Travel claims on the rise
Travel claims on the rise
Travel Insurance claims are on the rise according to City law firms dealing with compensation claims during the economic downturn. Last year, Britons made more than 560,000 medical claims totalling ã383 million, up 58 per cent on 2007. Claims for lost luggage were the second most popular, with nearly 400,000 British travellers seeking around ã8 million from their travel insurer, up eight per cent on 2007. Claims for flight cancellations were also up, rising 24 per cent to 240,000 claims.
All of which proves how important it is for people to have adequate travel insurance, particularly when times are tough. Even then it is vital to look at the small print to make sure any claim is valid. Common pitfalls include what are termed pre-existing medical conditions. Most policies are very strict here and ask you to declare a pre-existing medical condition on anyone who could subsequently get you to cancel or curtail your trip. If you donââ¬â¢t declare it and it subsequently appears on the Medical Certificate, which the insurer will ask you and your GP to complete, then it is highly likely that you wonââ¬â¢t get any money back.
Another area that insurers are hot on are baggage claims. For loss, theft and damage, you will be required to get a report within 24 hours of the incident, from either the local police for theft claims, from the airline for lost, damaged or delayed baggage and from the hotel or tour representative, often for all three types of loss. Without these reports, it is probable that your claim will not be upheld.
It can be a minefield out there designed to trip up the unwary but with a little bit of preparation before you take out your travel insurance and sensible precautions once on your holiday, you can substantially improve your chances of coming home not out of pocket.
South African born Keith has lived in the south of England for most of his life. After graduating from University with a degree in Business Information Systems Management he decided to start Strawberrysoup; a website design company based in West Sussex and Dorset.
Keith successfully gained entry into the Southampton University Air Squadron and spent over 12 months training to fly. Since then he has continued to follow his interest in flying and has now began his own training in the form of a Private Pilot’s Licence.
Keith also spent 13 months working within the Image and Printing Group at Hewlett Packard in Bracknell. Throughout his time there, he was responsible for many activities including events organisation and website design and maintenance.
CupcakeandTea ’s first zombie walk. Ah the memories of a nerd. So precious to us all. Because nerd memories are the best memories 
Things I Used for My Makeup: Very Cheap White Base Paint Liquid Latex (available in costume shops or craft stores) toilet paper flesh coloured stack makeup sponges/brushes blood(corn syrup/red food dye/ melted chocolate) cheap 12 colour eye shadow palette (colours like brown/purple/grey/whote/beige) my own liquid cover up cheap foundation powder (darker than my own skin) liquid eyeliner For the Know How on how to do something similar please watch my top 3 zombie tutorials coming up at the 3:00 mark Song: Jonathan Coulton Re : Your Brains Nov 3rd 2009 #20 – Most Discussed (This Week) – Travel & Events – Canada #85 – Most Discussed (This Month) -Travel & Events – Canada #9 – Top Rated (This Week) – Travel & Events – Canada #63 – Top Rated (This Month) – Travel & Events – Canada Nov 6 #13 – Most Discussed (This Week) – Travel & Events – Canada #59 – Most Discussed (This Month) – Travel & Events – Canada #12 – Top Rated (This Week) – Travel & Events – Canada #51 – Top Rated (This Month) – Travel & Events – Canada Nov 16 #34 – Most Discussed (This Month) – Travel & Events – Canada #45 – Top Rated (This Month) – Travel & Events – Canada
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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Travel Insurance – the Basics
Travel Insurance – the Basics
It was estimated that last year that Britons made over 65 million trips abroad, with previous years showing these figures to be ever increasing.
Considering the number of things that can go wrong with a trip and all of the extra expenses that can crop up before, during and after a trip, itâs vital to get adequate cover, thus easily avoiding many costly eventualities.
As with any insurance policy, there are strict limitations on what will and will not be covered, and its important to be aware of these to ensure you either have enough cover or are not overpaying.
As a guide the following is a list of some situations that are usually covered by the most standard of policies â
Cancellation and/or delay of trip
Medical Emergencies (not including self inflicted and mental or nervous disorders)
Personal accident cover
Legal costs associated with accidents or injury, and cover if you injure someone else
Loss or theft of possessions
The following is a list of situations that you are likely to never get cover for â
War
Interruption due to business or other contractual agreements
Again, as with all insurance policies, the exact situation and extent of cover you will be provided with will vary considerably. For instance, although many policies do not cover war, they do take into consideration terrorist attacks.
An important factor with regards to travel insurance is the place(s) you choose to travel. For instance, many insurance companies will either charge considerably more or not cover trips to countries which are deemed âunsafeâ.
As the travel insurance market is currently very competitive, obtaining cheap travel insurance shouldnât prove too difficult.
Liam is a UK based writer.
This is fully self funded short trailer for a cooking series called Without Borders, where three chefs travel Asia and learn to cook local specialties, as well as eating some pretty interesting ..ummm delicacies, while immersing themselves in their culture. Check out www.withoutborderschefs.com to learn more
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Travel Insurance – Looking After Your Possessions
Travel Insurance – Looking After Your Possessions
It is estimated that Britons will make more than 70m trips abroad this year, a great deal of which are likely to be underinsured if insured at all.
Whether you are planning a year long backpacking adventure around Asia or a weekend break in Paris, adequate travel insurance is a must.
First and foremost you should have a policy that covers any medical expenses that you may incur abroad. Following this you should get cover for your luggage, possessions and money.
Having insurance provides you with a safety net should anything go wrong, what it will not do is prevent any problems; this is entirely in your own hands.
How protective and vigilant you will have to be will of course depend highly on where you are and the nature of your holiday. Ensuring you take the following procedures, no matter where you are holidaying, should help keep your possessions safe.
Chances are the most important thing you will take with you on any trip outside of the UK is your passport, for this reason it should always be kept safe and about your person. It’s always a good idea to keep a photocopy of the photo page back at your accommodation or in your luggage.
Anything of sentimental or monetary value that is not essential should be left at home; otherwise it should not be flashed about or left unattended.
Cash is one of the easiest things for thieves to steal and one of the hardest for you to recover, as many insurance policies do not cover it. For this reason special care of it should be taken when out an about. Firstly, don’t store all your cash in one place, not even in one pocket; if you are mugged or pick pocketed all will be lost.
If you are travelling with luggage for long journeys, as is often the case with backpackers, then it’s important to try and keep a close eye on your belongings when they are not on you. Avoid stowing backpacks on overhead racks or under seats and on buses try to get a seat near to where you bag was stored.
There is a large variety of security options and locks on the market, but for the most part a simple sturdy padlock should be enough to deter thieves.
As mentioned having adequate travel insurance cover will help recoup any losses experienced abroad, so holiday insurance is highly recommended. Regardless of what your journey will entail it is easy enough to find cheap travel insurance with countless policies on offer.
Liam is a UK based writer.
Travel Insurance: Road Safety and Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance: Road Safety and Travel Insurance
Darwinâs scientific curiosity took him to the Galapagos Islands. Walter Ralegh brought potatoes and tobacco back from the New World. Evidently, however, Britons have lost their sense of adventure: a recent study reveals that the 2.5 million travellers who holiday in the sun each year typically spend a pitiful 7 hours exploring beyond the confines of their hotel complex. And they still manage to come to harm.
Motor accidents account for more serious injuries than anything else. Currently around 50 million people sustain injuries annually through being involved in a road traffic accident. This total is projected to increase by 65% over the next 20 years. Travellers visiting developing countries should be particularly attentive when crossing the road: the problem is serious here.
Poor street lighting, unfamiliar traffic regulations (most obviously cars driving on the other side of the road or different rules governing the traverse of a pedestrian crossing) besides downright woeful driving on the part of locals account for many accidents. Doing away with the distinction between that part of the roadway meant for walkers and that part intended for vehicles can only increase the numbers making claims on their travel insurance.
To cut down the risk of this happening, the traveller should firstly avoid drinking before getting behind the wheel. In South-East Asia this is widely tolerated but is as foolish here as anywhere else. Mopeds or motorbikes should only be driven by those qualified to drive them (often this is not the case) and helmets should be worn. In the event of an accident where these conditions have not been met, there may be complications involved in claiming from the travel insurance provider.
The market for cheap travel insurance is intensely competitive and should be researched properly before the trip in order to identify the most suitable package.
9.4.2007
Mark Lauterwein is a UK based writer. He is currently writing articles on a variety of subjects.
This is a brand new Kala Thin Line Travel Tenor that I received for Christmas. It is a huge upgrade from my cheap lanakai pineapple. The sound is deeper, and much louder. I put this video up as a sound sample for people who are interesting in purchasing the instrument, hope this helps in your decision.
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Britons Warned About Travel Insurance Mix-up
Britons Warned About Travel Insurance Mix-up
When we go on holiday we intend to switch off and forget the stresses of working life, the last thing we want to be doing is fretting over little things like travel insurance, passport issues and other details. Whilst it is a pain to have to plan out your trip and organize all the details travel insurance has proved to be a minefield where if you slip up once your cover will be blown.
One of the main stumbling point people have with regards to travel insurance is cover provided by your credit card supplier. Chances are if you’ve used your credit card abroad you may have received a call or a block on your card because it has been used in a foreign country, this is obviously a good security measure since credit card fraud is a big problem these days and it is a good sign that the credit card company are keeping a watchful eye over your spending.
But the problem people have been having is over the confusion whether travel insurance covers spending abroad. According to the UK trade association for payments, Apacs, the overseas credit card protection offered by the Consumer Credit Act is not travel insurance as some travellers have found that travelling without proper travel insurance can prove costly.
There are plenty more instances where you’ll need travel insurance whilst away on holiday, for instance if you are injured or need medical attention. Medical costs are the number one pay out that Travel insurers deal with, invariably it’s for people who are injured skiing or people who need repatriating or moving to more advanced hospitals.
The other main reason people have to claim on their insurance is that they have had to cancel their holiday due to emergencies or illness; holidaymakers stand to lose a lot of their money invested in their holiday if they cancel and travel insurance can help ease the blow of losing your week or two in the sun. In most cases this money goes towards hotels bookings and flight costs, something you don’t want to have to pay if you aren’t going on holiday.
Many companies offer cheap travel insurance in light of the rise in the frequency of holidays we take these days. Cheaper flights have provoked more people to travel more and so travel insurers have encouraged holiday makers to make sure their holidays go smoothly and cover themselves for all likely mishaps and expenses.
Andy Adams is an IT worker and experienced travel writer
Travel Insurance – Holiday Hangover
Travel Insurance – Holiday Hangover
âHang onâ those of you with a little more reserved character may be shouting at me. âDonât tar us all with the same brush; weâre not all like thatâ. This may be the case but Iâm sure there are still many out there who can admit to becoming a little tipsy whether a pre-conceived plan or not, whilst on holiday. Letâs concentrate on those who knowingly set out to have a little alcohol fuelled fun whilst on holiday.
The majority of us now realise what an important factor travel insurance can be and the costs that could be incurred without it. Do we also realise that by drinking excessively whilst on holiday we could void our policy? You may be one of the lucky oneâs who escape the scrutinisation of the insurer and receive a payout for treatment of the broken leg and 3 fractured ribs your received whilst drunkenly stumbling down the steps outside you holiday apartment. Unfortunately for some the insurance companies will find out the error of your ways and refuse to pay out on your claim.
In certain circumstances the insurers will be a little more watchful, especially if youâre attending a hen or stag party with a large group of the same sex. Of course the holiday insurance companies know you will want to let your hair down whilst abroad and do expect a certain amount of alcohol intake and merriment. The problem is drawing a line at a certain level which is easier said than done when socialising with a large group as peer pressure can be very hard to ignore. In a report released by the observer it was stated that 2 million Britons a year travel abroad for hen and stag parties. You can see how this figure could worry your insurer.
The wording on your policy can vary considerably from company to company and I would always advise that you read your documents carefully before travelling. The financial Ombudsman service has come to the rescue of many tourists refused an insurance payout after only consuming 1-2 drinks and falling foul of an accident. They state that unless an alcohol ban is worded clearly and strongly on the policy the insurer should pay out in this situation. Obviously if you have drunk excessively there is little this regulatory board can do.
As it stands it is very difficult for a travel insurance company to gauge how much alcohol you have consumed at the time of an accident without blood tests which usually will not have been taken. This doesnât mean you should disregard everything youâve just read in this article; it simply means you should be wary and drink within what you know to be your limit. The insurance industry is ever changing and a blood test to determine the level of alcohol in the bloodstream may become a standard procedure to rule out this cause of an accident.
Remember when looking for cheap travel insurance for your holiday; price isnât everything. Of course the more money you have in your pocket to spend on your holiday the better. Be sure to check the features you require are present on a prospective policy and donât settle for it just because the price is attractive.
Chris Rowlands is a UK based author with experience within the financial sector centering on insurances.
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