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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:
Yogagirl123 · 09/04/2018 07:57

Many years ago I worked in travel insurance, I wouldn’t dream of going on holiday without it. An unexpected medical event could lead to a massive bill and if in the worse case, someone died abroad, to have a body repatriated is very expensive with lots of red tape, that insurance companies are well versed with. Crazy to go abroad without it in my opinion. Book your insurance as soon as you book your holiday so the cancellation side of the policy comes into effect.

tortelliniforever · 09/04/2018 07:59

I've seen people criticised on mumsnet for not having travel insurance when holidaying in the UK. I would never take out travel insurance for a UK holiday.

For the same reason I didn't get additional insurance when I went on holiday in Italy (where I live). I had a bad accident and it cost me thousands of euros. If I had had insurance I would have got a payout for permanent injury! I was naive - I've got insurance now. What cost the most was physiotherapy (only a couple of sessions were free and I needed physio for months) and ambulance transfers to my home town. (Once we realised it was serious and I would be in hospital for a long while, it made sense to come back so that DH could be at home and work). I don't know if all this would be covered in the UK.

EleanorRobinson · 09/04/2018 08:00

As I child, I suffered an accident while on holiday abroad resulting in a badly broken limb requiring surgery and a ten day hospital stay. That hammered home the importance of good travel insurance and my family have never travelled without it.

myusernamewastakenbyme · 09/04/2018 08:00

Ive been on holiday a few times and not taken out insurance in the last few years...i think after reading this thread i will do it as soon as i book next time...

Lockheart · 09/04/2018 08:03

I can’t understand either - it’s such a small cost as well. I know many people are on very tight budgets but if you can factor in a few hundred pounds for a holiday abroad then you should be able to squeeze £20 in there somehow.

I’m going away later this year and insurance for two of us for a week which covers illness, loss / damage of baggage, flight cancellations etc etc is only £12. It’s such a tiny expense compared to the rest of a holiday. And if one of us was hurt or fell ill it would end up costing us one hell of a lot more!

SillyMoomin · 09/04/2018 08:04

So Sprinkles, As per your last post “When we finally got spare money to go away we treated ourselves to a holiday. The idea that if you don’t get it you can’t afford a holiday is bizarre- sometimes you can only just afford the holiday!” - what would you have done / where would you have found the money if you broke your leg and needed a night in a hospital / X-rays / another night in the hotel?

You’re telling me you couldn’t have found £17 for a single trip insurance? So you werrnt planning on buying anything on holidays, a drink, a postcard, a tshirt?

wonkylegs · 09/04/2018 08:04

It really depends on the situation
Travelling with family or kids, travelling outside of Europe, travelling where I am doing something inherently dangerous (skiing) or a very expensive trip.... no quibble I'd get insurance.
A city break for a few days in Europe with DH or trips in the UK nope l'd probably not bother
It does not make the logical sense sometimes as I have a medical condition which means that I must get specialist insurance and even that seems to omit covering almost everything as it might be related to my medical condition or the side effects of the medication.

We had to get special dispensation from something that required us to get health insurance (can't remember what it was now) because I could not get cover at all even through a specialist broker as the insurance companies declined to cover me.

safariboot · 09/04/2018 08:05

I think not understanding the EHIC is a big factor. I've probably travelled in Europe more often without insurance than with. I'm older and wiser now though.

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 09/04/2018 08:06

Sillymonin that’s exactly my point- I wanted the additional money to spend on postcards on the holiday. And whilst it might be £17 now, it wasn’t in those days when insurance was more expensive, more like £50. And you have to pay for 2 people, not just one.

I think it’s fairly obvious that I simply took the risk I wouldn’t break my leg- surely that obvious? The risk paid off since I obviously didn’t need it.

brownelephant · 09/04/2018 08:09

we travel a lot, including weekend (camping) trips.
we have annual europe cover for the whole family which is not very expensive.

another thing: in some countries personal liability is a big thing. i.e a broken window after a kicking a football, scratched car door, flooded bathroom in holiday let...

Bonkersblond · 09/04/2018 08:09

I had appendicitis in France when I was a kid, emergency op to remove, thank goodness I had travel insurance, I would never take my family away without it.

SillyMoomin · 09/04/2018 08:09

Well just as long as you didn’t bleat to joe public about needing funds to get home when someone knocked into you / you slipped / a motorbike ran you over / a bee stung you and you had a reaction / any other 1001 things Hmm

AvoidingDM · 09/04/2018 08:11

Bonkers to travel without it.
I was heading to the USA when I twigged I'd forgotten insurance and ended up taking it out with Boots at the airport for £25.

Not such a major issue if your within the UK as medical costs and transfer home would be picked up by the NHS regardless of where you are.

DeathStare · 09/04/2018 08:12

tortelliniforever Yes ambulances and physio would be free in the UK. You can pay additionally for private physiotherapy but many people (probably most people) just rely on NHS physio.

Roussette · 09/04/2018 08:12

Saying the risk paid off because you didn't need it... you were lucky. And you shouldn't always bank on not needing it, going by the stories on here.

DH and I love travelling, I wouldn't dream of travelling without it, I think insurance should be obligatory to go abroad, not a matter of choice

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 09/04/2018 08:14

You should’ve read my first post- I’ve had travel insurance for years now so it wouldn’t be a future issue. We're Luckier now in our lives and have more opportunities

CoffeeOrSleep · 09/04/2018 08:16

You assume it's a conscious decision - rather than not thinking about it. A lot of people haven't ever had to claim or see their parents claim, it used to be sold part of package holidays so people who only ever did a week away with Thomas Cook might never make a point of buying insurance, so when they go direct or now buy a package holiday (that no longer just add it in), don't think to do it.

So many people have insurance through their credit card or bank or job, they get out of the habit of buying it - I nearly travelled with the dcs without insurance last year, because we normally only travel as a family and are all covered by DH's work benefit insurance, but as he wasn't joining us for this trip I'd not be covered and I forgot to think about it (until the night before we flew). Change bank or credit card and forget the new one doesn't provide cover isn't surprising.

I'm another who wouldn't bother with travel insurance to go away for the weekend in the U.K., however cheap flights have meant many see a couple of nights in Paris or Berlin the same as a couple of nights in London or Edinburgh.

witchofzog · 09/04/2018 08:17

Ah sprinkles you are one of those people. I also worked in travel insurance a few years ago for a major credit card company and the amount of people calling us in claim situations without insurance desperately trying to find out if their insurance would cover them. They all bleated that they didn't think they needed it.

I watched one of those Rip Off Britain Holiday programmes recently. It should be on demand or youtube. I suggest you try to find it. It featured a little girl in holiday with her family who came down with appendicitis while she was there. The hospital would not operate until the insurance company said they would pay. The insurance company had a delayed response and this little girl nearly died. Now imagine there was no insurance in place.

If something like this happened to one of your family because you wanted postcards instead then you would never forgive yourself. It's not worth the risk

Summersnake · 09/04/2018 08:18

Anyone else got lots of insurance adverts on this page

Lemons1571 · 09/04/2018 08:18

You don’t need just the insurance, you also need to disclose any medical conditions or consultations in the last year. Otherwise it’s invalid and they can wriggle out of paying, even if what you’re claiming for is not related to the condition. Even minor things. And if you’re awaiting a hospital consultation and your symptoms have not yet been formally diagnosed, youre not covered by any insurance.
I bet most people don’t do this and a lot get caught out.

Whinberry · 09/04/2018 08:19

Not declaring existing conditions catches people out too. There was a gofund me page recently for a lady with an undeclared serious illness (not given but wheelchair user) who fell ill on a cruise ship and had to disembark in the states for medical treatment. They didn't have the final bill at that point but I know someone who got a bill of £200,000 over ten days in the states.

I think people don't realise that you simply may not receive any treatment too.

witchofzog · 09/04/2018 08:19

Sorry desperately trying to find out if their credit card would cover them. They obviously didn't have insurance

Personwithhorse · 09/04/2018 08:22

Unfortunately cheap holidays have allowed idiots to travel the world. Which is why people go to often dangerous countries with no understanding of culture and laws and end up in trouble.

You have to be careful where you walk around in many places in other countries and involvement in illegal drugs causes many problems. Riding small motorbikes in places like Spain with no helmets is a classic example.

I think it is outrageous that they expect others to cough up when it all goes wrong!

Curlyshabtree · 09/04/2018 08:22

YANBU. I’ve worked in travel and seen what happens to those who fall ill abroad and don’t have travel insurance.
One thing I would mention is be sure you mention any pre existing medical conditions of those travelling AND of those close relatives not travelling. If you had to rush home to see a dying close relative who had a medical condition that WASN’T declared then you wouldn’t be covered. It is a bit of a minefield but definitely worth having.

squishee · 09/04/2018 08:23

My DM has been quoted about £550 for single trip holiday insurance due to a pre-existing condition.
Stuff like that aside, it's a no-brainer.