Right after securing a dog-sitter and having your mail collected, travel insurance for family holidays is one of the most important things you should organise before you go away. No matter where you are heading, or for how long, if you are leaving your home country, a good policy should be considered an essential purchase.
Here is a guide to the process for finding one that is appropriate for you and your family.
Why Is It So Important?
Back in your home country, you are probably used to a level of healthcare either provided privately or by the state. When you go abroad, the situation may be very different. For example, if you live in the UK, your healthcare is covered on the NHS. However, when you travel to another country, you may have to pay for your own healthcare, and this can be very costly. That means if you break your arm while on holiday, you could end up with a bill of thousands of euros. Even relatively minor problems can cost a lot of money.
Even if you have the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), this only covers you for the same level of care as a national of that country would receive from the state. This may be inferior to the standard of care you are used to. In addition, the EHIC does not cover repatriation costs should you need to be transported home.
These are some of the key benefits of travel insurance for family holidays, all without even mentioning the other factors that may be covered such as cancellation costs, lost property, delayed flights and more.
So, how should you go about choosing your policy?
1. Find a Recommended Provider
Always start by looking for a provider that comes recommended. You can do this by looking for reviews online or by using a company that a friend or relative recommends to you.
2. Consider the Various Types
Look at the different types of travel insurance for family holidays provided and decide which is the best option for you. For example, you can often choose between single-trip and multi-trip, and there may also be a special family cover option.
3. Enquire About Any Extras
Always find out about the extras that you may need to get covered by paying an additional premium. For example, this is often the case for winter sports and other activities.
4. Decide Which Level of Cover You Require
You may also be presented with a range of cover options, such as medical cover only, or medical cover with cancellation cover. You should always get medical cover, but consider the extras that are available and decide whether you really need them or not.
5. Ask Any Questions
Finally, make sure everything is covered that you can think of and ask any questions if you need to. Never take any risks by assuming that something is covered, and always ask if you have even the smallest doubts.
Travel insurance for family holidays abroad is something that you should seriously consider a necessity. Of course, everyone hopes nothing will go wrong, but it is good to know that you have protection in place should anything go awry.
Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of Insuremore. We provide low cost travel insurance for family groups as well as annual, multi-trip and single-trip insurance. For all your travel cover needs, Insuremore can help you in the quickest and most cost-efficient way.
