Travel insurance?
In readiness for our trip to Holland I have been trawling the various online providers for travel insurance. Saga at the moment is offering the best price and then I came across this one, Medicaltravelcompared. Prices looked attractive until I noticed
the names, not one did I recognise....
'Makesure'
'Holidayrisk'
'Just travel cover'
'Puffin insurance'
'Holidayextras'
'G getgoing'
All had 0844 call centre numbers.
Am I being over cautious in thinking that I will go with SAGA.
Comments
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If you're going to use Comparison sites then best to stick to the well known ones. I've never heard of MedicalTravelCompared, and would use CompareTheMarket, or GoCompare, or MoneySupermarket.
We've been insured with an on-line insurance for years - but still get other quotes to compare each year it's due for renewal, but always using the well-known comparison sites.
As far as Saga is concerned, I'm hope they offer competitive prices!! You may have recently read the absolutely scandal of Age Concern, who were charging higher prices for travel insurance/electricity and various other products than they could be bought direct from the companies actually providing them!
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Have you looked to see if you can get travel insurance with your bank account. Most banks seem to do it at a very competitive cost. There is of course Red Pennant through the Club - excellent but expensive. Never heard of any of the companies you list!
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Whilst there are many different suppliers of insurances, there does seem to be, in the tiny print: "Underwritten by" and there seems to be relatively fewer of these big names. Even CC are "underwritten by" several of these other names of which I have never heard.
I'm unsure of the potential problems for us if any/all firms go bust? Does the underwriting still stand as, presumably the underwriters have been paid? Hopefully our ever watchful regulators at the FSCS scheme will assist us in that event?
Anyway, probably far too much to worry about if you have the time!
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I don't go on 'compare' sites, I don't really care if one is cheaper than the other, I always choose Red Pennant because it covers every angle. I can go on holiday and just enjoy it knowing its all covered if something goes wrong.
Yes it is more expensive than some but it really does cover all eventualities.
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Whilst Red Pennant is undoubtedly the Gold Standard, some people aren't able to use it. We can't, any longer, because we store our caravan in France. For us there is no alternative but to look elsewhere for cover for both travel insurance and breakdowns. However, the advantage is that our annual travel insurance policy covers all types of trips - including caravan holidays but also flying/cruising/etc.
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Some people's overseas travel is just by caravan / motorhome and just in Europe - and Club insurance caters for that.
But some people go further afield, by air or on cruises as well, and an annual world wide travel insurance meets their needs rather better.
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Some people's overseas travel is just by caravan / motorhome and just in Europe - and Club insurance caters for that.
But some people go further afield, by air or on cruises as well, and an annual world wide travel insurance meets their needs rather better.
Not from my experience, but I suspect it is medical conditions that make the real difference. We have booked a nine day cruise for later in the year. The cheapest travel insurance I could get was £75, most were nearer the £100 mark and more. Last years using RP, with the same nedical conditions, cost £160 for 31 day including breakdown insurance. So working on that basis RP is pretty good value. Even our "free" Building Society insurance wanted £250 to provide 31 day multi trip cover.
David
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Yes, David, but that's only for your caravanning trips. If you wanted to fly to Thailand, or Madeira, or drive (solo) down to Spain for the winter, or Norway to see the Northern Lights, then your Red Pennant wouldn't cover you - so you'd need extra insurance.
In fact, you're taking out Red Pennant at £160 PLUS the top up insurance for your 'not caravanning' trips - with each individual trip costing extra. Our annual trip cover costs less than your Red Pennant (despite medical conditions for each of us) and yet
covers us for other trips as well.
Yes, with age, and other conditions, costs do mount up, but you have to take our Red Pennant to cover your caravanning trips, on top of whatever other cover you need to cover other sorts of holidays.0 -
We have used RP and other providers for travel cover. We too have had both age related and medical conditions issues. Our current prprovider is HolidaySafe and when I checked the info that I have saved on my iPad I did, in light of the OP, smile. It says;
Holidaysafe is a trading name of Infinity Insurance Solutions Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FRN 528912 This insurance is underwritten by Travel Insurance Facilities plc and insured by Union
Reiseversicherung AG, UK Branch.
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As has been stated above, it is necessary to differentiate between travel insurance and breakdown recovery and to consider your annual requirements. We travel a lot worldwide so have an annual policy, however, if you include USA the premium is much higher.
Cheap cover is available and many of the unfamiliar insurers use the same underwriters, same policies and same claim process but prices vary enormously. As far as I know they are all protected by industry safeguards and won't go bust although the level of
service varies.We had a claim on a "cheap" policy for a cancelled flight and received a payment by return of post.
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Red Pennant would not insure my First Mate so had to find another that would, so we switched to another provider that would insure her, so rather than faff around having two providers I switched my cover as well, why wouldnt RP cover her, because she has
been put on Warfarin, I bet there are many members who are covered and are on Warfarin GrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrAdmiral
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