- Travel insurance quotes
- Take out travel insurance before booking your holiday

Planning any holidays? A significant number of Britons are planning last-minute get-aways for credit-crunch prices. If you are one of those lucky travellers, here is some information and tips on travel insurance as well as how to keep things affordable!

Britons going on holiday
Despite the ongoing economic slowdown, it appears the coming and going of gloomy weather as well as high levels of stress have contributed to the large number of Britons booking holidays. In fact, a recent survey revealed that more than half of British people maintain that holidays are a necessity rather than a luxury. The first thing that comes to mind is ‘well it’s alright for some!’ But do not despair for the pleasures of holidaying are no longer solely reserved to those sitting on mountains of cash. With the credit crunch in full swing, cruise companies, travel agencies and hotel chains are offering some irresistible deals making that little dream get-away not so much of a dream after all. All you need to watch out for is finding the right type of travel insurance with the help of insurance comparison sites and you’re all set to go!

Whether it's skiing, cruising, backpacking or simply just relaxing, there are plenty of travelling opportunities available out there. A recent survey has shown that 29% of Britons are now considering travelling beyond the Eurozone due to the current strength of the Euro against the pound. Further research illustrated that people in the UK are still booking indulgent holidays such as cruises, regardless of the economic crisis! One of Britain’s biggest cruise lines recently announced that bookings were up by 40% in January and February when comparing figures from last year. The company went on to say the last week of February received the most bookings it had ever seen in 37 years! Apparently, the Brits are more focused on escaping the doom and gloom of this economic climate than letting it take away their holiday thrills.

Going down under
With all the worrying about redundancies, interest rates, house repossessions and income cuts, it’s not surprising people feel the need to get away! In fact, some people are so anxious to get away that they’re willing to move their whole life to Australia for a year or more! The country of sunshine, beer and barbecues has seen a 20% increase in the number of young Brits coming for a 12 month working holiday. Recently released figures showed how 20,851 visas were granted between July and December 2008, in comparison to 17,327 in 2007. Our Britons are finding the combination of the current economic climate and this visa for 18-30 year olds to be a perfect opportunity for a 12-month holiday down under.

Holidays and travel insurance - Why you need cover!
Travel insurance is designed to provide you with financial protection if something should go wrong and your holiday plans are disrupted. Primarily you need travel insurance to cover the cost of any medical treatment you may need if something were to happen to you or your family. Whilst abroad you won’t have access to the NHS or any other equivalent health service therefore any medical treatment you receive will usually be accompanied by a huge bill! For example, having a heart attack in the USA could cost you around £50,000 and breaking a leg in Europe could clock up a bill of £18,000. Other possibilities such as cancellation before departure or having to cut your stay short due to illness or family bereavement are also likely to burn a huge hole in your pocket if you don’t have adequate travel insurance. Having a dream holiday go wrong due to illness or injury and subsequent curtailment or cancellation is bad enough as it is so let’s not add insult to injury! By using insurance comparison sites you can find competitively priced travel insurance policies that cater for your exact insurance needs.

Three simple steps to save on travel insurance:

1. Annual Policies – If you are planning on making two or more overseas trips in a year it is often worth your while to invest in an annual travel insurance policy rather than several single trip policies. This is particularly relevant if you are going skiing or snowboarding as annual policies often include winter sports cover automatically, for others you may have to pay an additional premium.

2. Avoid double cover - If you have opted for ‘all risk’ cover on your home contents insurance, your possessions should be covered while you are away. If this is the case inform your travel insurer as they may offer you a discount if you choose to opt out of baggage cover. Many banks and credit card companies often offer travel insurance as an additional customer benefit but it is crucial to read the terms and conditions to make sure you are covered for all eventualities as often they only provide a basic standard policy.

3. Search the market – Many travel agents will try and sell you travel insurance when you book your holiday with them. However, by shopping around online you are much more likely to find a better deal. Prices and policies vary between insurers so it is vital that you search the market to find the policy most suited to your requirements. Always compare travel insurance policies on a like for like basis and check that all the cover limits are sufficient for the needs of you and your family.

What a good travel insurance policy should cover you for:

• The entire period of your holiday.
• Any activities and sports you intend to partake in. Always check what sports/hazardous activities are excluded from the policy.
• Medical and health cover should be for a minimum of £1 million for Europe and £2 million for the rest of the world. Take out a policy that has the benefit of a 24 hour emergency service and assistance.
• Personal liability covers you in case you accidentally cause injury or damage to a third party or their property and they decide to sue you.
• A payout if you have to cancel or cut short your holiday through illness or family bereavement.
• Repatriation costs should you be injured or ill and require an air ambulance to take you home.
• An appropriate limit to cover your possessions if they are lost, stolen or damaged. Check the limits as the cost to replace possessions tends to add up pretty quickly. Also ensure that the single item limit covers the cost of any expensive items such as cameras and jewellery.

Five useful travel insurance tips

1. It is a good idea to forward your travel insurance policy details and Insurer contact instructions to your personal email address or mobile phone so that you can recall them in the event of an emergency abroad.

2. Some Insurers give you a credit card-size policy card to carry in your wallet permanently. This card contains important details such as policy, emergency assistant and claims numbers.

3. Keep your luggage and belongings in sight at all times. Failure to do so could result in the Insurer refusing to payout on a claim.

4. Insurers tend not to cover you for travel to countries that have been declared unsafe to travel to by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). For up to date advice on countries not to travel to and for global information prior to travel visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel.

5. Always use insurance comparison sites to shop around online in order to find competitively priced travel insurance which will provide cover for all your insurance needs. By using online price comparison sites the daunting process of hunting around for travel insurance becomes quick and painless!