Can anyone advise me on where to get best rate of exchange for EUROS and cheap, effective travel insurance please?

[FairyChocolateDragonsEgg]

I haven't been abroad for ten years and feel cluless, have looked at travel supermarket but don't know wheter it's safe to pick the cheapest deal as I am worried they might not be great in the event of a claim, or is that just me being cynical ?
Going for four days (3 nights) to Rome
Would be ever so grateful for advice and opinions please.

Sorry can't help because I usually change the other way as I'm in Germany but I know that getting it done through my bank is the best for me. My family in the UK usually do it that way too - they order their currency at the bank.

Marks and Spencer are good.

Dear FCDE, I always use the Post Office for currency as there's no commission charge. I have travel insurance through work but the Post Office have a good deal on this too, as do Tesco.

Wait until you get to Rome (airport) and go straight to the cash point. As long as you have Maestro on your debit card you're fine. Wouldn't bother changing any in advance.

Be carefull though, when my relatives visited in Germany the cash point would only take cirrus or cards with EC on. My parents had about 5 different cards between them with all sorts of symbols and in the end only one of my mums worked - don't know if Italy is better or more advanced than Germany but if mum hadn't had that card with her, we'd have been stuck or rather I would have had to lend them money from my bank!

Thanks everyone, I knew MNers would be far more worldly wise on this than me, any more advice?.

I have to admit I am a bit worried about leaving it till I get to Italy to get currency tbh as I have to pay the hotel in cash when we arrive and would hate to be in a situation where I couldn't do so.

Ah yes, hadn't thought about the Cirrus thingy. That being said we went to Rome last year and used our Austrian debit card with no problems and I have just checked and it only has Maestro on it. Also I have never had my UK First Direct debit card refused in a foreign cash point and it had Maestro on the front & Cirrus on the back.

By the way very jealous, would love to go back to Rome.

Bump

I have used Go Insure booked on line for my last three trips (Barcelona, Egypt and Cologne). They were the cheapest by far, and the easiest to understand what was covered etc.

Euros... I just take £100 round to ThomasCook and get what they offer. Then take cards for everything else.

I did get caught out in Germany though when they wouldn't take any of my cards, debit or credit, in one of the major department stores there.