Whatever you do, get it. If you are an EU citizen, and travelling within the EU and Switzerland, you can obtain a European Health Insurance Card for free. This entitles you to free or reduced cost medical treatment from state providers if ill or injured abroad and lasts for 5 years.
We don’t want you coming up to your holiday laden with doom and gloom! But it is only wise to take appropriate precautions and plan for any type of emergency: robbery, loss of luggage, an accident, sudden illness or injury, the emergency cancellation of flights…
There is a basic split in travel insurance cover: single trip travel insurance and annual travel insurance. Single trip insurance can be very good value at just a few pounds, dollars or euros a week but if you are planning on two or more trips away a year, it may be better value for you to purchase the annual policy - this covers you from between 30 and 60 days away a year (depending upon the company).
As usual, the British Government’s Foreign Office is on the mark in their advice for travellers. See here: www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/staying-safe/travel-insurance
Perhaps the most important and eye opening piece of advice on the page is just how expensive emergency health assistance can be. It is no joke that a serious injury and the requirement for an air doctor in the Canary Islands would set you back up to £16,000, which you would have to pay. Saving on £20 worth of travel insurance to have an extra meal out at your destination is simply not worth the risk.
Basic cover should cover you for loss of luggage, any medical problems and repatriation you may require, theft of valuables or the cancellation of your holiday. Be careful not to be duped into purchasing more expensive cover without need, however. It maybe time consuming and laborious, but read the small print and shop around. Do you need the “dangerous sports cover” for a family trip to the Costa del Whatever to lie on the beach?
1. Check the status of the country to which you are travelling by, again, checking the British Government’s Foreign Office advice page. Trips to war zones or even slightly “unsafe” regions will either cost a fortune to insure or won’t be covered at all.
2. Make sure you are adequately covered - this is most important in the third world or if you are planning on participating in extreme sports. Look out for any exclusions to your travel insurance cover which could be necessary for you. Most importantly, take reasonable care in what you do.