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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why people don't buy travel insurance?

622 replies

EveningHare · 09/04/2018 07:05

If you can afford a holiday then you should not look at travel insurance as an optional extra

It's vital that you have it, anything could happen and if you don't have lots of money in the bank, how would you pay for it? Go fund me?

OP posts:
BIWI · 09/04/2018 07:08

Because it's an expense people feel, for some reason, that's unnecessary?

Because a lot of people seem to believe that their EHIC card offers them insurance, rather than just being about healthcare in EU countries?

I think it should be something that you have to buy as part of your holiday.

AJPTaylor · 09/04/2018 07:10

People have different attitudes to risk.

SillyMoomin · 09/04/2018 07:11

Agreed biwi, it should be something like the car tax procedure used to be, you couldn’t buy it till you’d proved you had insurance (or vice Versa, can’t remember now!)

Cant show insurance docs at gate / check in / door to ferry etc, can’t leave

JudasPriestley · 09/04/2018 07:13

Because insurance is a racket, and people are perfectly free not to engage with it when no harm will accrue to third parties. Good for them.

ShatnersBassoon · 09/04/2018 07:13

It's a gamble some are willing to take.

I do have travel insurance and wouldn't dream of not taking it, but I've never had to use it thankfully. I suppose I could take the risk at some point and not get insurance for a holiday and would in all likelihood not regret the decision, but I'm not much of a gambler so I won't. It is very cheap anyway, if you shop around.

Peanutbuttercups21 · 09/04/2018 07:13

I travelled without insurance once, just a short trip to see family.

Ended up with a £4000 bill from hospital (despite Ehic card).

A very expensive lesson!

Foslady · 09/04/2018 07:14

I think some people also have the attitude that if they become that ill someone back home will crowd fund for them (or that’s what seems to happen).....I don’t get it either.......

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/04/2018 07:14

My last trip abroad resulted in one person with a broken bone and needing an operation and missing the flight home, one person with concussion and an overnight stay in hospital (separate accidents) and one stolen suitcase. So yes, please get insurance as medical things costs thousands.

JudasPriestley · 09/04/2018 07:15

Car insurance is different - which is why it is compulsory. No one else suffers if you have a dicky tummy in Liege and can't claim.

DannyLaRuesBestFrock · 09/04/2018 07:16

Because insurance is a racket, and people are perfectly free not to engage with it when no harm will accrue to third parties. Good for them

Really? For what amounts to a few quid? So you haven't heard of people who never got insurance and have ended up abroad with £££££s needed to get home?

GreySkiesAboveMe · 09/04/2018 07:17

I only get medical insurance. Don't bother with the rest. Usually because out holidays are last minute, like we book the flights the day before and take a tent/find accomidation when we get there.

Nicknacky · 09/04/2018 07:17

I've had one of my kids ill on holiday, 6k bill. Thank god for insurance and i hagebbo idea why you would risk it.

It should be compulsory.

PlumsGalore · 09/04/2018 07:18

Every year you read about soneone stuck on distant shores unable to get home because of huge medical bills or because they cannot fund the special air support they need to get back. Every year they blame the British embassy for not giving them support (money) to get them home.

All for the sake of £20 or so. YANBU.

MsJaneAusten · 09/04/2018 07:19

I was just wondering this too. We flew home from Tenerife yesterday and there were two people at the airport with a big sign written on cardboard: “BRITS STRANDED ABROAD” The rest of the sign explained they’d had their passports and money stolen and needed contributions for emergency passports. I admit I wasn’t too sympathetic. I feel they if you can afford that kind of holiday, you should be able to find a spare £100 for emergency documentation, or even better, just have insurance.

Inkstainedmags · 09/04/2018 07:20

Because when I found out I had breast cancer the day before I was due to leave on a big trip, the travel insurance I'd been paying into for years refused to even cover my cancelled flights. The only money we got back was through the good will of companies we contacted directly or shamed on twitter.

brownelephant · 09/04/2018 07:20

if you can't afford a couple of extra nighfs in a hotel and new flights home (at extortionate last minute prices) then you absolutely need travel insurance.
and those ^^ are telatively small costs compared to medical evacuation. a broken leg transport from europe to uk is easily 5 figures.

BalloonFlowers · 09/04/2018 07:21

Because people don't realise quite how lucky they are to have the NHS. Yes, its not perfect, but it is amazing, especially compared to the up front costs of recieving medical treatment outside the uk.

I'm not so fussed about missing a plane, losing my suitcase, not being able to go in the first place. Those are costs I can suck up (we are fortunate). But getting ill, breaking a bone etc overseas can be a very expensive experience. And having heard about the bill when someone died overseas, it it totally irresponsible not to have medical insurance abroad - unless you have hundreds of thousands available.

shockthemonkey · 09/04/2018 07:21

Well I used to buy insurance religiously, until summer 2016, when the first time I tried to make a claim my insurers wriggled out on a technicality (after assuring me over the phone that I was definitely covered). They insisted that I claim first with my national health insurer for an accident that happened in China. Only on receiving my first insurer's refusal would they pay up. First insurer have not responded and tell me they won't respond in writing to the claim sent to them over a year ago. My insurers know full well that my national health insurers won't touch the China claim and also probably that they won't respond or even return the original docs they insist on and without which no claim at my travel insurers will be considered. What with that and an unfair refusal from my pet insurers for my horse, I am heartily sick of insurers at this point.

poshme · 09/04/2018 07:26

I have a relative who died abroad. The authorities wouldn't release the body until the insurance company had confirmed they'd pay the costs.

Would have been thousands of pounds.

There was a day when we couldn't find the insurance stuff, and there were questions about whether we'd be able to bring body back to UK.

Get insurance.

sandgrown · 09/04/2018 07:27

Can you go to whichever body oversees insurance companies'?

schnubbins · 09/04/2018 07:29

I nearly travelled once mid eighties without insurance .It suddenly dawned on my friend and the day before we were about to leave and we duly bought it. Anyway a few days into our around Europe trip, in Switzerland at the time I had a bad accident and smashed up my leg.I ended up in hospital with literally the bones cocking out of my leg and the first thing they asked me for was my Insurance.They did NOTHING until they were sure I was insured. not even pain relief .I ended up 8 hours in surgery and two weeks in hospital and had to be flown home lying down.Cant imagine what it must have cost.
Two years ago my mum fell an broke her wrist while on holidays in America.Nothing complicated just survey as a day case and then home The bill was $40,000 .going on holiday without insurance is just irresponsible.

awfulmothersince2008 · 09/04/2018 07:29

You insure something based on perceived risk- different people perceive risk differently- that's why some people have pet insurance whilst others don't, some people pay for extended warranties, some people only insure their car third party...

I guess that some people don't get travel insurance as they perceive the risk of needing to use it to be low.

MrsDrSpencerReid · 09/04/2018 07:29

My dh fell ill on a trip to the states from Oz.

Hospital bill was $25,000 USD

Shock

Our travel insurance covered it and we only paid $100 excess.

Not worth the risk not to have it.

thecatsthecats · 09/04/2018 07:30

I have had insurance for every trip for 6 years with the bank, and car breakdown cover, and mobile phone insurance... Wouldn't buy them all individually, but they cost around a tender a month.

I have used the car cover once. That's it.

TheyMostlyComeOutAtNightMostly · 09/04/2018 07:32

As a general rule the only types of insurance that are compulsory are the ones which will leave someone else out of pocket if you don’t have it:
i.e. third party car insurance and employers’ liability and a couple more.

If the only person who’ll be left bankrupt/homeless/stranded is you then it’s up to you to look out for it.
Whether you really need the cancellation element depends on the type of holiday and your personal circumstances, but yes, repatriation expenses can be horrendous so you’d be an idiot not to take it out for that alone (and since that’s the case you should take it out as soon as you book the holiday to maximise the time you’re covered for cancellation.

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