. Get a quote or buy online…..
mrlinsurance.co.uk

Share and Enjoy: