Travel Insurance

Going anywhere soon? Perhaps you are planning your annual family holiday, a romantic weekend break, or even a honeymoon. Before you think about flights and hotels, make sure you have given travel insurance a serious thought. There are plenty of good reasons to get full travel insurance when you go away – from small hazards such as lost or stolen baggage to major problems such as an accident or illness abroad, you will be much better off if you are adequately covered. Use the chart below to compare the main features of each policy and provider. What can you cover? How much can you expect to pay for each trip? Do you need specialist elements within the policy? There are many areas to consider – if in doubt, head to our Information Library for your FAQs.

It is essential that you purchase travel insurance so that you are covered when you leave Ireland

Why take out travel insurance

People take out insurance for a variety of reasons. Ultimately you take out insurance to protect yourself against certain risks like theft, damage, accidents and illness. No one can predict the future and what might happen. To protect yourself against financial losses and for the peace of mind which can be priceless, you can protected yourself against the unexpected with insurance. What is Travel Insurance and should you get it? You can spend a lot of money on going on holiday. If you don’t have the right insurance policy in place your dream vacation can turn into a costly nightmare. The majority of people will have a trouble free experience but things can and do happen. If you want peace of mind then travel insurance is really important. Not only will you have a policy in place that can be great help if you experience any number of problems while you are away but many insurers offering travel insurance provide 24 hour assistance help lines and language support that can help you whenever you need.

Travel insurance cover varies so consider your policy carefully

Travel insurance can cover you for a range of instances. Travel insurance will cover you for most common problems that travellers experience such as travel delays or cancellations, missed departures, lost or stolen items including your luggage, money or passports, medical treatment, repatriation, personal liability and legal expenses. There are many additional cover options that you can choose from. These can include winter sports cover, terrorist incident cover and cover if your airline or tour operator goes bust.

What do Travel Insurance policies cost?

Depending on the level of cover you take out, the price you will pay for the policy will vary. Bear in mind that the cheapest insurance is not necessarily the best because it won’t offer a lot of cover. You need to find a happy medium between the most comprehensive policy for all your requirements and the right price. Your policy will be more expensive is you have an existing medical condition, are pregnant, have a history of making claims, are over 65 and are taking part in adventurous activities. This is because you are more at risk of having to make a claim.

Choosing the right travel insurance policy for you

In the table above you can easily compare different insurance products against each other and find the policy most suited to you. The right policy for you will depend on a number of aspects. For example some customers may have particular needs or characteristics that may require special attention from insurers such as those with complex medical histories. You must declare any existing medical conditions you have because you may be unable to make a successful claim if you need to. Different travel insurance policies cover different things and the risks that are covered will vary from policy to policy. Before signing anything, make sure you know exactly what is covered but more importantly what things you are not covered for.