Travel insurance - Tips & Advice - Understanding travel insurance

If you are travelling abroad this year, it might help you to think about the value of what you are taking with you. Just take into account clothes, cameras, mobile phones and other electrical goods and the figure starts rising. Then add in the actual cash you are taking and it goes even higher. If you lost any of these or had them stolen, the cost of replacement could be quite high. Travel insurance will cover these items, but there will be limits, meaning that expensive items may not be fully covered,

So there are few things you might want to bear in mind to stop that happening: 

• Don’t take unnecessary valuables on holiday with you, such as expensive jewellery and watches. If you have to, make sure they are insured under your home contents policy for their full value either by taking out personal possessions cover or specifying them on your home insurance policy.
• Make sure you keep your valuables with you at all times or securely locked away in your hotel
• Don’t ‘advertise’ your valuables – keep them in a bag until you need to use them
• Don’t carry large amounts of cash, instead make appropriate use of credit cards.

In 2006 alone, UK residents spent £35 billion on travel and many people travelled outside the country more than once (source Mintel 2008); yet a % of them failed to buy travel insurance that could have covered losses. For people who are travelling more than once a year, it makes sense to take out annual travel insurance. Direct Line’s annual multi-trip insurance (available to those aged up to 64 years old) can be tailored to cover Europe or Worldwide (including or excluding certain regions) and family members as well. This policy allows you to be away for up to 42 days in any one trip and up to 120 days in total during the year. You can also include winter sports insurance for an additional premium. If you expect to be away for more than three months you can take advantage of our Discoverer policy.

You can get an annual travel insurance quote online in minutes and if you buy online, you will receive an instant discount.