Annual travel insurance question

[TwentyFourteen]

We abroad a couple of times this year so its better to buy annual travel insurance, however can I start it the day of our first trip for the cancellation/airline failure etc to kick in? I mean IF we have to cancel 2 weeks before our trip, will we be covered even though our insurance doesn't kick in until the day we travel? thanks

No - the policy should start as soon as you book something.

In my experience, if you tick the box on a holiday booking that you have your own insurance, you normally need to give the policy number.

Thanks for speedy replies, so technically I need to have travel insurance now even if we don't travel until April? is this just for annual travel insurance policies? I never knew that as I've always booked insurance for the days we travel?

Yes, i would say the same thing - book insurance as soon as you can after booking holiday for cancellation insurance to be valid. Also, you need to be careful about renewing. PILS are abroad, so we nearly always have something in the offing, if you renew an annual policy you are always covered, but if you change policies then anything already booked is not covered for cancellation.

This doesn't bother us too much as we either fly ryanair or get the train, with several individual bookings, and as the excess is per person, per leg we really wouldn't get much back if we had to cancel.

It used to be a condition of booking a holiday, that you had to take out holiday insurance to cover you for said holiday, at the time of booking. This meant that you were covered for certain eventualities arising resulting in the need to cancel the booking. However, holiday companies now leave it up to the individual to sort out their own insurance, which is why it is easier to overlook at the actual time of booking. It is necessary though, from the time you book the holiday, in case something happens which results in you being unable to take said holiday.

great thank you

yes you need cover when you book , not when you travel.

Some companies though do allow you to buy cancellation insurance - which has to be purchased when you book. Then you need to buy accident/illness/luggage insurance when you travel - though usually annual policies are MUCH better value for money.

And make sure you have an up to date EHIC card.

for travel policies, the cancellation cover starts the day you buy. The rest starts the day you travel.

as noted, remember that EHIC.

But for Annual policies the cover starts the date you purchase it.

As already said, start the policy as soon as you book. It will cover anything that may prevent you from travelling in the meantime

Have a look at www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-travel-insurance as it has the best buy policies and will explain various things that are useful to consider.

Thanks so much, very useful, annual worldwide insurance has been purchased and EHIC renewed! our cards expired last year! phew...