What cover do regular, experienced travellers take?

[snowie]

First long trip coming up; 6 weeks in France.

What cover, and maybe companies would you recommend?

 

We have our EHIC, was wondering what level of health insurance we should take, or is the card sufficient?

 

Also Breakdown cover, AA or an alternative.

 

As with education, i.e. it's expensive, but so is ignorance. Too much cover is expensive and only benefits insurance companies, but when do you know what's too much? Current practice and recent experience welcome

regards,

alan bell

[w1ntersun]

All insurance is a gamble and its up to you how much of a risk you wish to take

 

If you are not taken ill and you do not break down you tend to think I have wasted my money.

 

The truth is accidents and illness happen.

 

The EHIC will not cover you for repatriation your basic van insurance will not recover your van to the UK if you cannot drive it back.

 

You need a good health insurance. Plenty available through search engines. I use GO-Travel which is part of the AA. Its a back packers policy as the van and contents are covered separately.

 

For the van its covered 12 months of the year with Comfort for both UK and Continental breakdown included in the Standard van cover. You can get short term cover via the RAC etc but its cheaper in the long run to have fully inclusive cover.

 

Don,t forget your house may only be covered for 30 days unoccupied

 

Richard

[malc d]

snowie - 2010-08-18 11:55 AM

 

First long trip coming up; 6 weeks in France.

What cover, and maybe companies would you recommend?

 

We have our EHIC, was wondering what level of health insurance we should take, or is the card sufficient?

 

Also Breakdown cover, AA or an alternative.

 

As with education, i.e. it's expensive, but so is ignorance. Too much cover is expensive and only benefits insurance companies, but when do you know what's too much? Current practice and recent experience welcome

regards,

alan bell

 

 

You certainly need to check your home insurance to see how long you can leave your house unoccupied. Some will cover you if someone visits your house on a regular basis.

 

 

The EHIC is fairly basic cover so you definitely need health insurance.

 

 

 

 

[rupert123]

Only a complete madman or women would rely totally on EHIC as their only cover. For the last two years I have used EHIC Plus and also a French ski insurance called Carte Neige, also have the normal van cover and breakdown cover. A few years ago I broke my left femur skiing and saw the bills, they were massive, three weeks in French hospital, two helicopter rides, one ambalance ride to airport, a total of four first class seats on flight home, I could not bend my leg, private ambalance from Manchester home. The only part the EHIC covered was a period in the hospital the rest was meet between the two insurance companies.

[Brian Kirby]

snowie - 2010-08-18 11:55 AM First long trip coming up; 6 weeks in France. What cover, and maybe companies would you recommend? We have our EHIC, was wondering what level of health insurance we should take, or is the card sufficient? Also Breakdown cover, AA or an alternative. As with education, i.e. it's expensive, but so is ignorance. Too much cover is expensive and only benefits insurance companies, but when do you know what's too much? Current practice and recent experience welcome regards, alan bell

If you have the time before you go, review all your insurances.  If not, do this before you next do, particularly if you are likely to exceed the 6 weeks you presently plan to be away.  Buildings and contents insurances frequently impose limits on cover if properties are left unattended for longer than specified periods, some 30 days, some 60, some longer.  It is sometimes possible to extend these periods, usually on payment of an additional premium.

Some motor insurances limit the number of days you can spend abroad on a single trip, some the number of days you can spend abroad annually, and some a combination of both.  You will retain third party cover, but may find the full comp cover is withdrawn if you exceed their stated limits.

Short term health insurance policies tend to be expensive, it will probably be cheaper to buy annual cover.  Some ask lots of questions, and apply loadings for almost anything that has befallen you since birth, others don't.  If they ask, it is absolutely imperative you answer accurately.  Failure to do this, even on quite apparently minor omissions, such as consultations for something suspected that was subsequently ruled out, may land you with the full bill.  Insurance is a contract, withholding any information is a breach, and negates the contract.  Whether the insurer applies this interpretation, or gives the benefit of the doubt, is entirely their decision.  Don't take chances!

Breakdown insurance from one of the major providers should ensure your vehicle is repatriated if necessary, or that your costs of travel to collect will be paid if the vehicle has to be left somewhere for repair.  Generally, it will also provide a relief driver to drive the vehicle home if you are incapacitated, but will not do this if you are both insured to drive and only one of you is incapacitated.  Only insure your motorhome for both to drive, if you are both comfortable with the idea of driving it long distances in Europe.  Having just one driver may increase the premium a bit, but if one of you is reluctant to drive under normal conditions it would be better to pay the extra.  If you subsequently change your minds about this, it is easier to add the other driver by phone, than to have them removed after the poo has hit the fan!  :-)

Ours are with Comfort, with whom it is possible to have all the insurances co-ordinated into a logical package that permits the desired period of absence with premiums adjusted accordingly.  This includes vehicle breakdown and recovery, which is a reasonably priced "bolt on" to the vehicle insurance, and annual medical cover that is a "bolt on" to the buildings and contents insurance.  All insurances are underwritten by Aviva.

[Clive]

RAC Arrival Europe for the van.

 

Personal re-patriation for her and me comes as part of a health package from AXA PPP we have subscribed to for years.

 

With two drivers we consider this adequate for our needs in Europe.

 

C.

 

 

[duffers]

Annual cover is no longer an option for us, and by the time we have calculated costs and assessed exclusions it comes down to:

EHIC, Denplan, Full Vehicle recovery

little or no other option

 

*-)

[BGD]

"Insurance is a contract, withholding any information is a breach, and negates the contract. "

 

 

Brian is utterly correct in what he says, but me being Mr Pedant:

 

Insurance contracts are MORE than a usual contract at Common law.

They are a special breed: a "contract of the utmost good faith"

Thus they are subject to more stringent interpretation than usual Common law contracts.

This is the legal reason why, if you do not answer any and every question truthfully and accurately, the other party can repudiate the entire contract.

Because any error or omission is regarded as more than a minor breach. In Law it is regarded as a Fundamental breach, sufficient to entitle the Insurer to treat the contract as though it had never existed.

 

 

 

Back to Brian's practical point: don't lie, don't fib, and don't omit anything material from your answers on any Insurer questionnaire.

If you do, and you're caught out, you will NOT get any payout at all......but you will still be personally liable to pay any thrid party claim yourself.

 

 

[catinou]

Safeguard Insurance for the 'van - covers every eventuality, for us anyway, including recovery home. Cost included in annual premium - also no limit on travel abroad in the year. ;-)

 

Our Lloyds Plainum card has a free "bonus" of 12 months travel insurance - very comprehensive package - (covered by the monthly account charge but still a lot better price than an annual premium). To be absolutely sure, we also have cover from our Alliance & Leicester accounts (no account charge).

 

Enjoy your holiday - look forward to hearing how you get on. B-)