En Voyage_Issue#14_Flickbook

Business
DON'T LET YOUR
TRAVEL INSURANCE
LET YOU DOWN
OLIVER GOATER,
NETWORK INSURANCE,
DISCUSSES THE POSSIBLE PITFALLS WHEN
IT COMES TO TRAVEL INSURANCE TO
ENSURE YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DOESN'T
TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE.
In today's ever-changing
world there are now more
ways than ever to book a short
break, holiday or even a roundthe-world
trip of a lifetime.
For many, holidays are booked
in advance and are eagerly
looked forward to, counting
down the days until the last
frantic day at work. Of course,
we think of the holiday as a
time for relaxation, with good
food and drink and quality time
with family or friends. But what
if something goes wrong?
A comprehensive travel
insurance policy is invaluable and
is an essential part of preparing
for your trip. If you are uninsured,
you (or your family) are personally
liable for covering any medical
or other costs resulting from
unexpected incidents or accidents.
If you can't afford travel insurance,
you can't afford to travel.
Different types of travellers need
different types of insurance advice,
so with this in mind, it is important
that you source insurance cover
that meets your requirements.
There are thousands of different
products available on the market
via multiple sources, which
can make the choice difficult.
The worrying fact is that most
consumers purchase an insurance
policy based solely on price, rather
than ensuring a policy meets their
requirements and would cover
them if the worst happened.
In today’s society, many people
prefer to source insurance
products via the web as they are
able to do this in their own time
and feel they have access to a
wider range of products. A large
number will use comparison
websites as these appear to
provide a number of options at
competitive prices. However, these
sites do not compare products on
a like-for-like basis and are price
driven to capture the consumer’s
attention. As they say, the devil
is in the detail, and the Key Facts
documents and fine print should
always be read thoroughly before
deciding to purchase a policy.
Our advice: be wary of
comparison websites as the
cheapest policy is not always the
best policy.
Other travellers may rely upon
the travel insurance provided by
their credit card. These policies
are in essence provided with bank
accounts and are not tailored
products offered by an insurance
professional. Customers should
always read the policy wording
to ensure this actually meets
your requirements. If you are
going to rely upon the insurance,
a good tip before travelling is
to obtain written confirmation
that you're covered and ensure
that you have the details of the
policy clearly outlined in writing.
One of the safest ways to
ensure you have the correct
cover is talking to an independent
insurance broker like Network
Insurance. This can mean the
difference between being left
with a large medical bill and
stranded in a foreign country,
to receiving first-class treatment
and being repatriated home,
at no additional cost to you.
The other key benefit to
choosing a broker, like Network,
is that we provide a free claims
service with experienced claims
handlers to support your claim
from start to finish. You are our
client, not the insurers, so we
will do all we can to help you,
and ultimately hope to get your
claim settled. One of the pitfalls of
going direct to an insurer or using
a comparison website is that you
have no support to assist you in
submitting the claim (which can
be a lengthy and difficult process)
and nowhere to turn to should
the insurer decline your claim.
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