new marketing campaign units out easy steps to keep away from invalidating insurance coverage cowl
invalid journey insurance coverage might result in vital prices
travellers inspired to examine Journey Recommendation for his or her vacation spot
As the massive summer season getaway ramps up with many faculties breaking apart, the International, Commonwealth & Growth Workplace ( FCDO ) is urging Brits travelling overseas to ensure they don’t void their journey insurance coverage and threat a giant invoice. A brand new marketing campaign will information British travellers on the steps they should take to ensure their insurance policies cowl them on their summer season holidays.
Travellers with out ample and acceptable insurance coverage cowl might face payments working to tens of hundreds of kilos if issues go incorrect overseas. However just a few easy checks may also help save travellers pointless stress and expense.
The marketing campaign will encourage Brits to:
declare all pre-existing medical circumstances forward of their journey
examine their insurance coverage covers deliberate vacation actions comparable to water sports activities
examine that the size of their journey doesn’t exceed any time restrict of their insurance coverage coverage
examine their journey insurance coverage consists of medical evacuation cowl
take a printed copy of their insurance coverage coverage away with them and save the insurance coverage firm’s 24/7 emergency contact quantity and their coverage quantity on their cellphone
share their journey insurance coverage coverage particulars with journey companions and/or household within the UK
Medical payments might be eye-wateringly costly, if somebody is injured or falls in poor health overseas with out ample insurance coverage cowl. The worth of surgical procedure for a damaged leg within the Canary Islands might be over £10,000, for instance, and an accident in Greece requiring surgical procedure and flights again to the UK might end in a invoice of £30,000. The FCDO can present assist and help for British people who find themselves hospitalised overseas however can’t pay medical payments or for medical evacuation.
Jennifer Anderson, FCDO Director of Consular Companies mentioned:
Arranging acceptable journey insurance coverage is a vacation important for all Brits heading abroad this summer season. By taking just a few easy steps, travellers can keep away from invalidating their insurance coverage and save themselves hundreds of kilos in medical payments ought to issues go incorrect. Having the journey insurance coverage in place that meets your wants could make all of the distinction and mean you can loosen up and revel in your vacation.
Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Government mentioned,
In the event you’re going away on vacation this summer season, it’s actually necessary to take out journey insurance coverage and ensure it supplies the precise cowl to your journey – together with the actions you’re planning, and any well being circumstances you’ll have. You may also insure for cancellation on account of unexpected circumstances, however not all insurance coverage covers this, so it’s very important to examine the precise phrases of your coverage.
Louise Clark, Affiliation of British Insurers Coverage Adviser, mentioned:
Journey insurance coverage can present very important safety and peace of thoughts when holidaying overseas, particularly in opposition to any prices concerned with needing emergency medical therapy. It’s necessary to reply all questions absolutely and actually when shopping for insurance coverage to make sure you have the precise cowl in place, particularly on any pre-existing medical circumstances. Insurance policies will differ, so perceive what you’ll or gained’t be lined for and purchase the quilt that the majority fits your wants, not simply based mostly on worth. In the event you’re not sure about your cowl or have any questions, please contact your insurer.
Travellers are reminded that the UK World Well being Insurance coverage Card (GHIC) or legitimate UK European Well being Insurance coverage Card (EHIC) will get them state healthcare in Europe at a decreased price or typically free of charge.
Nonetheless, the GHIC and EHIC don’t exchange journey insurance coverage and doesn’t cowl prices comparable to bringing the affected person again to the UK or extra lodging prices in-country. Travellers also needs to do not forget that the extent of free public healthcare can differ between nations, so British nationals might not have entry to the identical specialist therapy that they might at house.
Along with checking their journey insurance coverage cowl, the FCDO is encouraging travellers to organize for his or her journey overseas. The FCDO ’s international journey guidelines units out the sensible steps that Brits want to consider earlier than they head off on vacation, from passport validity to well being prescriptions.
Holidaymakers are additionally inspired to get all the most recent data on their vacation spot by checking journey recommendation on GOV.UK and signing up for electronic mail alerts. FCDO journey recommendation has all the most recent data on entry necessities, native legal guidelines and customs and well being care provision in over 200 nations and territories.