Travel insurance - has your DC travelled without you?

[inmyheadimthequeen]

Sorry if on wrong thread, thought Chat would be best for traffic. My DS (15) is going away with school on a sports trip. There's a risk of injury with the sport so we want to be absolutely sure that he is fully insured if the worst happens (hopefully not, obviously). We are happy to top up the school's insurance for this purpose if we need to but we are having a real problem finding an insurer who will insure my DS when he is not travelling as part of the family. Any ideas? If you are wondering why we don't just rely on the school's insurance, we haven't actually seen the policy, we've just had a 'we believe it's adequate' message. I'm not saying it isn't adequate but I'd like a Plan B so that if we see it and feel that we could arrange better cover, then we would like to do so. Thanks.

We used Trailfinders to get a policy for DD last summer.

there's a risk of injury with most sports - but it isn't unreasonable to ask to see the policy. Why won't they show you?

having two insurances can be as problematic as having none - not that I recommend the latter!

Thanks Sugarplumtree, I'll try that.

specialsubject - they haven't refused to show us the policy, we haven't asked for it yet. The message about the insurance being adequate was just included in the trip info. My DS is on study leave/mid-GCSEs at the moment so we haven't asked for the details while his focus is elsewhere. He's a rugby prop forward and going to an African country.

I guessed it was rugby...

do check. There's over-protective parenting and there's sensible checking, and don't be told you are the former when this is the latter.

Insure and go let us use family one when travelling solo

Thanks all!

Essential Travel certainly do 16 year olds (a lot won't do anyone under 18 travelling independently) as I bought a policy last year for my daughter. Ask them about 15.

He's a rugby prop forward and going to an African country.

Christ.

Bolograph - I KNOW!! Thanks though

I would imagine given the sport he's doing and where he's going, the school have insurance coming out of their arses, but yes, no reason why you shouldn't ask!

Insurance isn't the only issue: all the money in the world won't necessarily buy you competent and safe treatment.

I think we've used the Post Office in the past for a sports trip for an under 16 (not as high risk as rugby though).

Thanks everyone. I've tried all the suggestions given and haven't got anything yet but iI have asked the school for more details of what is already covered and will read that first. Hopefully it will put my mind at rest. And VERY hopefully he will never need it. I'm just pretty risk averse so wanted to explore the options. Appreciate the help.

Flexicover do cover for children - best to ring them rather than over the Internet

Had similar with daughter who needed additional cover due to a health issue. Direct Line Insurance covered her as an extension to my policy no problems

Be careful about ending up with two policies. You might find that if you need to claim then when you tell your insurer it was a school trip they insist the claim should be on the school's insurance policy.

The multiple policies thing is a very valid point, I'll be careful on that thanks