To think that people are idiots for not buying travel insurance

[MenyMeny]

Maybe it's because of the numerous high profile cases of people dying abroad but I don't understand why so few people seemingly buy travel insurance.

I've seen at least three cases where people have passed away with no travel insurance and are now fundraising to cover costs.

I was also on a SM post where numerous people were saying how they never bought travel insurance as they "didn't see the need" even when they admit to travelling abroad numerous times a year.

Frankly, if you can afford a trip abroad, you can afford cover or AIBU?

I’d add to that you should buy travel insurance when you BOOK the holiday. No good buying it just before you leave in case you break your leg or your kid has an ear infection. Or one of you dies a month before. It’s pretty cheap!

I have asthma, a heart condition and epilepsy yet i just paid £27 for 10 days cover. That is not expensive and there is no reason for anyone not to take cover out. I think people assume you can only take out a years cover which isn't the case, you can take cover from one day to 365 days.

Anyone can tell you about sudden illness on a trip. You don't have to have anything prior to be struck down with illness, particularly one requiring emergency operations.

It is a sad fact of life that people in Britain think nothing will happen to them abroad, that cannot be sorted by the NHS when they return. I can tell them how risky that is, but they are still willing to risk it.

It isn't just holidays though, is it? The British people have grown up thinking that their health care is all free, which is why our health service is failing. It should never have been completely free in the first place. Even small charges for some treatment, apart form prescription charges (and that was free in the beginning) would have told people they had to save something in their budget for health care. In the beginning that Labour Government worked on the premis that only working people would have free treatment, that others further up the earning ladder would continue to pay for treatment. In those early days, it was evident that the NHS could not cope. They could not cope with the London smog epidemic of 1952/3, when people died because there were so few hospital beds. They could not cope in the polio epidemic in 1953, and other examples since. Until the 1970s - and into them in many places, people were not allowed to know what was wrong with them, or what medication they were given. Boxes of pills came in white boxes with ''the tablets' on the label, and bottles of medicine had 'The Liquid' on them. Even parents did not always know what medication their children were on. Prescriptions were unreadable. There was accepted the idea that ''if it is free they cannot complain'' and it seems that is still the case. Is that why subsequent governments have insisted it is free at the time of need, even if it is not available at the time of need? Should the British people not have been given the chance to budget for health care as other countries do?

I always get it and didn't realise how many people.dont bother. I think I paid 30 quid to cover a week in france
Actually had to use it a few years ago as my son had s&d and no way could travel. They paid out and we went the following week..phew.

I always insure following booking for peace of mind in case the holiday has to be cancelled to start with.

Couldn’t agree more. It’s not just for the worse case scenarios either. I came down with an ear infection on my holiday last week and had to go see the doctor at the hotel. Had I not had insurance I’d now be well over £500 out of pocket. As it is, my insurer were right there on the phone even though it was about 10pm at night and covered the whole thing direct with the clinic. They also phoned and emailed me directly to check in and see how I was.

Yes. It's time that insurers were more flexible with cover. Why can't you eg exclude anything that arises because you have diabetes, but still be covered for travel delays or having your bag stolen on the tram?

I really really don't understand why you can't decouple the health side from the travel problem side.

I don't know if people always realise. There was a thread on here recently about having to declare that your teen was on the waiting list for a brace (as in for teeth not their back).

It would never have occurred to me to declare that!

Not if you havn't declared pre-existing conditions, recent hospital/GP visits, etc or are doing a "risky" activity abroad.

You may be OK for delays/cancellations or lost luggage etc., but the medical cover/repatriation etc., will almost certainly be denied if you havn't made full declarations or are doing an activity not covered.

I looked at taking out a policy for DH just for our holiday and it was more expensive than an annual policy

I think travelling abroad without travel insurance is complete madness. For a lot of people it’s pretty cheap too! I know for people with underlying health conditions it may be quite expensive but that’s because they are higher risk and more likely to make a claim. I’d never risk it personally.

People also don’t realise that when taking out a policy, you have to declare all gp visits in at least the last 12 months. Even if the condition is resolved. If you had antibiotics for an ear infection 9 months ago. it needs to be declared as a pre existing condition.

Wonder if people who get travel insurance through their bank, remember to call up before they leave the uk and declare any medical related activity in the past 12 months.

Same if you’re on a waiting list to be seen for an outpatient appointment. Have to declare it. You can’t just falsely reassure yourself that nothing has been diagnosed yet so there’s nothing to declare!!

the first thing an insurance company will do is pull your gp notes and check there’s nothing they don’t know about.

As I said, I check what I’m covered for. The policy with my bank account covers me for everything, but pre-existing medication conditions. However, I can add any for a relatively low additional charge. It also covers cruises and repatriation.

I can't understand it either. I worked for many years on the funeral business and you wouldn't believe the cost to repatriate someone without insurance. Not only monetary but the time factor too as costs start to accumulate straight away and if families can't afford it then their loved one is stuck abroad. I've known it take months to get a deceased person back.

Yes. There are specific questions asked by insurance companies for travel cover. Usually, for health issues, it’s are you waiting to have any investigations etc? Have you had any treatment for any health condition within the last 2 years? If there is a mental health problem, have you seen a psychiatrist and/or been admitted to a mental health inpatient service?

Some of the companies ask for 5 years of medical history, I avoid those as I have absolutely no idea what's happened in the last 5 years! 1 or 2 is fine but 5 is ridiculous, especially when it's for routine things.

We didn’t used to because we were often just paying for flights (somewhere to stay due to family), and has the European health care. Since having our child we get family insurance (partly due to child’s existing health conditions). I will say that until all the recent coverage I (stupidly) never considered death and body repatriation, and just thought that the health card would be enough for medical issues, and all we could lose out on were the flight costs and a few clothes. This seems very naive now. It’s amazing how having someone dependent on you makes you reassess everything.

A lot of people choose to cremate in the country of death and just bring the ashes home, then have a memorial service. This is my wish if I die abroad.

Completely agree and I think it’s incredibly selfish. My parents are elderly and don’t have much money at all and I couldn’t bare the thought of them trying to remortgage etc just to get my medical treatment paid!

I do understand that it costs a lot more if you’re suffering with health issues but I think in that case you have to have a backup plan if you gamble going abroad without insurance. No family member should be left with no option but to sell their home because you couldn’t go without a week in Spain!

I always have it and always check the small print. DH and I do a lot of adventure sports-type activities so I always check to see whether particular types of hikes or scuba diving activities are included. Due to our activities most often we end up having to take out fairly specialist insurance which costs £££. However, DH has had to be repatriated once on a medical flight + got a monetary pay out as a result of the injuries he sustained, so seeing the difference an appropriate/good policy can make I always pay for one.

My DH we had a devil of a time when he did two legs of a round the world yacht race insurance wise it did cost a lot but was worth it for peace of mind.

It’s only really expensive if you have conditions which are likely to actually cause you to need medical treatment- so these are exactly the people who really really should take it out.

You can, at least with some of them; in fact they'll do it for you if the risk of the medical condition's too great and explain that you can still be covered for x and y but not z

Of course that would mean travelling uninsured for "z" which could be a major problem, but at least it can be an option

And on the cost of repatriating the dead if someone's selfish enough to travel uninsured hoping the family will bail them out and the worst happens, I assume people know cremations/burial can be done abroad instead?
Granted it would be a pretty stark thing to do, but is it really any worse than folk losing their home or going into a lifetime of debt to pay the bills?

I have never heard of anyone doing that, but guess you might need the cancellation element.

Yes but being old is expensive for travel insurance, never mind your general health.
And if you have pre existing conditions that can be ruinously expensive to get cover.
I'd seriously consider risking it, but wouldn't then do a go fund me to cover my decision.