Travel Insurance

Direct Travel All-round Winners at Lovemoney.com's Annual Awards

2011-07-25T23:03:00.000-07:00

Travel Insurance Company, Direct Travel has taken first place for all possible travel insurance categories at Lovemoney.com's annual awards.

The competition, which takes place in May of each year, highlights the best in the business across different sectors of the finance, property and insurance industry.

The awards have a unique authenticity and are a reflection of real-life financial experiences. Voted for by those who have sampled the products, the awards have a reassuring perspective that distinguishes them from ceremonies led by a panel of judges on a board.

This year's voters - composed entirely of readers - gave verdicts on a range of credits cards, bank accounts and insurance policies.

Lovemoney.com is a website specialising in offering well informed advice for the property, finance and insurance markets. They offer a variety of helpful guides and articles, researched and written by industry experts and real-life readers.

The award-winning company, Direct Travel are thrilled to have been winners for all five of the awards. They picked up Best Value for Money, Most Straightforward, Good Service, Friend and Family and, Most Loved.

The company provide a wide range of travel insurance policies, from backpacker travel insurance to budget holiday insurance, in addition to standard annual and single travel insurance.

Direct Travel, whose aim it is to maintain consistently award-winning customer service, with premiums as low as possible, are delighted to have won with such a landslide.

A spokesperson from Direct Travel said;

"The Lovemoney.com awards are especially significant to us because of the nature of the ceremony itself. We continually aim to reassure and look after our customers, with travel insurance packages that cater for specific needs and requirements. Therefore, to be voted for by readers who have actually sampled our travel insurance packages- particularly in the case of Most Loved category - and feel we have treated them with excellent customer care,is incredibly rewarding for us as a company. It is also an insight into our approach to business: our customers come first."

Travel cover is not a luxury, it's essential

2011-07-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

With schools breaking up and the British summer proving to be a washout, now is the time when many of us are jetting off abroad.

But holidays can be dangerous; as soon as you arrive at your destination you can fall victim to an opportunist handbag thief or a speeding scooter rider. And that's assuming your travel plans aren't thwarted by bad weather, volcano eruptions, or an airline going bust.

Yet, despite the risks, a shocking one in five Brits still venture abroad without travel insurance, according to the travel association Abta. This means that if something goes wrong – if they fall ill, have an accident or have all their possessions stolen – they are on their own.

Abta's head of finance, Mike Monk, says: "It is very worrying that almost one in five travellers is going abroad without insurance and running the risk of substantial medical bills. Many believe incorrectly that the Foreign Office will pay their expenses.

"Also, well over half of UK holidaymakers are in danger of not being covered for cancellation charges due to illness or redundancy. In the current economic climate saving the cost of travel insurance could prove a very false economy."

The dangers are highlighted by the plight of a Kent couple who face a bill of £98,000 to fly home their son, who is in a coma after a motorbike accident in Indonesia, last month. He had no insurance and his parents have already spent £22,000 on medical bills.

There's certainly plenty of choice when it comes to buying travel insurance. If you book via a travel agent they are likely to try to sell you insurance as well. Alternatively, you can buy policies on internet comparison sites, or buy direct from an insurer or bank.

The main downside of buying travel insurance at the last minute is that any cancellation cover included in the policy will be virtually worthless. Most policies include cover which kicks in if you need to cancel your trip due to illness, a death in the family or redundancy. So it's a good idea to buy insurance around the same time you book your holiday, or else have an ongoing annual policy in place.

So, as well as cancellation cover, what else should you look for in a travel insurance policy? One of the most important things is medical expenses and repatriation cover. Medical bills can be eye-wateringly high in the US and Canada particularly, so, for this part of an insurance policy, experts recommend cover of about £2m.

A good travel policy will also include about £1,500 worth of baggage and personal possessions cover, but a lot of policies have limits much lower than this, so do check. Some expensive items such as cameras might need to be insured separately.

Other cover you should look for includes personal liability (in case you injure someone else), end-supplier failure (in case your airline or hotel goes bust) and terrorism cover. During the volcanic ash-cloud crisis some insurers made payouts to stranded customers while others didn't, so check the "travel disruption" cover.

Aviva, the insurer, offers travel disruption as an add-on and this covers strikes, cancellation due to Foreign Office warnings, pandemics, natural disasters, and airspace closure.

If you buy a package holiday, your agent or operator will probably try to sell you their own travel insurance for the trip. Although convenient, this is one of the most expensive coverage options and holidaymakers are better off shopping around elsewhere.

It's also worth checking if your current account offers travel insurance as a free perk. If so, check the small print to make sure it covers everything you need. Some of these policies are basic and may come with age limits that exclude older travellers. Others are surprisingly comprehensive. Nationwide, for example, offers free European travel insurance to Flex Account customers. The policy also covers some countries outside Europe, such as Egypt and Lebanon.

Otherwise, comparison sites such as Confused.com or Moneysupermarket.com are your best bet. These sites compare premiums, cover levels and excesses from mainstream insurers as well as from lesser-known online firms. You can usually click through and buy the policy online.

Policies can be purchased for single trips or as an annual multi-trip policy. If you go away a couple of times a year, an annual policy is best. As the table above shows, a family of four will pay about £28 to £32 to insure a 15-day trip to the US, but the same family can get a worldwide annual multi-trip policy from about £40.

But bear in mind that even with an annual policy, there is likely to be a maximum trip length of 30 days; so people going for an extended break or gap year need to shop around for a long-stay or backpacker policy.

If you're a skier, make sure that any annual or multi-trip policy covers winter sports. In addition, adrenaline junkies should check their policy before embarking on anything insurers might consider "dangerous".

Tom Bishop, head of travel insurance at Direct Line, says: "Most standard activities won't increase your premium, while others, such as bungee jumping, safaris, spear fishing or caving will add an additional fee to the standard cost of your insurance.

"At Direct Line, only a very small number of activities are completely banned from cover, so you can still take part and be insured as long as you advise us when you buy the policy. Some very dangerous activities such as base-jumping and storm-chasing are declined completely, meaning if you get injured while taking part you won't be covered at all.

"To make sure you're covered, tell your insurer about all of the activities you plan to do while you're on holiday, and they can advise on your options for cover."

As well as travel insurance, you'll also need to check your car insurance if you're taking your car to the Continent. Research by Moneysupermarket.com found that many providers will automatically downgrade a fully comprehensive policy to provide only the minimum level of cover required for the country you are driving in. For example, both Marks and Spencer and Endsleigh honour their fully comprehensive policies for 90 days of driving in Europe, but other insurers automatically downgrade policies to the minimum level.

Peter Harrison, a car insurance expert at moneysupermarket.com, says: "It's crucial that motorists study the small print of their policy, as their provider could automatically downgrade a fully comprehensive policy to either the minimum cover required for the country you are driving in or even third-party only.

"If you were unfortunate enough to have a crash while abroad and were only covered for third party, you could be left with a hefty bill."

Tickets? Check! Passport? Check! Travel Insurance? No?? Better read this then!

2010-06-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

When a natural disaster occurs, such as a Volcano erupting and spewing ash into the atmosphere causing flights to be delayed or cancelled, or a Tsunami or Earthquake that disrupts transportation, there are some travel insurance companies who would not provide you with any sort of cover to help you out in that situation. Things such as delayed flights, extra accommodation and re-booking tickets can be very expensive. If you are travelling on a budget, such extra expenses could cause major problems for you to get yourself and your family home safely. What if such a disaster occurs when you are actually en-route to your destination or home, and you are forced to stop and stay somewhere before re-commencing your journey? Would you want to pay for that when it is a situation far beyond your control? There are travel insurance au companies that would provide you with some cover if you were to be affected by a natural disaster.

Travel insurance is a necessity when you are traveling away from home, either domestically or internationally, going on an annual holiday, or traveling many times a year. There are so many things that can occur when you are overseas, and travel insurance can help you in many ways, to re-gain expenses you shouldn’t have to worry about.

Insurance travel is the smartest way to go, because you never know what is going to happen. You insure your car, you insure your home, so why not insure yourself and your belongings when you are away from home? If your wallet was stolen and your credit cards were used by someone else, would you want to wear that expense? If your passport was stolen and you had to pay, sometimes a lot of money to get a replacement outside of Australia, would you want to pay for that?

Imagine if a family member were to fall ill or pass away when you were on holiday. Last minute flights can be expensive and without travel insurance, you would have to deal with the extra expense that brings, while knowing you wouldn’t be reimbursed for it. Cancellation fees or fees to change flights or accommodation can be very costly, and knowing you will re-coup those expenses can go a long way to providing peace of mind when travelling.

Medical expenses in a foreign country can mount up very quickly, so safeguarding yourself with travel insurance au can ease your concerns about seeking medical assistance in another country. Knowing you can get the medical attention you or a family member needs should an accident or illness occur, means you can travel with confidence and enjoy your holiday.

Most travel insurance companies offer varying levels of cover, to suit many different budgets and needs. One off cover, or ongoing cover for a year can be an option. Full cover including loss, theft, damage, delays, medical expenses and much much more can be made available, as well as the most basic cover to help you with medical costs. Why take the risk of traveling without travel insurance when it is so easy to obtain? Get a quote and be surprised!

Travel Cancellation Insurance Can Save You Both Time and Money

2010-05-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular types of travel insurance is travel cancellation insurance. With the cost of airfare, cruise packages and other types of travel that is not surprising. When you purchase travel cancellation insurance you are taking steps to ensure that no matter what causes your trip to fall through or be delayed, you will not be left holding the financial bag. This is especially important today as all types of travel carriers have become more and more inflexible when it comes to cancellations. If you are protected by travel cancellation insurance you don’t need to worry that illness or some other unexpected circumstance will cause you to lose thousands.

You have several options when it comes to purchasing travel cancellation insurance. You can select a specialized policy that is designed to cover cancellations only or you can opt for a more full featured policy that will include other features of travel insurance such as medical coverage. In fact, many travel medical insurance policies will include provisions for travel cancellation insurance. If you are traveling overseas medical coverage is extremely important.

Most trip insurance that is designed to protect travelers against trip cancellation will also cover trip delays, lost baggage, and other minor emergencies. Should you need medical coverage, you will need to purchase a more comprehensive policy. Of course, the more coverage you have the more costly the policy but you can find very affordable trip cancellation insurance that will suit whatever type of travel you have in mind.

So what should you look for when your primary concern is travel insurance cancellation policies? You want to make sure that your policy covers the type of travel that you are likely to take. In other words, will your travel be overseas or domestic? Do you need insurance for just one trip or does it make more sense for you to purchase a travel cancellation insurance policy that is good for an annual period? If you travel frequently a multi trip policy can make good financial sense.

When you are ready to start shopping for your travel cancellation insurance you can visit an insurance broker or you can search online. Many people find that the Internet is the more convenient option since you can gather quotes and purchase your policy directly from the comfort of your own home. A quick search will uncover a wide selection of companies and websites that offer information on various policies. In most cases you can conduct your research and purchase your policy directly online.

Once you have purchased your travel insurance flight cancellation or other transportation cancellation insurance you’ll be able to enjoy your trip preparations without worry. With the right policy you will know that regardless of whether your trip is interrupted before you go or while you are on your trip you are protected.

Is Working With a Travel Insurance Broker Right for You?

2010-05-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

In a world dominated by Internet activity we often forget that there are specialists out there that can provide us with services that we just can’t get when we are home alone and searching online. This is certainly the case for travel insurance brokers. Travel insurance brokers act as an intermediary between the policy buyer and the insurance company providing the travel insurance. But is working with a travel insurance broker right for you?

It is the travel insurance brokers’ job to know which companies are the best and what the details of the policies offered are. They are trained to know the right questions to ask in order to steer us to the travel insurance policy that will work best for us. The broker can help us to evaluate our options and make the right decision on a particular policy. A travel insurance broker can also handle the claims for you should you need to file. They have access to information on how to best process the paperwork and a good experienced broker knows how the system works and how to use it to maximum advantage.

In many cases working with a broker will provide you with some degree of protection of financial loss should something go wrong during the claims process. This, of course, assumes that the broker you are working with is on the up and up. Be sure that you know who the broker is before committing any money to him or her. It is easy to become the victim of fraud and this does happened more often than many people would like to admit.

So what is the downside to using a travel insurance broker? Aside from the possibility of working with someone who is less than scrupulous, the first drawback is cost. Travel insurance brokers are in this to make money. That means that coverage purchased through a broker will likely be more expensive than that purchased online or direct. You can receive good value for the extra fee so if you feel you need the added service of a middle man then a travel insurance broker may be right for you. If you are looking for rock bottom prices then chances are going for travel insurance direct or travel insurance online will work better for you.

You can always turn to a company that offers travel insurance direct online too. Buying direct normally ensures that you pay as little as possible and at the same time getting a good policy and good customer service. For many buyers, buying travel insurance from a direct provider is the best of all possible worlds. You cut out the middle man and consequently keep costs low yet you have professionals standing behind their sales.

So how do you decide if working with a travel insurance broker is right for you? If you prefer high touch to high tech then you should consider turning to a broker for your insurance needs. Just be prepared to pay more. If, on the other hand, you are relatively self-sufficient and are willing to do your homework, then you are probably a good candidate to be a do it yourselfer. If you decide to go it on your own, be sure to visit with direct online providers. You are sure to find just what you need this way.

Make Sure You Do A Thorough Travel Insurance Comparison in Order To Get the Best Deal

2010-05-02T21:31:00.000-07:00

When you invest in any type of important purchase chances are you do some comparison shopping. It’s no different when you purchase travel insurance. Before you put down the money you need to do some travel insurance comparison shopping? This will not only save you some money but it will ensure that you are getting the right policy for your specific needs.

When you get ready to do your travel insurance comparison take a few minutes to be sure you know what you are looking for. In other words, think about the type of travel insurance you need. There are many different types of policies and what you need will determine how much your coverage will cost. For example, do you need insurance to cover a single trip or would it make more sense for you to buy a policy that covers multi trips over an annual time period? If you need coverage for more than one trip be sure that you are doing an annual travel insurance comparison. Do you need insurance that will cover you in your own country or will you be traveling abroad? If you will be staying close to home, do a travel insurance comparison Australia. Are you doing holiday travel or business travel? You get the point.

Once you know what type of travel insurance you are interested in you can begin to compare policies. A great place to start is with an online travel insurance comparison. You’ll quickly see that there is lots of information available. Not only will you find individual companies with pages that will allow you to get specific quotes but you’ll find industry portals such as specific travel insurance comparison websites that will allow you to search multiple companies at the same time.

Armed with quotes in hand you can now begin to examine the fine print. Individual policies can vary widely so you want to be sure that you are comparing the same types of policies with the same features. Pay particular attention to the medical coverage. If you are traveling overseas you will need to make sure that the policies include in-hospital care as well as the cost to be brought home. Some policies will cover the cost to have a companion travel with you while others exclude this expense. If you will be taking part in adventure sports you want to be sure that the policies cover these types of activities.

As far as specific pricing goes, before looking at the bottom line price, take care to understand exactly what each policy is offering. While it is very possible to get great cheap travel insurance, keep in mind the words “if it seems too good to be true it probably is.” That is not to say that you should pay more than you have to, but just a word to the wise. When you do your cheap travel insurance comparison be sure you know what you are buying.

Conducting a thorough travel insurance comparison is well worth you time. With just a little study you can be sure that you are getting exactly the coverage you need at a price you can afford. Not only that, you’ll wind up with a good policy that enables you to travel worry free. What could be better than that?

Backpacking Travel Insurance Allows You to Have an Adventure Without Taking Unnecessary Risk

2010-04-23T02:32:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats a backpacking trip to fulfill the sense of adventure. You get to see the great wide open from a unique perspective, up close and personal. Yes, back packers are a special breed. They like to travel on the cheap and don’t mind taking a risk or two during their holiday. Of course, you can take this too far as well. If you decide to forgo a sensible backpacking travel insurance policy then perhaps you are a bit fool hardy as well as adventuresome. Yes, it’s extremely tempting to skip the added vacation expense of backpackers travel insurance but when you consider just how inexpensive it can be it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

When you purchase backpacking travel insurance you are hedging your bets by removing a good deal of the risk out of foot travel. When you have backpacking travel insurance you are making sure that should the unthinkable happen and you take ill or fall victim to an accident you won’t suffer extreme financial consequences. This is particularly the case if you are traveling overseas. Even if you have your own personal medical insurance plan, the chances are this policy will not cover you if you are out of the country. Depending on to which country you are traveling, even a brief stay in the hospital can be quite costly. Imagine now that you have to be airlifted home. A trip like that can end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars.

So you are convinced now that you need travel insurance for backpacking. What’s the next step? Well the first thing to do is to figure out where you will be going. If you are traveling domestically then perhaps your personal health policy will cover problems that arise. You definitely want to check out this provision of your health policy. You also need to decide if it makes sense to buy a policy that covers this one particular trip or if it would be more economical to purchase an annual multi-trip policy. This type of policy will be in force for all the trips you take within a particular time period, usually one year.

If you are traveling overseas then buying backpacking travel insurance is a must. Luckily it is also very easy. All you need to do is to conduct a quick Internet search. You’ll quickly see that you have a lot of choices. Once you have a number of quotes for cheap backpacking travel insurance and you are ready to do your comparison. Look hard at the medical coverage to make sure that it will cover the activities you think you might be engaged. Some policies exclude sports such as SCUBA diving that are considered to be too high risk. Winter sports are another area that may be excluded. You shouldn’t have a problem finding a policy that covers these activities but you do want to make sure that you don’t sign on the dotted line before checking exactly what is included.

While you’ve no doubt already peeked at the pricing, it’s a good idea to leave the price comparison until after you have a handful of policies that will cover all the things you really need. Sometimes the lowest price does not mean the best value.

Once you have gathered your cheap backpacking travel insurance quotes, compared the features and pricing you are ready to make your purchase. You can do that right online as well. Once everything is taken care of you can get back to the business of having fun and setting off on your adventure. The key thing is you now know that you’ll be covered if anything goes wrong.

You Can Get Travel Insurance Pre Existing Medical Conditions at a Reasonable Price

2010-04-14T21:29:00.002-07:00

You may be under the impression that if you have a pre-existing medical condition then you will not be covered if you purchase travel medical insurance. Luckily, this is not always the case. You can find a travel insurance pre existing medical conditions policy that will cover conditions for which you are being treated. Of course, the precise group of medical conditions that may be covered will vary from policy to policy. So you need to do a little research to make sure that your particular condition is covered.

First of all, let’s define pre existing medical conditions as they apply to travel insurance. A pre existing medical condition is simply an ongoing health condition or dental condition that you know about and has been discussed with your doctor. This may include conditions for which you are taking medication or have had surgery. Pregnancy is normally considered a pre existing condition. In most cases you will be required to complete a detailed medical history that defines the conditions for which you need to be covered. If you are applying for travel insurance pre existing medical conditions online you will probably find out immediately if your condition is covered.

Certain medical conditions will require that you pay an additional fee in order to obtain coverage. There are, however, many conditions that are covered that require no additional fees. This would include some of the more benign medical conditions such as gastritis and asthma. Where a condition may be a bit more serious, you may be able to purchase travel insurance pre existing medical conditions for some extra fees. It will all depend on your particular situation. Of course you will probably not find any insurance carriers that will cover terminal diseases or other fatal conditions. With a little research you will quickly find out if your medical condition will be excluded.

Older travelers, those 81 years and older, will find that many insurance policies have special requirements. That is not to say that pre existing conditions will not be covered but you may find restrictions are a little stronger and there will certainly be additional paperwork required and perhaps a little higher cost.

It may seem at first glance that it isn’t even worth investigating travel insurance pre existing medical conditions because it will be too costly and too difficult to find coverage. This is not that case at all. You can find insurance that covers most conditions that is very reasonably priced. You certainly don’t want to take the chance that you will be traveling overseas and fall ill only to find that you cannot afford to travel home. Having travel insurance pre existing medical conditions can take this worry off your mind.

No matter what your medical situation, if you are planning to travel you need to investigate the possibility of securing travel insurance pre existing medical conditions. It just isn’t worth taking the chance of traveling without it since having travel insurance that covers your medical situations can mean the difference between getting home to take care of your health and suffering extreme financial consequences.

Take Time to Conduct a Travel Insurance Review Before You Purchase a Policy

2010-04-14T21:29:00.001-07:00

Regardless of the type of travel that you have planned, you owe it to yourself and your family to do a good comprehensive travel insurance review. This will ensure that you are getting the type of travel insurance policy you need and the travel insurance company that is writing your policy will stand behind your claim if you should have one.

So how do you get started in doing a travel insurance review? A logical first step is to do an Internet search to find out information on the types of policies that are available to you. You should have a good idea of the type of insurance you need before going online so give some thought to the type of travel you will be doing and what your needs will be. For example, if you are traveling overseas you need to make sure that your travel insurance review takes a good hard look at the coverage being offered for medical situations. Look hard at coverage for medical evacuation since being returned home in the case of an accident or illness can be extremely costly.

If you will be traveling for business you need to be sure that your policy includes this type of trip. Some business policies specifically exclude vacation excursions so take a close look. If you will be taking part in dangerous activities such as adventure sports you will want to consider how your policy handles these types of activities.

Other items you should include in your travel insurance review are what type of coverage is included for lost or stolen items, trip interruption, and trip cancellation. There can be much variation in how specific policies handle these situations.

Of course any travel insurance review will include taking a look at prices. Your temptation will be to immediately jump to the travel insurance policy that has the lowest price. Be careful here. The lowest price may not mean the best value. Your best strategy in conducting any insurance review is to take policies that have similar features and make sure you are comparing the prices for similar policies. Be sure you take advantage of any discounts to which you might be entitled. A travel insurance company may offer a discount based on your age, gender or other factors. Often a discount may make a higher priced travel insurance policy with all the features very price competitive.

In order to make your travel insurance review complete you should take a look at the companies offering the policies you are interested in. You want to make sure that that these companies are financially sound and that they have a history of treating their customers fairly. Your travel insurance policy isn’t much good if the travel insurance company won’t stand behind the claims.
Conducting a thorough travel insurance review is not difficult. It may take you a little time but every minute will be worth it. Not only can you save money but you can get added coverage and rest assured that the company offering the policy will be there if you need them

World Travel Insurance Can Help You Travel the Globe Safely

2010-04-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

When you decide to travel outside the country whether for business or for pleasure, one of the first things you need to investigate is how to purchase world travel insurance. Of course, you should never travel without insurance but when you are leaving your home country having travel insurance that will cover you while you are overseas is critical. World travel insurance will cover all the standard situations that may disrupt your trip—lost or stolen baggage, delays and cancellations, and other inconveniences. As important as these are, the most important element of world wide travel insurance is medical coverage.

Even if you have your own personal health policy, you may not be covered while you are overseas. That means that should the unthinkable happen and you fall ill or have an accident, what ever expenses you incur will have to come out of your own pocket. For minor emergencies this may not be a big deal but should you need to be evacuated back to your own country, the cost can be in the tens of thousands or more. World travel insurance can remove this worry by covering you while you are away. Many policies will not only cover your in-hospital expenses but pay to have you brought back home. The most comprehensive policies will also cover the cost to have a companion travel back with you.

Needless to say, when you begin to compare the different world wide travel insurance policies available to you, you need to take a very long look at the medical coverage. True, not all problems are big problems when it comes to health situations. While you may be able to cover the cost of small problems it can still set you back financially. Even the smallest problem can make the small investment made in world travel insurance well worth it.

As you begin your search for actual policies, think about what type of insurance makes the most sense for you. Will you be taking just one trip or would it make more sense to buy a policy that covers all trips for an annual period? The type of travel you do can make a big difference to the cost of your world travel insurance. If you travel frequently, you can save a considerable amount of both time and money by purchasing a policy that is good for a specified time period rather than buying individual policies for each of your trips.
So now you know what you need and you are ready to shop. You have two options. You can turn to an insurance broker or you can go online and search for global travel insurance. Most people prefer the convenience of in-home shopping and the Internet will give you a good comprehensive set of policies to choose from. You will find individual travel insurance companies with websites that allow you to gather price quotes as well as portal sites that will provide you with quotes from a variety of companies. You can then compare the actual policies in order to select the one that presents you with the best value. When it is all said and done, you will have a good global travel insurance policy and you can set off on your travel worry free.