With the peak summer holiday season here, Irish holidaymakers set for foreign shores are being urged to check they are covered for any disruption which might be caused to their trips after contracting a contagious disease. This comes after recent months have seen record numbers of whooping cough being reported in a number of countries, including the UK, Europe, the US and Australia, as well as a rise in measles cases.
Experts at Peopl Insurance, a nationwide provider of travel insurance, are also advising those travelling overseas this summer to check they’re adequately covered for long-haul and cruise travel following a steady increase in the numbers of Irish people embarking on long-haul holidays, as well as a resurgence in the popularity of cruise travel.
TOP TON TRAVEL INSURANCE TIPS
Peopl.ie is urging holidaymakers to take some simple steps themselves to insure they can rely on their travel insurance when abroad:
1. Check your travel documents, including passports, are in date. An out-of-date passport could lead you to miss your flight or first night’s accommodation (or more) and your travel insurance won’t cover you if you failed to obtain the required passport ahead of travel.
2. Check your travel insurance covers you if you plan to drive while abroad.
3. Take travel insurance out in good time – ideally when booking your holiday. Don’t leave it until you get to the airport to buy cover. A high volume of travel insurance claims are made well in advance of travel – such as holiday cancellations following bereavement or illness.
4. Don’t leave your personal belongings unattended while travelling or in your holiday destination. If you are careless with your personal possessions, you might find it less straightforward should you need to make a claim.
5. Don’t take illegal drugs or drink too much when on holiday – your travel insurance usually won’t cover you if you become ill or injured as a result of doing so.
6. Check if your travel insurance covers you for all the activities you plan to do, particularly if you’re planning to engage in any high-risk activities.
7. To avoid having items or money confiscated when travelling, check and comply with any customs restrictions. Travel insurance usually won’t cover you for items confiscated by customs.
8. If embarking on long-haul travel, allow a sufficient amount of time between arriving at the airport in question and the scheduled time of any connecting flight. Failure to take this precaution could see you lose out on travel cover for missed departures and having to foot the bill for a new long-haul flight.
9. Ensure to get any vaccinations recommended for the country you are travelling to as there may be a restriction on travel cover if you don’t have the correct vaccinations or paperwork for vaccinations.
10. Follow correct claims procedure – always notify your insurer as soon as possible in the event of a claim. You will be expected to take certain steps in some cases.
