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19 May 2012 | Sign In
Dangers of cheap travel insurance
Paying less gives less cover.
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Jasper Kelly Monday 31 January 2011 |
Seeing the number of special deals that are on offer in the press, it would seem that saving money on travel insurance is a real no-brainer. A host of companies are offering to beat last year’s prices. Surely, that has to be good? – Well, perhaps not.
With insurance, you might get what you pay for, but you certainly will not get what you do not pay for.
Pay less, and you will get less cover. Of course, none of this matters unless you need to make a claim.
Airline failures, flight cancellations, ash and snow, and even worries over piggy flu have all raised their heads in the last year, and have left a lot of passengers out of pocket.
Ten years ago, ABTA and ATol schemes stood to help many people in times of need. More recently, the growth of independent travel has left passengers exposed to risks that they may not have fully considered.
The lesson probably is to read the policy and to be sure of what you are purchasing. The sad thing is that many people do not do this and many insurance companies actively discourage customers from doing so.
Perhaps, when the company says there is nothing for you to do and they can sort it all out without the need for any paperwork, the alarm bells ought to ring.
| Comments | Post a comment |
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Zoe, Hartley 7 February 2011, 01:59PM | |
I have always shopped around and for the last few years have used Sainsburys, as they are very competitive. Unfortunately I had to make my first ever claim whilst in Spain and my daughter was taken into hospital. Unfortunately I did not have E11 cards and therefore had to pay for treatment, which was a cost of £800. Luckily it was nothing serious and when we got back to the UK I completed the claim forms etc. I was paid out within weeks and the service I got was great and I would highly recommend them. | |
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Steve, Birmingham 8 February 2011, 01:23PM | |
Always make sure you read the small print as I took out an annual policy only to find when I actually read through it that my excess was extremely high and conver extremely low. | |
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Jane Harper, Dorking 8 February 2011, 07:55PM | |
I have been lucky enough not to have made a claim or been stung by such things but I definitely dread the day I do. Now with children and frequent trips abroad I am sure it will only be a matter of time so my cover will be under the microscope on my next purchase. | |
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Luke, Wingham 14 February 2011, 02:10PM | |
I am a true believer in you get what you pay for. I always shop around online but be very careful that you are getting the cover you require. In the past I have taken out a policy without really looking into the cover I was getting only then to have to take out another policy at the last minute, a costly mistake! | |
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Hilary, Middlesex 15 February 2011, 11:46AM | |
The problem here seems to lie with the small print. If, as the majority seem to, you buy travel insurance online I think the insurance companies encourage you to skip through the important pages and click checkout button. In my experience you always need to check the level of cover etc as once you have paid there is no going back! | |
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Vernon, Liverpool 4 April 2011, 01:31PM | |
It seems incredible that many of us will not bother checking the small printwhen taking out travel insurance. Yes, you may have a few extra euros, pounds or dollars in the pocket to spend on wine, meals or tours, but if something goes wrong, it is going to cost a lot, lot more down the line. | |
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