It is advised to get your travel insurance ASAB, as soon as you have booked.
Issues can arise and they can happen anytime. If you have booked your holiday now (or in advance) and something happens that means that you are unable to travel, you might not be able to get a refund. Buying your insurance straight away after you have booked flights, hotels and other trips mean that you have more security over your deposits and payments.
Travel insurance covers you against any cost or losses if something should go wrong while you are on your holiday. Especially when travelling abroad, travel insurance helps you if your plans are disrupted or your accommodation gets cancelled but is essential in an event of injury or your possessions are stolen, lost or damaged while travelling.
When to buy your travel insurance?
As soon as you have booked your holiday, book your travel insurance. Things can always happen before your holiday has even begun, meaning that you might have to cancel your trip.
There is the possibility that you might be injured or fall ill and are unable to travel, you might be forced to cancel your trip due to issues at home or financial issues too. If anything happens, your insurance could possibly cover some or all of the cost of the holiday.
Some further reasons to purchase your travel insurance after booking your holiday;
Pre-existing medical condition
If you have an already pre-existing medical condition, travel insurance is essential, including cancellation cover. There is always the possibility of a last-minute medical emergency and travel cover with cancellation cover means that you won’t lose out on any money that you have already spent. When buying travel insurance, it is important that you declare all of your medical conditions. This will help make any process easier for recovering the costs.
Flight cancellations and delays
Flights can be cancelled or badly delayed, delays are usually over a certain period of time (best to check with your insurers and the airline). The EU states that it is the airlines responsibility to provide consumers with alternative transport or to issue a refund. For UK and EU travellers this means that if the airline does not offer you alternative means of transport or if there is an extended delay, your policy may allow you to abandon the trip and claim back the cost (from the home departure on the day the holiday starts).
Travel insurance can also cover the other costs that are incurred by cancellations and delays, like any pre-paid/ unused accommodation, any travel tickets (trains, bus) car hire. These can be covered by insurance. But please make sure that you check the limits that are stated in your policy as these additional costs can add up.
A delayed departure
You may be covered for issues that will cause a delay, such as a strike, industrial action, adverse weather conditions, mechanical issues like breakdowns, or a technical fault on your mode of transport, your policy can cover you (again up to the limits stated in the policy).
Please note, not all travel insurance policies include these aspects of cancellation cover as standard.
When purchasing your travel insurance, it is a very good idea to make sure that the policy that you are buying has all the cover that you want. Obviously, the more cover you have, the more expensive the policy will be. The level of cancellation cover you need of course depends on the cost and type of holiday you’re taking, most insurers will be able to change the level of cover.
General travel insurance cover
As mentioned before, the level of differs and you should always check your policy to make sure that you are covered for everything that you need.
Must-Have Features
Possessions: When an item or items are stolen or lost (and in some cases damaged) like your luggage, important documents and cash (that is usually up to a certain amount)
There are usually separate limits for single articles, valuables and baggage delay. You will need to report all losses within certain time periods and get a written report from your airline if they lose your baggage.
Medical: Travel insurance will usually cover medical emergency treatments. (Please ensure that you declare any pre-existing conditions, as you are unlikely to be covered for any treatment relating to the pre-existing condition. Any medical treatment that can wait until you return home, usually won’t be covered.
Holiday disruptions: Most insurance policies will cover disruptions to travel/ your holiday. Again, this will be different depending on the level of insurance that you have. You might get reimbursements for delayed/ cancelled flights, missed departures, disruption to accommodation, unused accommodation and involuntary abandonment caused by situations that are outside of your control (broken down car, strikes, incidents).
Legal: Travel insurance can pay for legal fees, such as accidents that were not your fault. Possibly an insurer will pick up the cost for any personal liability. this covers you if you are liable to pay damages due to accidental bodily injury to someone or for loss or damage to someone’s property.
Should-Have Features
Dental: Providing the cost of emergency dental treatment while you are away. Usually, policies will only provide the cover for immediate relief of pain.
Money: Replaces money that is lost or stolen (like travellers’ cheques and pre-paid tickets). There will be certain features in place before you can claim, for example, reporting theft to the police within 24 hours. Cash usually has a minimal amount limit.
Terrorism: Policy covers medical costs and losses and damage to bags. Some insurers will only cover certain things in the event of terrorism, like medical, but does not include damage to luggage.
Lost Passport: Provides cover toward any additional travel and accommodation expenses which are the result of needing to replace a lost passport (Receipts for additional expenses are important as you might not be covered if you do not keep them).
Could-Have Features
Scheduled airline failure: Cover in the event of the airline going out of business. If you are able to get a refund, the insurance company will not cover you.
Adventurous activities: covering for skiing, snowboarding etc. There will be certain winter sports that will not be covered. Off-piste is usually not covered (unless with guiding or part of the package). Climbing, shark cage diving and white-water rafting may not be automatically insured, but you may be able to take out extra cover
Expensive items: Cameras, laptops, designer clothes, sports and music equipment are often not included in travel policies. If there are items that you are taking, you will need to have additional cover, as most insurers will have a maximum price for individual items.
Be careful of exclusions
Be aware of what is excluded from your policy and if there are any situations that will invalidate your insurance. These vary from insurer to insurer, but the most common are;
Unattended belongings: If your baggage has been left without proper protection or is left unattended. If you do use baggage stores, keep hold of the receipts as proof.
Undeclared medical conditions: If you become ill on holiday with a medical condition that you knew you had before going on the trip and you did not declare it, the insurer will not cover the cost of treatment. Best to be honest and declare.
Adventurous activities: If you are planning on doing sports that could mean injury (usually extreme sports like skiing, white water rafting, climbing) and you haven’t told your insurer, this could invalidate your policy and medical treatment will not be covered.
Reckless behaviour: If you injure yourself or lose something while under the influence of alcohol or/ and drugs or behaving recklessly.
Travel recommendations: If your government has advised against travelling to certain places, due to a heightened risk of terror or natural disaster.
Not enjoying the holiday: If you want to come home/ cut the holiday short because you are not enjoying your trip.
Financial Protection with The Grand Tour Europe
The Grand Tour Financial Protection
The Grand Tour Europe is a member of The Travel Vault and the itinerary booking(multiday tours) will be financially protected. This means in the case of insolvency before your holiday, you are entitled to claim for a refund. If you are already abroad and insolvency happens then you will either be repatriated or able to claim for any out-of-pocket expenses.
You are covered for your initial deposit through to paying the full balance of a booking.
Cancellation Policy for The Grand Tour Europe
For Cancellations communicated within 60 days before beginning of service a 10% penalty will apply; – For Cancellations communicated between 30 days and 7 days before beginning of service a 30% penalty will apply; – For Cancellations communicated between 7 days and 72 hours before beginning of service a 50% penalty will apply; – For Cancellations communicated less than 72 hours before beginning of service a 100% penalty will apply; – No Show 100% penalty.
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