Whether you’re heading off on a skiing holiday, visiting family overseas for Christmas or travelling abroad for work, checking your travel insurance probably isn’t the most exciting part of planning a trip.
Most people arrange their insurance when booking and give it very little thought afterwards. Unfortunately, it’s often only when something goes wrong that they discover what their policy doesn’t cover.
Here are some of the things worth checking before you travel this winter.
Skiing and snowboarding
Standard travel insurance doesn’t usually include winter sports. Most insurers offer additional cover, but if you haven’t selected it, you could find yourself facing a hefty bill if you’re injured on the slopes.
Even with winter sports cover, there are exclusions to be aware of. Consumer organisation Which? highlights several situations where claims may be refused, including skiing off-piste without a qualified guide, accidents involving alcohol and leaving equipment unattended.
Certain activities, such as freestyle skiing, sledging and snowmobiling, may also be excluded or require additional cover. It’s worth checking exactly which activities your policy includes rather than assuming everything you plan to do at the resort will be covered.
If you have an annual multi-trip policy, check how many days of winter sports are included. Some policies limit the number of days covered each year, so if you’re planning more than one trip, make sure you won’t exceed your allowance.
What about your GHIC
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives eligible UK residents access to medically necessary state healthcare in EU countries and certain other destinations, on the same basis as local residents.
It’s worth taking with you, but it isn’t a replacement for travel insurance.
A GHIC won’t cover private medical treatment, mountain rescue or the cost of bringing you home if you’re seriously ill or injured. That’s particularly important when skiing, as many medical centres near the slopes are privately operated.
Depending on where you receive treatment, you could find yourself responsible for substantial medical costs if you don’t have appropriate travel insurance.
Does your private medical insurance cover you abroad?
If you have private medical insurance through work or a personal policy, you might assume you’re already covered if something happens while you’re away.
However, most UK private medical insurance policies are designed primarily for treatment within the UK. Some offer overseas emergency benefits, but these can have specific restrictions, particularly around winter sports.
Your existing health insurance may still be useful when you return home. Depending on your policy, follow-up care such as physiotherapy, scans or consultant appointments could be covered.
The important thing is not to assume that private medical insurance and travel insurance provide the same protection. Check with your insurer before you travel so you know exactly where you stand.
Travelling abroad for work?
If your employees are travelling overseas for meetings, conferences or trade shows, it’s worth checking what insurance arrangements are in place.
Some businesses provide group travel insurance, while others expect employees to arrange their own cover. Either way, there are a few things worth confirming before anyone travels.
Does the policy cover business travel and any additional leisure days? Are pre-existing medical conditions covered or do they need to be declared? What about company equipment such as laptops and mobile phones?
These details can be easy to overlook, but sorting them out before departure is far easier than trying to resolve an insurance issue while someone is unwell or stranded overseas.
A few things to check before you go
Before travelling, take the time to read your policy wording rather than relying solely on the summary.
Check the level of medical expenses cover, whether emergency repatriation is included, any limits on lost or damaged equipment and whether your planned activities are covered.
It’s also important to disclose any pre-existing medical conditions as required by your insurer. Failing to provide relevant information could affect your ability to claim.
Finally, check the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Travelling against official advice can affect your insurance cover, so make sure you understand your insurer’s conditions before you go.
Finding the right cover for your trip
A family skiing trip to Austria, a sales director travelling to a conference in Barcelona and a couple visiting relatives in Poland over Christmas will all have different insurance requirements.
What matters is making sure the cover you choose reflects where you’re going, what you’ll be doing and any particular circumstances that could affect your policy.
At Santé Group, we can help individuals and businesses explore suitable travel insurance options, whether that’s cover for a single holiday or an annual policy for employees who regularly travel overseas.
If you’re unsure whether your current arrangements provide the protection you need, get in touch with Santé Group to discuss your travel insurance options before your next trip.
