With current circumstances affecting travel globally, it is important to get a detailed understanding of the travel insurance you will need for when travel begins to pick up again. One thing for certain is that the way we all travel will be drastically different. Many countries, including the UK, have a 14-day quarantine rule in place for any travellers arriving from other countries. Airports are already adopting temperature checks and some have even conducted COVID tests prior to allowing passengers to board.
It is not all doom and gloom though. Countries like Greece are allowing tourists back into the country during the month of June and have made the appropriate measures to ensure bars and hotels are compliant with government safety guidance.
Eventually, things will go back to normality and we will begin to travel more. This article is here to give you an overview of the main types of travel insurance available if you are travelling for longer periods. Plus any necessary home insurance considerations and why understanding and complying with policy wording is key to ensuring the best chance of a successful claim.
What are the main types of Travel & Home Insurance that you need?
Travel Insurance
As with any type of insurance, there are multiple varied policies to suit everyone. It is important to take the time to understand the different options you have and to get the full picture prior to going further. The main types of travel insurance are outlined below.
Single Trip Insurance
This is a very cost-effective way for those who do not travel very often. It covers one or perhaps two trips a year. It is important to check your policy in detail as you may be able to have up to six people in your travelling party, meaning you can be insured together.
Annual (Multi-Trip) Insurance
For frequent travellers, it is often more cost-effective to buy insurance for the duration of the year, often referred to as multi-trip travel insurance. This means that if you are thinking of taking a last-minute weekend getaway you do not need to worry about sorting additional travel insurance. Similar to the single trip option, you can go for family policies covering you and other family members under one policy, making it much easier in the event of anything happening whilst abroad. Again, please read your policy in detail so that you are sure you are fully compliant. One thing most family policies specify is that under 18s must be accompanied by an adult that is insured under the same policy.
What Home Insurance do you need if travelling for long periods of time?
With many standard home insurance policies, there will be a clause stating that if the home is left unoccupied for more than a certain number of days then it is no longer covered. One thing people don’t always consider is when travelling for long periods of time they definitely need to make sure their home is still covered. In such cases, there is something called ‘unoccupied home insurance’. This means that if a home is left unoccupied, you are still insured for floods, theft and other things covered by standard home insurance. For those who may have high net worth home insurance, there may already be a clause in your contract for this.
In any case, we strongly recommend that you speak to your insurance broker or insurance company to make sure there are no surprises should you need to make a claim whilst abroad. Taking the time to do this will save you a lot of hassle and also provide you with peace of mind, knowing that you are fully compliant and insured.
