What factors affect the cost
of travel insurance policies?
When calculating your travel
insurance premium, insurers
take into account age and
medical conditions, both of
which you’re obliged to share.
Under 6 5s are generally
placed in a lower risk and cost
bracket. Your diagnosed health
conditions are also considered
as insurers calculate the risk of
requiring medical treatment or
repatriation while abroad.
Other moveable factors
also form a part of the
calculation, such as your trip
destination and the length
of time you intend to spend
there. A place considered
low risk by insurers will cost
less compared to a country
that may have potential
issues regarding safety. The
distance travelled and price
of healthcare locally are other
important factors, which is
why insurance for trips to the
US tend to be more expensive
due to the high cost of medical
care there. European cover is
cheaper, as British travellerscan access free healthcare with
a European Health Insurance
Card or Global Health Insurance
Card (EHIC or GHIC) and the
cost of repatriation would be
lower than from more remote
destinations. (EHICs are no
longer issued, but they can be
used up until their expiry date.)
Finally, the valuables you take
with you — such as cameras,
tablets and smartwatches — will
add to your insurance cost, as
will coverage for any sports
that increase the risk of injury.
VICKY SMITHWhat tips would you give a
keen walker planning a first
hiking trip? My advice would
be to ‘mind your Ps’. So: plan,
prepare, pack. Firstly, plan.
Do you want a self-guided
or group walking tour? The
former allows walking at your
own pace, lingering in spots
that interest you and choosing
your own start, lunch and end
times. With a group leader
who (hopefully) has local
knowledge to share, group
walking removes responsibility
for following a route correctly
and is a way to meet like-
minded people and learn
about the destination.
Critically, find the right level
of walking to suit you. There’s a
big difference between going
for a long walk once a week
and doing it day after day.
Note daily distances, along with
ascents and descents; steep
climbs can make distances
feel much longer. And check
out the terrain, too. Will you
need a head for heights and
proper hiking boots? Book
with a specialist operator like
Inntravel and you’ll have all this
information at your fingertips.
Next: prepare. If you’ve
bought new hiking shoes or
boots, break them in before
you go (a top tip: smearingVaseline on your heels and
toes before you put your socks
on will help prevent blisters).
In the run up to the trip, try
walking on consecutive days
and add some hills to build
fitness levels.
Finally: pack. When flying
abroad, I carry my daypack
rucksack as cabin luggage and
wear my hiking boots to cut
down on suitcase space and
weight. Along with lightweight,
breathable clothing, I consider
a wide-brimmed hat, high-
factor sunscreen, basic first aid
supplies and a good map, to be
essential items. inntravel.co.uk
ANDY MONTGOMERYI’m travelling to Greece soon.
What are the Covid-related entry
requirements for this summer?
Greek trips just got easier, making
the sunblessed nation an even
more enticing prospect for UK
travellers. Passenger locator forms
were scrapped earlier in 2022 and,
as of 1 May, all travellers visiting
Greece no longer need to show
proof of Covid-1 9 vaccination, a
recovery certificate or a negative
test to enter the country. This will
be music to the ears of anyone
who, for whatever reasons, has
not received a jab.
The Greek government has also
suspended the use of domestic
Covid passes to enter venues. At
the time of going to press, the
wearing of masks indoors was set
to be lifted on 1 June, although all
measures may be reviewed and
reinstated in September. There’s
still a social distancing rule of
1.5m but this is not always
followed in practice.
Have you booked your
flights yet? Low-cost Turkish
airline Corendon has launched
new routes from the UK to
Greece, including from Gatwick
and Manchester to Crete and
Rhodes. Most airlines still enforce
mask-wearing on board, so check
with your carrier before you
fly. For more info: travel.gov.gr
corendonairlines.com
SARAH BARRELL