All you need to kno
Travel insu
Thinking about going abroad without it this year? Make sure
you choose the right policy for you, so you have a relaxing
holidayto remember for all the right reasons...
PHOTOs: ALAMY, GETTY. DETAILs CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PREss
Q
I’ve got an EHIC
card – do I still need
travel insurance?A
The EHIC card is an
EU scheme which
entitles you to the
same level of state-funded
medical care as people in
the country you’re visiting. It
applies when you’re visiting
any EU country, or Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Switzerland
and Norway. If the treatment
you need is free in that
country, you get it free,
but if, as is often the case,
people living there have
to pay part of the cost,
you will, too. The card is
useful, because it makesit easy to access treatment,
but it’s not an alternative
to travel insurance.
It won’t cover the
costs of getting you
home, which can
be expensive if
you’re too ill to take
a normal flight,
or pay for private
treatment if you’re
in a country where
state-funded care
isn’t of a high standard.
If the UK leaves the
EU without a deal on
31 October 2019, your
access to healthcare when
visiting an EU country is
likely to change. If you are
using an EHIC issued by the
UK, this will still be valid
until 31 October. To find out
more, or apply for a card,
call 0300 330 1350 or visit
nhs.uk/ehic.comparethemarket.com or
check the Best Buy tables at
moneysavingexpert.com and
which.co.uk. If you’re not
online, a broker can search
the market for you – find
one in the Yellow Pages.
Make sure you’re not
paying for cover you
don’t need – if your home
insurance covers your
belongings away from
home, you don’t need
baggage cover on
your travel policy.
And if you’re
travelling to
Europe,If you’re buying an
annual policy, only choose
worldwide cover if you’re
sure you’ll be travelling
outside Europe, as it bumps
up the cost a lot. You can
sometimes save by excluding
travel to the US, if you know
you won’t be going there.Q
Why do I need
to declare any
medical conditions?A
Travel insurers want
to know what the
risk of you claiming
is, so when buying a policy,
you need to tell them about
anything in your medical
history that could affect
your risk. That covers
more than people often
think – you need to disclose
any serious condition
you’re suffering from,
taking medication for,Q
How can I cut
the cost of
travel insurance?A
Never buy travel
insurance as a
package with
your holiday – it’s always
expensive that way. Use
a comparison site, such aslook out for ‘EHICPlus’
policies, which cover any
medical costs over what
the EHIC card entitles
you to, and can be
significantly cheaper.relax knowing
you’ve got
everything
covered