You can buy travel insurance policies either for a particular trip, or as an annual policy. If you are taking out a single trip policy, it is a good idea to take it out when you book the trip. This is because most travel insurance packages give cover if the trip is cancelled. Some travel insurance policies will also provide cover for trips in the United Kingdom.
Your Home Contents insurance policy may also cover some of your insurance needs; for personal possessions, for example. In this case, you may wish only to take out travel insurance to cover other things, such as cancellation and medical cover.
If you have bought a package holiday, it may include travel insurance. You don’t have to buy this insurance, though, and you can make your own arrangements. Travel agents who are members of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) are expected, under the Code of Practice, to tell their customers about types of insurance available.
It is illegal for a travel agent to try to charge more for a package holiday because you refuse to accept travel insurance offered by the agent. This
also applies to tour operators who are in a group of companies which includes a travel agent, and where the tour operator sells directly to the public.
A travel insurance policy will usually cover:
- medical or dental treatment, hospital and nursing charges
- additional travel expenses; returning a sick person home, for example
- additional travel and hotel expenses of another person who is needed to stay with the sick person, and help bring her/him home.
Some insurance policies will not cover pre-existing medical conditions. That
is a medical condition you know you have when you take out the policy.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition you must be honest with your insurer. If, for example, you don’t tell them that you have asthma and then you have an attack abroad, your insurer is highly unlikely to pay out. If you are honest and up front your insurer may choose to cover you for any treatment for your pre-existing condition, or exclude that condition from the policy.
You can buy travel insurance from many different sources including:
- direct from insurers
- insurance brokers
- travel agents
- tour operators
- banks
- building societies
- the post office
- retailers
- credit card providers.
Insurance companies offer a variety of ways to buy, such as over the
counter, by telephone, post and over the internet.
See section “Finding an Insurance Provider” for details of insurance
companies.
European Health Insurance Card
If you are going to a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
you should make sure you’ve got a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
It’s not always easy to get treatment abroad, so you should always make
sure you have travel insurance.
The EHIC entitles you to free or reduced-cost medical treatment that
becomes necessary during your trip if you are ill or have an accident. The
card gives access to state-provided medical treatment only, and you’ll be
treated on the same basis as someone who lives in the country you’re
visiting. This might not include all the things you’d expect to get free of
charge on the NHS. It may also mean that you have to pay something
towards the cost of your care.
For more information on the EHIC see the leaflet “Health Advice for
Travellers”, this is available from most Post Offices and Job Centres.
The quickest and easiest way to apply for an EHIC is online at
www.dh.gov.uk/travellers. Your card will be delivered within seven days.
Alternatively, you can apply:
- By calling 0845 606 2030 (card delivered within 10 days)
- By post using the form provided with the above leaflet (card delivered within 21 days)
Finding an Insurance Provider
The best advice is to shop around and to start well in advance of your holiday. It is a good idea to get quotes from the better known insurance companies first. If you are not able to get insurance from one of these companies, there are specialist insurance companies who offer insurance to people who have a pre-existing medical condition.
Every body’s circumstances are different, and each insurance company has different ways of working. Just because a friend or relative may have been turned down by a company doesn’t necessarily mean that they will turn you down.
Below is a list of insurance providers who insure people with a pre-existing medical condition and who some callers to our helpline have found helpful.
Please note: the British Lung Foundation does not recommend or endorse these companies. This information is provided as a service only, to help anyone who is having difficulty finding an insurance company.
Able2Travel www.ch-travelcare.co.uk
0845 839 9345
Single trip policies up to 79 years
Annual and long stay policies up to 69 years
All Clear Travel Insurance www.allcleartravel.co.uk
0845 250 5200
Single trip policies - no age limit
Annual policies – 65 or 75 depending on region visited
BUPA Travel Cover www.bupatravel.co.uk
08700 00 10 22
Age limit – 79 years
Flexicover Direct www.flexicover.co.uk
0800 093 9495
Single trip policies – no upper age limit
Annual policies – 85 years
Free Spirit Travel Insurance www.free-spirit.com
0845 230 5000
Single trip policies – contact 0845 230 5000 if over 80 years
Annual policies – 79 years
Freedom Insurance Services Limited www.freedominsure.co.uk
01223 454 290 or 0870 774 3760
Single trip policies – 85 years
Annual policies – 75 years
Getmy.com www.getmy.com/travel
0845 026 2441
Single and annual policies – 85 years
Global Travel Insurance www.globaltravelinsurance.co.uk
01903 203 933
Single trip policies – 90 years
Multi policies – 75 years
It’s so Easy Travel Insurance www.itssoeasytravelinsurance.com
0845 222 4205
Single trip policy – on age limit
Annual policy – 75 years
Insurance Choice
08432 276 505
Single and long stay policy - no age limit
Annual multi trip - 85 years
Pre existing medical conditions - no age limit
Just Insurance
0800 231 5532
“World wide cover for up to 180 days with NO AGE LIMIT”
www.justtravelcover.com
Makesure Insurance Services Ltd
0845 309 4439
Poliicies considered up to the age of 99
www.makesureinsurance.co.uk
Manor Insurance 01424 718 790
0800 027 6171
Single trip policies – 110
years
Annual policies – 75 years
Long stay – up to 18 months – 65 years
- up to 9 months – 70 years
- up to 6 months – 75 years
- up to 4 months – no limit
www.manorinsurance.co.uk or www.travelinsured.co.uk
Marks and Spencer www.marksandspencer.com
0800 068 3918
Single trip policies – no upper limit unless travelling to USA, Canada or Caribbean
Annual policies – 75 if travelling to USA, Canada or Caribbean, 80 to Europe and rest of world
Stay Sure
0844 277 0844
Singlr trip policies - 85 years
Annual policies - 80 years
Long stay - 75 years
www.staysure.co.uk
Travelbility www.travelbility.co.uk
0845 338 1638
Single trip policies – 68 years
Annual policies – 78 years
Travel Insurance 4U
01753 400 128
Europe - 99 years
Australia & New Zealand - 79 years
USA & Canada - 79 years
Unique email –
01603 828440
Single trip policies – no limit
Page last reviewed: April 2011
