Travel insurance claims

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Read the travel insurance policy details and the small print. In particular look out for details on
Excesses - Most minor claims, such as going to see a doctor on holiday will cost less than the excess and so cannot be claimed for. Also some travel insurance policies have an excess per item claimed for so that could be £50 or £100 per camcorder, camera lost or even money lost.

Expensive items - Some travel insurance policies state a maximum value that any item can cost. So avoid taking the real Rolex to the Thursday market in Benidorm as if you lose it you made need that fake.

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Maximum cover - Especially for personal liability (e.g. if you damage someone's property or hurt or kill somebody through an accident) or medical cover. Medical bills can be enormous, especially if you suffer a serious accident and need to be flown home by special charter and especially in the US.
Exclusions - E.g. Will you be covered if you didn't tell them about that minor heart murmur?
Get an E111 filled out (available from the Post Office) if you are traveling to an EU country as this enable you to receive health care as if you were a member of that country (not always a good thing though!)

Be honest to your Travel Insurer

Tell the travel insurance provider about any 'risks' you may encounter when going on holiday. E.g. potentially dangerous sports such as jet skiing or horse riding. Being up front at this stage means they can't (as easily) turn round and point out some exclusion cause when you make a claim.

Travel Insurance Documentation

The small print in the travel insurance policy documents is something we know we should read but can't be bothered, which usually is fine except you ought to have the documents with you on holiday in case you need to make a claim. They will tell you what to do and who to contact if you are ill or have something stolen.

Itemise Expenses

One of the most common travel insurance frauds is to claim for that expensive camera or camcorder that was lost or broken on holiday. Having some proof that you owned the item and pre-warning them that it's going on holiday should make things easier.

Use common sense on holiday

Insurers take a dim view on you trying to claim that the bag full of money that was taken from your sun lounger whilst you were away from it having lunch. That's unreasonable duty of care as the Financial Ombudsman Service says. Having some young lad grab your bag and run off with it is a more likely scenario in which they would take a positive attitude. Bottom line is keep your valuables in a safe if possible and don't be stupid.

Report all Stolen Items

If something is stolen make sure you report it there and then to the relevant authorities e.g. hotel manager, travel representative, airport baggage handlers and get some form of receipt or incident report number as proof. If it says so on your tarvel insurance policy report it to the claims hotline immediately.

Making the Insurance Claim

Be meticulous. Read the travel insurance policy very carefully and follow it to the letter. Send copies of any incident reports or receipts (and if the require the originals ensure that they are sent using some form of recorded delivery). You may find you spend your next few weeks on the phone to them. Keep a record of whom you spoke to, for how long and what about.

When do I worry?

Apart from if your claim has been rejected the travel insurance company has up to 8 weeks to deal with your claim. In most cases that will be OK. If you are not happy with the verdict then appeal to first the travel insurer. If you cant agree then you can ask for a letter of deadlock and appeal to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You have 6 months from the letter of deadlock to make the appeal.

Travel Insurance Summary

• Check the policy before you buy
• Be up front and honest about yourself
• Take the policy with you
• Itemize expensive items
• Keep valuables safe - don't be silly
• Report any issues immediately
• Send a thorough claim report
• Make notes on all correspondence

Making a Travel Insurance Claim

by Jon Pearson