Travel Insurance 5 Tips to Avoid Hefty Bills Abroad

Travellers tend to be more aware nowadays than previously of the significance of taking out travel insurance before a trip. Most travels will probably go smoothly, but why take a chance and risk ruining that much-needed holiday.

Many different travel mishaps and problems have dominated the news in the past couple of years and the importance of experiencing travel insurance, and also understanding your rights, hasn't been more in people's minds. Here are a few tips to consider before planning your next trip:

Tip No. 1 - Check that your travel cover policy covers all of your planned activities

Not absolutely all activities are covered under all policies, which means this is important. In case you are on a package holiday and choose to engage in activities outside those included you may find they're not covered if you don't took out separate travel cover. However, beware of travel insurance that seems very cheap or is offered as an incentive as the levels of cover may have been reduced - or the surplus (the total amount you pay towards a claim) increased. Your travel insurance policy should include a list of covered activities, such as elephant rides, scuba, bungee jumps, etc. Never assume that everything is automatically covered!

Tip No. 2 - Check that your policy includes adequate medical cover, liability and legal expenses

If you pick up a nasty stomach bug it could potentially put you in hospital. If here trip and break a leg, or sustain a significant injury it could result in high medical bills for hospital treatment. If you cause problems for another person you will be liable and incur legal costs. If an injury results in medical repatriation to bring you home by air ambulance the necessity for additional seats on the plane, and/or medical escort, could set you back many thousands of pounds. Your consulate or the airline will not cover these costs. Someone has to pay and - without insurance - that someone is you, or your unsuspecting family or loved ones.

Along with adequate travel and medical care insurance, always check your policy includes cover for air ambulance and medical repatriation. That is vital.

Air ambulance fees to create you back to the united kingdom from your holiday destination could potentially cost thousands of pounds alone, or more to an astounding �50,000 from the united states! If it is essential to fly you home on a stretcher with a medical escort the fees from even closer holiday destinations could be almost as financially devastating.

good salad places near Raipur . 3 - Get yourself a European Health Insurance Card

If you reside in a EU country and are travelling within europe make an application for the free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and make it with you. Depending on the country, it entitles one to free or reduced-cost emergency treatment on the same basis as a national of this country, in a state-run facility (not private). The EHIC should not be used instead of travel insurance, but can save you lots of expense and inconvenience if you should sustain a personal injury or become sick while travelling. You should realise that the EHIC will not cover anything much other than emergency medical care. It generally does not cover repatriation to the UK or air ambulance costs. You will require travel cover to cover a range of travel problems, such as non-urgent health care, ongoing treatment, lost luggage, missed flights, scheduled airline failure, etc.

Tip No. 4 - Do Your Homework!

Research has shown that few people actually take the time to research the local laws and customs of these destination country before they set off. Awareness of potential pitfalls could save a great deal of expense and grief. For instance, do you know your destination country's rules for an individual adult travelling with a child? Are you aware which over-the-counter medicines you can and cannot legally take in to the country? Which are the basic rules of the street before driving internationally? The purchase of an excellent travel guidebook, or time spent reviewing travel advice provided online, such as on the Foreign Office website could help avoid becoming the victim of a scam, or being arrested or fined for violating an area law that you're not aware of.

Tip No.5 - Make a note of Consulate/Embassy and Emergency Numbers

Before you travel, why not programme emergency numbers into your mobile phone and also keep a note of them together with your travel documents. Having the number for the local emergency services programmed into your mobile phone could save amount of time in the function of a robbery or accident - and also save lives. Consider registering with the Foreign Office 'Locate' service (or your own government's equivalent) to raised enable the authorities to assist you if a crisis should arise. Their assistance in contacting friends and relatives would be a very welcome lifeline if needed and save time, frustration, and expense.

It's time to be an informed traveller, as well as a savvy one. Why not pass check here to your friends and family. Remind them to take out travel cover and do all they are able to to protect themselves and prevent unnecessary and hefty bills on the travels.

Jean Andrews is an employee of TRAVEL COVER Agencies Ltd (TIA Ltd). Jean regularly contributes informative articles about travel cover and travel related matters.