How to make sure your policy reflects the trip you’re actually taking

This travel insurance guide explains when to arrange your cover, what you should check and how to make sure your policy reflects the trip you’re actually taking.

You’ve booked your flights, chosen your accommodation and started planning what you’ll do when you get there. But have you arranged your travel insurance?

It’s easy to think of travel insurance as something you only need once your holiday starts. But in reality, when you arrange your policy can matter just as much as having one.

From cancellation cover before you leave to checking whether you’re covered for that spontaneous jet ski trip, there are a few things worth understanding before you travel.

When should you buy a travel policy?

Ideally, you should arrange your insurance as soon as you book your holiday.

Your holiday doesn’t only face risks once you step onto the plane. Something unexpected could happen in the weeks or months before you travel and force you to cancel your plans.

Depending on your policy, cancellation cover can start from the date your insurance begins. If you wait until the day before you fly to arrange your insurance, you won’t have had that cancellation protection during the time between booking and travelling.

The FCDO recommends arranging appropriate travel insurance as soon as you book your trip.

So, once you’ve booked your holiday, make travel insurance one of the next things on your list.

What does travel insurance typically cover?

Travel insurance can help when something unexpected affects your trip.

Depending on your policy, your cover may include:

• Emergency medical treatment abroad
• Cancellation or cutting your trip short
• Emergency transport or repatriation to the UK
• Lost, stolen or delayed baggage
• Personal belongings
• Certain travel delays or disruption
• Personal liability

However, every policy is different.

Your destination, health, planned activities and type of holiday can all affect the cover you need. Policies can also have different limits, exclusions and excesses.

That’s why it’s important to check your policy rather than assume you’re covered.

If you’re unsure, speak to your broker. They can explain what your policy covers and highlight any limitations you need to know about before you travel.

Are holiday activities covered?

You might book a relaxing beach holiday and then decide, once you’re there, that you’d quite like to try jet skiing. Someone might suggest a quad bike tour, boat trip or another activity you hadn’t planned before leaving home. Or you might be going on a hiking holiday and assume that a standard policy will cover you.

Before you say yes and take part in any activity, check your travel insurance.

Some policies cover certain activities as standard, while others require additional or specialist cover. Your insurer may also set conditions that you need to follow for your cover to apply.

The FCDO advises travellers to check that their insurance covers all the activities they plan to take part in. Its guidance specifically mentions jet skiing and warns that standard travel insurance doesn’t usually cover quad bike or moped hire.

Even if something feels like a normal holiday activity, don’t assume your insurance automatically covers it.

What should you check before booking a holiday activity?

Before you book an activity, take a moment to check:

• Does my travel insurance cover this activity?
• Do I need additional cover?
• Does my policy have any exclusions or restrictions?
• Do I need to use a licensed or approved operator?
• Does my insurer place any other conditions on taking part?

If you can’t find the answer in your policy documents, ask your insurer or broker before you take part.

A quick check before you book could prevent a much bigger problem if something goes wrong.

Do you need specialist cover for winter sports?

If you’re planning to ski, snowboard or take part in other winter sports, check your travel insurance before you go.

Standard travel insurance doesn’t always cover winter sports, so you may need additional cover. The FCDO recommends checking that your travel insurance covers the winter sports you’re planning and understanding any exclusions before you go.

Make sure you know what your policy covers before you head for the slopes.

Do you need a specialist insurance policy to go on a cruise?

If you’re going on a cruise, don’t assume your standard travel insurance automatically covers your trip because it doesn’t. You need specific cruise cover.

Cruises have different insurance requirements because getting medical treatment or returning home can become more complicated when you’re at sea. Cruises also pose more niche risks than other holidays by nature.

Check your travel insurance and your cruise operator’s requirements before you sail. This will help you understand what level of cover you need for your individual cruise.

Yes. When your insurer asks about pre existing medical conditions, don’t assume they only mean serious illnesses.

Depending on the questions they ask, you may need to declare conditions you manage with medication, previous treatment, ongoing symptoms or recent medical investigations.

If you’re unsure whether something counts, tell your insurer and let them decide whether it affects your cover.

We’ve covered this topic in more detail in our travel insurance guide to pre existing medical conditions and travel insurance. For more information, read the guide here.

How is business travel insurance different?

If you travel for work or you’re a director of a business, business travel insurance can work differently from a standard leisure policy.

Business travel policies have different inclusions and exclusions to standard policies. They often cover a wider range of activities and don’t usually require individual medical declarations, meaning pre-existing conditions may be automatically covered. Lots of business policies can also extend to directors and their immediate family for leisure trips. You can find out more about business travel insurance options on our product page.

It is still important to remember that every policy is different, so check your cover or speak to your broker before you travel.

Having your policy documents with you

Having the right travel insurance is important, but you also need to know how to access it if something goes wrong.

Most of us keep important information on our phones. That’s convenient until your phone gets lost, stolen or damaged, or simply runs out of battery when you need it.

Government travel guidance recommends taking your insurance details with you, including your policy number and your insurer’s emergency assistance number. It’s also worth keeping a backup of your important travel information somewhere you can access it.

Before you leave, make sure you have:

• A copy of your travel insurance documents
• Your policy number
• Your insurer’s emergency assistance number
• A secure digital copy of your policy
• Your policy details shared with someone you’re travelling with or someone at home

You don’t need to carry a folder full of paperwork around on holiday. You simply need to make sure you can access the important information if you need it. We recommend having your travel insurance printed and stored with your passport, as well as sharing the documents with someone you are travelling with.

What should you check on your travel insurance before going abroad?

Buying travel insurance is the first step. Checking that it suits your trip is just as important.

Before you travel, take a few minutes to check:

• Your policy covers the full dates of your trip
• Your policy covers your destination
• You’ve declared the medical conditions your insurer asks about
• Your policy covers the activities you’re planning
• You’ve arranged any specialist cover you need for winter sports or cruises
• You understand the main limits and exclusions
• You know who to contact if you need help abroad
• You can access your policy documents while you’re away

You can’t guarantee that your holiday will go exactly to plan. You can make sure you understand the protection you have if it doesn’t.

Checking your cover before you leave means you’re less likely to discover a problem when you need your insurance most.

Speak to us about your travel insurance

Travel insurance shouldn’t leave you with more questions than answers.

At Robison & Co, we’ll talk to you about your trip, what you’re planning to do and the cover you may need. We’ll also explain your policy, including the important limits and exclusions, so you know where you stand before you travel. For more information, we have a travel insurance product page that answers some of our most frequently asked questions.

If you’re planning your next family holiday, weekend away, backpacker trip or business travel, and would like to talk through your insurance options, we’re here to help.

Call 01730 265500 , email hello@robison.co.uk or fill out a contact request form.