Nothing will happen to us! Caught up in the excitement of bagging a half-price last minute deal to sunnier climes, many holidaymakers choose to forgo travel insurance in order to saving money. According to Accidents Direct, an estimated 480,664 people register claims each year for health issues, accidents and minor mishaps whilst traveling, and a proportionate 1 in 20 will also be the victim of theft or minor crime.
Disparaging as these statistics seem, there are a plethora of insurance providers whom cover for any eventuality. Virgin Travel Insurance have a global reputation for low cost premiums, catering for UK/ European citizens, as well as natives of the US through Travelguard. Access America Travel Insurance covers in the event of extreme unpredictable occurrences – the eruption of Grimsvotn Volcano in Iceland and Mumbai bombings being prime examples. Contrary to belief, such cover does not drastically increase the price of premiums for families or solitary travelers, and even credit card providers such as American Express have now revised their policies for such freak occurrences. We take a look at the best of the rest, for holiday travel cover no matter your destination.
Virgin Travel Insurance Review
Virgin Travel Insurance constitutes one of the most popular mediums for tailored travel cover, primarily because they offer travel insurance beyond the single/ multi-trip standard. If you’re an avid fan of winter sports such as snowboarding or skiing, Virgin Travel Insurance offers one of the few low cost premiums with transparent extras, such as piste rescue and repatriation. Virgin Travel Insurance also caters for the mature holidaymaker, featuring an exclusive package for those over 65, inclusive of winter and adventure sports cover.
For baggage and money cover, Virgin Travel Insurance Single Trip policies aren’t all that clear-cut. Their Silver, Gold and Black options are among the priciest, consequently the only ones inclusive of baggage and money cover to a certain value. Red Single Trip extends to all major necessities such as medical and transport cover, however, buyers are faced with shelling out a great deal extra for a mere £500 baggage protection in the event of loss or theft. Indeed, one might conclude that an annual Multi Trip is actually the safer option!
Access America Travel Insurance Review
They define themselves as the largest travel insurance provider in the world. Free from technical insurance jargon and confusing bolt-ons, the Access America’s site offers three simple plan choices: Basic, Classic and Deluxe. Basic avails extras such as Baggage Delay Cover and Existing Medical Condition Cover (terms apply), along with complete online claim tracking from the moment you submit your forms. Classic and Deluxe options extend to a wealth of unique scenarios, including Missed Connections and Trip Cancellation, with a return of 150% on the cost of your holiday.
Like Virgin, Access America Travel Insurance has no limitations regarding the addition of minors under 18, however does not offer complete family cover. Existing medical conditions proves to be a little of a grey area with Access America. Exclusions apply to any ‘loss’ deemed to have been caused by an existing medical condition, epidemic/ pandemic and “expected or reasonably forseeable events”. Effectively, this means those with certain disabilities, controlled mental/ physical disabilities or liable to allergic reaction may not be covered by health benefits included with the plan.
American Express Travel Insurance Review
Think American Express only dish out credit cards? Think again. American Express Travel Insurance has evolved considerably over the past five years. Formerly offering two simplistic, standard plans for either single, or multi trip travel cover, American Express Travel Insurance now features plans for Winter Sports, Adventure Sports, Backpacker Cover and Over 65′s. Available to residents of the UK, Europe and America, American Express Travel Insurance premiums are some of the most competitive on the market and can be tailored in accordance with circumstances, such as existing medical conditions and EHIC membership.
It’s all too easy to be lured by competitive pricing , however there are several aspects of American Express Travel Insurance many buyers find confusing – namely conditional differences between basic and advanced annual packages. With all policies, discounts are only applicable to the “core policy”, that is, without any bespoke extras such as Winter Sports Cover. Small print also tends to catch out buyers of the three main annual policies on offer: Essential, Select and Prestige. Essential does not cover for North America or the Caribbean, nor those over 65. Prestige on the other hand features extended options for mature adults up to the age of 79 – yet only for European travel.
Marks and Spencer Travel Insurance Review
Marks and Spencer Travel Insurance may not be the cheapest medium for buying, or renewing your annual cover, but, they do offer some pretty outstanding seasonal discounts. August tends to be prime time for winter sports enthusiasts, since Marks and Spencer feature up to 20% off many online premiums and even bigger savings should you choose to waive your excess.
Offered in conjunction with AXA Insurance Group, Marks and Spencer Travel Insurance policies are geared primarily for the UK market, thus only providing cover for travel directly to and from the UK. This poses an issue if you happen to be country hopping for a significant period. Marks and Spencer Travel Insurance also features lower caps for Personal Accident Cover (£25,000) and excludes vitals such as Travel Disruption Cover, instead offering this as a pricey extra. On the flip side, Marks and Spencer Travel Insurance consistently ranks among the top five for bespoke flexibility, as well as impeccable customer service and claims handling.
Thomas Cook Travel Insurance Review
Thomas Cook are a buzz brand for quality. Single-handedly dominating the UK market for nearly a Century, Thomas Cook Travel Insurance is about as transparent as you can get. With tailor-made plans catering for both Single and Multi-Trip holidaymakers, as well as the Over 65′s, Thomas Cook are a feasible, cost-effective solution whether you suffer from existing medical conditions, or you’re hunting for an all-inclusive policy for Adventure/ Winter Sports.
With a timeline history dating back to when cruises began, Thomas Cook are a brand that know the European industry inside out. A few disgruntled consumers have hinted that certain terms and conditions relating to excess have left them thoroughly confused, especially when forced to submit individual section claims for theft/ loss of money and personal effects. Economy and Standard Thomas Cook Travel Insurance policies are comparably similar; Economy provides cover for up to 90 activities, while Standard offers higher value protection and the option to waive the excess. For either policy, you’d do well to analyse the small-print.
AXA Travel Insurance Review
Summer is arguably the most exciting season of the year for travel providers, since it is when award partners like Interbrand release their annual results for the world’s leading movers and shakers. As of June 2011, AXA Travel Insurance has been named a first rate global insurance brand for three consecutive years and show little sign of giving up their rightful title among the top 20. Renowned for exceptional customer service and transparent policies, AXA Travel Insurance also lead the way for both value and customizable, flexible policies for just about every holiday type.
A consistent complaint regarding AXA Travel Insurance policies pertains to the conditions for flight delays and cancellations. According to their terms, both Single and Multi-Trip offer cover for flight delays, however their rules regarding cancellation cover are rather more conditional. According to online reviews at Ciao and TripAdvisor, AXA Travel Insurance are allegedly slow for both claims processing and payout, with some customers having had to wait in excess of 8 weeks.
HSBC Travel Insurance Review
Backed by Europe’s premier Aviva Insurance brand, HSBC Travel Insurance is in a league of its own for competitive pricing. With premiums from as little as £10.00, they rank among the top 5 in the UK, additionally offer services for over 46 countries across the globe. At the height of the Icelandic volcano disruption during 2010, HSBC Travel Insurance were one of the first to integrate a compensation strategy for customers affected by airport closure and flight cancellation due to freak weather conditions. HSBC Travel Insurance has evolved considerably post-Millennium. Once considered a mere benefit for Premium Account Holders, their travel insurance now comes into its own for both variety and inclusive benefits, such as Existing Medical Conditions Cover and Adventure Sports.
Online musings regarding HSBC Travel Insurance are pretty predictable once you’ve read the first few. The main bone of contention alludes to the differentiation between quoted and charged prices. While this could be in part due to the addition of extras to policies, it usually happens because of outdated information published on price comparison websites and indirect ‘provisional’ quotes. Others claim the conditions under which they may claim for incidents such as loss and theft are pretty confusing. If you are checking out HSBC Travel Insurance for your next trip, it is recommendable to read the small-print and obtain a quote directly.