Travel Insurance recommendations for 18 year old on lads holiday

[Blanketpolicy]

I haven't travelled abroad for 30 years due to medical reasons, and even back then I naively never took out travel insurance, but I was much more risk adverse than ds will likely be! ds(18) is going to Zante in June with 10 friends. All paid up.

I have tried to look at travel insurance to advise him and make sure he takes out adequate cover, but confused looking at the detail, especially around covid which he is vaccinated for but to our knowledge has not caught yet.

Can anyone recommend a cover all policy (probably annual as he might do a city break with his gf at some point) that would cover all medical expenses, including covid if needed. When looking at Zante I can see hiring quads is popular and possibly something he might do 🤦‍♀️ and noticed it is excluded in Admiral T&Cs is this something that could be covered?

Have you looked at the post office? I found theirs is reasonably priced. I don’t go on quad bikes but do get winter sports add on.

I can't recommend a company but would suggest that the policy covers motorbike hire and all watersports. Lads often take out bikes in order to see the island. If I remember correctly, mopeds and bikes are not always covered as standard.

I'd also take a photograph of his passport and travel insurance policy so that you have the details. In the event that he loses the passport or needs help, it'll make it much easier to get a temporary travel document/access insurance services.

Never thought of the Post Office, checked their policy and it seems to cover covid 👍, but doesn't cover quads and never thought of water sports 🤦‍♀️, it also doesn't cover jet skis even with the sports addon.

Do young people generally go abroad without this type of cover as most I have looked at don't cover them??

My DS did a lads holiday at 18. (it was a long week for me!).
The answer is that yes, lots of youngsters don't get cover at all. If the worst happens they are the ones trying to crowd fund the costs.

He should get a GHIC as well. It covers the local NHS treatment though obviosly not at private clinics.
I made sure he got cover for most things and spelled out the things that were not covered. He's quite risk averse so didn't do quad bikes or jet skis. He was covered for other water sports though.

40 years ago I had an accident in Zante. The hospital there was... interesting but we were well looked after.

Definitely GHIC card and you can order that online. Get the best cover you can that covers quad bikes and watersports. They will be absolutely fine i am sure but it is better to be safe than sorry.

His isn't away until June and has ordered his GHIC card.

With it being his first holiday abroad and a large group I don't even know if they will do quads/jet skis (or even get out their beds before mid afternoon!) but if they do he will want to give them a go. Still searching for one that includes them.

Staysure are very good, reasonably priced, too.

i just wanted to suggest that you make sure he reads the T&Cs around alcohol very carefully. I don’t think travel insurance will payout if you have an accident when drunk.

Noticed that in the T&Cs too - now know where all these Go Fund Me pages come from! Always thought they were stupid not to do something simple like get travel insurance, didn't realise it was probably impossible to get cover for these things!

or even get out their beds before mid afternoon

DS was naively disappointed that the entire holiday was nocturnal. He had envisaged a beach and pool holiday but they were out every night until dawn and in bed until evening. He made out he'd had a great time but admitted to me later that he had hated most of it.

Looked at their policy and they included Jet Ski but it is excluded from Personal Accident and Personal Liability sections. I assume that means will sort out medical costs, but just not get compensation for any injury. Quads are fully excluded.

Found InsureandGo which includes JetSki but still excludes form Personal Accident/Liability, but if adding in their hazardous activities it includes Quads (£45 for the week).

I just hope they don't mix both and if he does anything like quads and jet skis he is at least sober!

It is a diverse group, he and a few of his friends drink socially but have never been huge drinkers, but I can see him being easily led by those that are going who are more party animals. There will be lots of conversations (that he will roll his eyes at) before he goes! Making sure he reads the policy T&Cs will help provoke him thinking about the potential consequences - that balance between having an amazing time and thinking you are bullet proof and being stupidly irresponsible.

Our policy only covers motorbikes and quads if you have passed your test in the U.K. (dp has). Jet skis were over 25 (we are) and alcohol limit applies

He has passed his (car) driving test in UK but nothing specific for quads/jet skis. Good point about age limits, never noticed anything as still just skim reading so far, will go back and look again.

When my Son went to Jamaica and he didn’t know if he was going to do any sports, I got him one with Virgin and added sports as extra. Most policies cover covid at the moment.

don't forget to tell him to get the insurance asap so he's covered for cancellations and accidents before his trip, lots of people forget that. If he has to cancel he most likely won't get a penny back if he has no insurance.

Hope this doesn't sound terrible, but if he had to cancel and lost his hard earned money due to not having insurance (that I have mentioned more than once!) then that is his look out. The holiday is costing around £900 for the week, and it would be one of those MN lauded "life lessons".

My main concern is making sure he is properly insured for when he is there for the more serious stuff.