What should your travel insurance cover?
Probably the most important coverage you need to arrange is for medical expenses. However, countries in the European Economic Area - which includes EC countries as well as Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland - provide reciprocal health services. You need to take a completed E111 form (available at the Post Office) with you when you travel. The E111 does not, however, provide repatriation coverage. Travellers should check the Department of Health website (www.doh.gov.uk) for more details, as during 2005 the UK will be adopting the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in place of the E111 form.
Some other countries have different forms of reciprocal health services, but you will need to check with the DoH before travelling to establish what medical services you will be entitled to under the agreement. If in doubt, travellers are advised to take out travel insurance to be safe.
Travel insurance policies will have clauses dealing with existing medical conditions, and many will not cover any illness related to existing conditions. Heart patients, people with HIV and those suffering from other illnesses may have difficulty finding coverage; the elderly may have difficulty as well, even without existing medical conditions. Check with a specialist company like Saga for the best deals for older travellers.
Many people will want to make sure their travel insurance covers them for sporting accidents, such as for skiing. Winter sports cover is usually available at extra cost, as is cover for specialised activities such as scuba diving. If you plan to partake of any so-called extreme sports, however, your policy is less likely to cover them, so always check before taking part in an activity. You may need to speak to a specialist provider such as Activesure.co.uk or look at 'extreme activity' policies from companies like Endsleigh.
It's also important to ensure your policy covers your length of trip. An annual policy, though covering various trips throughout the year, will likely not cover individual trips of more than 31 days.
If you're buying a single-trip policy, or travel frequently on small or local airlines, be sure your travel insurance provides adequate cover in case of delays, cancellations and lost baggage. Even having to pay the cost of staying in a hotel an extra night can be expensive; paying for entirely new flights after a delay and missed connection can be prohibitive.