new marketing campaign units out easy steps to keep away from invalidating insurance coverage cowl
invalid journey insurance coverage may result in vital prices
travellers inspired to examine Journey Recommendation for his or her vacation spot
As the massive summer time getaway ramps up with many colleges breaking apart, the International, Commonwealth & Growth Workplace ( FCDO ) is urging Brits travelling overseas to verify they don’t void their journey insurance coverage and danger a giant invoice. A brand new marketing campaign will information British travellers on the steps they should take to verify their insurance policies cowl them on their summer time holidays.
Travellers with out enough and acceptable insurance coverage cowl may face payments operating to tens of 1000’s of kilos if issues go fallacious overseas. However a number of easy checks will 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 equivalent 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 will be eye-wateringly costly, if somebody is injured or falls ailing overseas with out enough insurance coverage cowl. The worth of surgical procedure for a damaged leg within the Canary Islands will be over £10,000, for instance, and an accident in Greece requiring surgical procedure and flights again to the UK may end in a invoice of £30,000. The FCDO can present help and help for British people who find themselves hospitalised overseas however can not pay medical payments or for medical evacuation.
Jennifer Anderson, FCDO Director of Consular Providers stated:
Arranging acceptable journey insurance coverage is a vacation important for all Brits heading abroad this summer time. By taking a number of easy steps, travellers can keep away from invalidating their insurance coverage and save themselves 1000’s of kilos in medical payments ought to issues go fallacious. Having the journey insurance coverage in place that meets your wants could make all of the distinction and can help you loosen up and luxuriate in your vacation.
Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Govt stated,
In the event you’re going away on vacation this summer time, it’s actually essential to take out journey insurance coverage and ensure it supplies the suitable cowl to your journey – together with the actions you’re planning, and any well being circumstances you might have. You may as well insure for cancellation attributable to unexpected circumstances, however not all insurance coverage covers this, so it’s important to examine the precise phrases of your coverage.
Louise Clark, Affiliation of British Insurers Coverage Adviser, stated:
Journey insurance coverage can present important safety and peace of thoughts when holidaying overseas, particularly towards any prices concerned with needing emergency medical remedy. It’s essential to reply all questions absolutely and truthfully when shopping for insurance coverage to make sure you have the suitable cowl in place, particularly on any pre-existing medical circumstances. Insurance policies will range, so perceive what you’ll or gained’t be lined for and purchase the quilt that almost all 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 International 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 generally at no cost.
Nevertheless, the GHIC and EHIC don’t exchange journey insurance coverage and doesn’t cowl prices equivalent to bringing the affected person again to the UK or extra lodging prices in-country. Travellers must also do not forget that the extent of free public healthcare can range between nations, so British nationals could not have entry to the identical specialist remedy that they’d at residence.
Along with checking their journey insurance coverage cowl, the FCDO is encouraging travellers to arrange for his or her journey overseas. The FCDO ’s overseas 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 info on their vacation spot by checking journey recommendation on GOV.UK and signing up for e mail alerts. FCDO journey recommendation has all the most recent info on entry necessities, native legal guidelines and customs and well being care provision in over 200 nations and territories.
