I am happy to report that the Association of British Insurers launched a travel insurance consumer guide on Monday 25th of April, 2011. The article can be found at Travel Insurance Consumer Guide
Rochelle Turner, Head of Research at Which? Travel has been quoted on the ABI website as saying:
"Buying travel insurance can be really complicated, particularly for those with pre-existing medical conditions or those wanting more than just medical cover. Which? Travel research shows that, in the last year, 10 per cent of people were disappointed to find that they couldn't make a claim against the policy they had purchased. The work that the ABI have been doing will help in the move to clarify what insurance does and doesn't cover so people are better informed and can buy policies that are right for their travel needs."
Rob Tinline, Director of Consular Services at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office is also quoted on the website as saying:
“Every year overseas Consular staff see cases where people don’t have adequate travel insurance and end up paying out thousands of pounds of their own money to cover their medical and other bills. Getting comprehensive insurance that covers everything you want to do on holiday is a vital part of planning your trip. We welcome the ABI initiative and hope it makes choosing a policy easier for British travellers going
abroad"
The top three things the ABI advises customers to think about when purchasing travel insurance:
• The travel insurance market is very competitive. However, the cheapest policy is not always the best as they often provide the least cover. Customers should shop around and ensure the policy they purchase covers their individual needs.
• Travellers must ensure they disclose their medical conditions to insurers so they can confirm if their policy will cover any emergency treatment they may need abroad, or whether a tailored policy would be better suited to their needs.
• Do not do anything on holiday that you would not normally do at home. Holidays are perfect for having fun, but travellers should still take necessary precautions to remain safe and not take unnecessary risks. Drink or drug-related incidents and leaving possessions unattended, particularly valuable items, could invalidate a claim.
To view the consumer guide please visit: Travel Insurance Consumer Guide
Please note that I do not endorse any travel insurance product or any other insurance product on this blog.
