Travelling with insurance has always been a wise thing to do. Although it’s never been the most exciting item on our holiday kit list, (among the sights and new foods to taste!). Travelling with insurance is important.
Although, COVID and travel restrictions no longer stop people from exploring, taking out suitable travel insurance for a holiday should be on everyone’s kit list. No one anticipates being ill, before or during a trip or thinks about what could go wrong while travelling away from home. A holiday is one way to escape challenges at home after all!
However, while mishaps are unlikely, the consequences of someone’s holiday plans taking a turn for the worse can still be serious. Plus, if upcoming trips have been on someone’s bucket list for some time, it’ll be an expensive experience for them to loose out on.
Are you aware of how a travel insurance policy works, what it covers, and its benefits? At P J Hayman, we believe that travel insurance should be an important part of planning a holiday. There are many reasons why travel insurance is a good idea – let us explain all…
Travel insurance costs vs the price of being uninsured
If someone lives with a medical condition and/or disability, they may consider saving money on travel insurance – by not declaring all their relevant health conditions. As a result, they may receive a cheaper quote. However, saving money on a travel insurance policy (which covers unique health needs), can cost much more. If medical conditions are not declared up front, when the time comes to fill out a claim form – it could be refused altogether. All costs associated with that claim will then fall to the person who booked the trip.
It’s important to remember that healthcare is not free in many parts of the world. In fact, it’s been steadily increasing since the pandemic. So, if you or a client need to access medical care, particularly in an emergency, you’ll soon discover that healthcare is expensive.
For example, if you had a stroke while visiting the USA , the cost for treatment in hospital. Plus, an air ambulance back to the UK would cost £760,000. On the other hand, a fall in Spain that causes a broken hip will cost £15,000 after paying for hospital treatment and flights back to the UK.
Sources: The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCDO), Finder.com.
Thankfully, claims this large are rare but shouldn’t be ignored.
Last year, insurers received a new travel insurance claim every two minutes – paying out more than £350 million. The average medical claim was £1,750 and even higher for people 70 years or older. Here lays the importance of taking out a suitable travel insurance policy. Unexpected financial burdens can and do occur. So, no one should be cutting back on travel insurance when planning a trip.
It may be easy to forget that the cost of having a medical while overseas can have a knock-on effect, not directly linked to the treatment itself. For instance, a prolonged stay in a hospital may mean that the patient can’t return home as planned. This will lead to alternative travel required, such as expensive last-minute flights.
Aside from cover for treatment and repatriation expenses, travel insurance is there to ensure everyone receives the care they need. Regardless of how much a claim may cost, the most important consideration (while on holiday), is to maintain good health. So, a good travel insurance provider should be on hand with help and advice at any time. Day or night. This is one of the many benefits of taking out travel insurance. There will be someone to assist when medical help is required.
Travel insurance is important to have before your trip
Reap all the benefits of taking a travel insurance policy before your trip by immediately buying it after you’ve made the final financial commitment for your trip.
Protect Expensive Trips and Holidays
This summer, despite the cost of living, travellers spent even more on their holidays than usual. Revenge travel had begun! However, they were also wise. Many were keen to protect their dream holidays and bucket list adventures they’d invested in. In fact, 73% of travellers, were more/or equally concerned about safeguarding their holiday’s costs – in contrast to previous years.
Think about it – you might be fit to travel when booking a holiday, a year in advance. However, there may be unknown circumstances that may arise in the months that lead up to your trip. For instance, you may need medical treatment when you planned to be on your holiday. Or, a member of your travelling party may need emergency medical help on the day of the trip.
In a recent survey (by Squaremouth.com) 68% of travellers stated that their biggest reason for buying travel insurance was a concern for becoming ill or injured while away. Next came, concerns over trip cancellation, travel delays and missing connecting flights.
Even if a trip is booked last-minute (when everyone is happy and well) always buy travel insurance As Soon As You Book (ASAYB). Make sure everyone protects their trip – bucket list break or not.
Being uninsured for emergency medical insurance can have serious consequences
In rare cases, the consequences of travelling without travel insurance can go beyond financial risk. For example, travellers may find themselves in an unimaginable situation. The P J Hayman team remember a case of a senior lady who fell ill while holidaying in Spain…
Before her trip, she contacted us for a travel insurance quote. However, she failed to take out the policy. Luckily a Spanish hospital treated her but no one could find any evidence of her travel insurance policy.
This led to her passport being taken until the treatment was paid. Later, the staff at her care home contacted us to share her quote paperwork. However, without a policy in place, there was nothing we could do. We could only refer her carers to the British Embassy.
This is an example of how important it is for a medical travel insurance policy to be in place – before someone sets off with a medical condition and/or disability.
Coronavirus Persists
As Coronavirus remains present, we all need to travel safely. We can do so by having emergency medical insurance in place – if we need it. Insurance policies that include Coronavirus Cover are a solution.
P J Hayman provides two innovative insurance policies which include Coronavirus Cover – Free Spirit and Travel Plus.
What cover is available with a Free Spirit or Travel Plus Insurance Policy in relation to Coronavirus?
• Cover if it’s necessary and unavoidable to cancel your trip because you test positive for Coronavirus, within 14 days of your departure date.
• If you catch Coronavirus on holiday and you’re admitted to hospital after testing positive there’s curtailment cover.
• Plus, there’s cover for Emergency Medical expenses if you contract Coronavirus abroad.
• With a Free Spirit travel insurance policy friends and family are also included. Even if they don’t have an existing health condition or disability!
The price of Coronavirus Travel Insurance
You may have noticed that travel insurance has gone up in price. Premiums are reviewed every year. Yet, a contributing factor to the increase is due to the pandemic. Subsequently, insurers have received and paid high volumes of claims throughout this period.
The factors that can cause an increase in premium include:
• Age
• Any changes in health
• An increase in medical costs abroad
• The number of claims made to the insurer
• Coronavirus
Remember to recommend a P J Hayman Travel Insurance Policy
Overall, travelling with insurance on holiday should give everyone the confidence to travel. We hope aspiring jet setters continue to travel and experience great holidays – without any challenges.
However, if they require assistance a suitable travel insurance policy could be the best item on their kit list.
Do you have any questions about travel insurance, how it works, what our policies cover and their benefits?
Learn more – email our Head of Business Development Jon for more information/insights: Jon.mainwaring@pjhyaman.com
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