How to Check your Cover

1.4 million of us make a claim on our travel insurance every year, but just 35 per cent are paid in full. Find out why…

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On holiday, as in every other part of life, things go wrong and accidents happen. While many people do have travel insurance, when they come to make a claim it turns out that they’re not as well covered as they thought.

Research by Sainsbury’s Bank found that one in three holidaymakers experience some sort of disaster while on holiday. 11% said they needed medical treatment, 8% had their luggage lost, 6% had to cancel or cut short their breaks due to unforeseen circumstances and 5% had money stolen.

Who didn’t get their money back?

The Sainsbury’s research discovered that only 35 per cent of those who made a claim on their travel insurance had all the losses they were claiming for refunded. 11% of claims were only partly paid, while 7% were rejected. More worryingly, 18% of those questioned admitted they had no insurance at all.

Why are claims rejected?

In a nutshell, most claims are rejected because the cover purchased doesn’t cover the losses that are being claimed. Cover provided by credit cards, for example, can be insufficient if you lose a high amount of money or your passport.

Before you go, you need to check you are covered for:

A suitable amount that reflects how much cash you are taking
Enough medical cover in case of an accident
Any potentially hazardous activities, such as mountain biking or diving, you plan to pursue
Curtailment or cancellation of your holiday in the event of an emergency
Older people, those travelling with children and people who have a medical condition should also check carefully what their policy covers them for.

Don't forget to keep any receipts in case you need to make a claim. Your insurer will ask to see them.

As always, shop around for the cheapest but also the most comprehensive cover available for your needs. Unfortunately not having enough cover can sometimes turn out to be almost as bad as not having any.

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