Travel Insurance is a must-have whenever you go abroad, protecting you in case anything goes wrong while you’re away. From emergency medical treatment to lost luggage, cancellation and more, we’ll cover the costs so you’re not left out of pocket.
What is Travel Insurance?
Travel Insurance protects you and anyone else named on your policy if they become unwell or injured while on holiday, as well as for issues with your travel plans and belongings. With AllClear’s Travel Insurance, you’re covered for medical emergencies and repatriation should you need to come home. You’re also protected if your luggage is lost or if you need to cancel your trip for specific reasons. Whatever your holiday destination or style, from Caribbean cruises to Alpine ski trips, we can tailor the perfect policy to suit your needs.
Why is Travel Insurance important?
Travel Insurance is important to cover unexpected events when you are away, especially a medical emergency. Why risk worrying about whether a simple accident or a stomach bug could leave you with expensive costs? Events that are out of your control could not only affect your holiday plans, but could end up costing you financially as well. To give you an idea:
Every week around 3,000 Brits need emergency medical treatment when visiting other countries, according to the Association of British Insurers.
The average cost of a hospital trip abroad is £10,000, which 78% of people wouldn’t have the means to pay.
The right Travel Insurance policy means you’re free to plan and enjoy your trip with peace of mind that you’re covered should any mishaps occur.
What’s covered?
Emergency medical expenses and repatriation costs – This includes the costs of tests, medications and procedures needed to treat an illness or injury while away. You’ll also be covered for repatriation to bring you safely back to the UK. Without Travel Insurance, costs for these kinds of expenses can quickly run into the thousands.
- Cancellation – cover for flight and accommodation costs if an unexpected event means you have to cancel your trip before you go.
- Curtailment – Cover if you need to return home early following an emergency.
- Travel delay – If your flight is delayed, we’ll compensate you for the time.
- Personal belongings – You’ll be covered if your baggage or its contents are lost or stolen.
- Personal liability – Cover for your legal expenses and any liability due if you accidentally injure someone or damage their property while you’re away on holiday.
- Legal protection cover– Provides cover for your legal expenses if you have to claim compensation or damages due to something that happened while you were away on holiday.
What’s not covered?
- Claims below the value of the excess: For most claims you won’t be covered for the Travel Insurance excess (the first part of any claim).
- Trips outside region of cover: Your cover is limited to trips within the designated region of cover you chose, whether that’s UK, Europe or Worldwide.
- Known events or circumstances: Claims related to events or issues that you knew about before buying the Travel Insurance or before booking any individual trip are not covered.
- Medical conditions you don’t declare: You need to declare all of your medical conditions. If not, we won’t be able to cover you for any unexpected treatment connected to known health concerns.
- Choosing not to travel: We know that sometimes plans change, but you’re only covered for cancellation where the reason falls within the policy terms and conditions.
You should buy Travel Insurance as soon as you have booked your trip. This means you’re covered for issues before your trip (like cancellations or delays). Plus, you’re less likely to forget. If you are not able to purchase it at that point, buy it as soon as you can.
Remember that you need to have bought your Travel Insurance before you leave the UK for it to be valid.
Standard Travel Insurance policies typically will not cover things like cruises, extreme sports, golfing or numerous gadgets. These are usually listed as optional extras when buying your Travel Insurance policy.
If you need to get cheap Travel Insurance, think about a few factors that will impact your quote, such as where you’re going and for how long. A weekend in Europe will be a lot cheaper than a month in the US because the US has an expensive healthcare system.
Remember that if you’re thinking about Travel Insurance, you should always check what is covered and what isn’t. If one policy is cheaper, but it only protects your valuables up to £50, then it’s less helpful if you lose your phone, for example.
The type of Travel Insurance policy you need will depend on a few different factors.
Where you’re going: Some countries have more expensive healthcare systems than others, so if you’re thinking of going to the US, check the cover level for emergency medical expenses.
The type of holiday you’re having: If you’re having a holiday that involves something special, you’ll need a particular kind of insurance. For example, cruises need specific Cruise Travel Insurance to protect against cabin confinement, and Golf Travel Insurance protects you and your clubs for your entire golfing holiday.
Your health: If you’ve got a pre-existing medical condition, you’ll need to take extra care of yourself on holiday. Medical Travel Insurance means you’re covered if anything goes wrong, and you won’t be without much-needed medication in the event of an emergency.
How long you’re going for: Our Annual Multi-trip Travel Insurance covers you for up to 55 days, depending on your policy type. If you’ll be away for longer than this, you’ll need Long Stay Travel Insurance.
All of these factors need to be considered before you buy a Travel Insurance policy.
The UK Government recommends that all British travellers get the appropriate Travel Insurance before they leave the UK. If you do not have Travel Insurance and something goes wrong on holiday, you will be liable for any costs, which could leave you seriously out of pocket. Often, this can amount to thousands, if not tens of thousands of pounds.
Travel Insurance works similarly to most other types of insurance. You will pay a flat fee, and then you are covered by your insurer if anything goes wrong. If something does go wrong, the insurer will cover the expenses and inconveniences incurred from delayed flights, cancelled reservations, lost or delayed luggage, injuries and illness – along with anything else that is listed in your policy.
