What to watch out for

Despite so many competition some policies still offer pretty lousy deals. Most experts agree that plans sold by tour firms and travel agents tend to be the most expensive and may not offer any more than far cheaper alternatives. The Treasury is currently investigating the way travel plans are sold alongside holidays amidst fears that some firms are taking advantage of what they see as a captive market. If you shop around elsewhere you also need to watch out for several other potential pitfalls. Some policies carry extensive exclusions, so if you have pre-existing medical conditions or are going to unusual destinations you need to check you will be covered. Excesses are another area of concern. They are the first part of any claim that the policyholder has to pay and can be surprisingly high. In some cases you can be better off paying a slightly higher premium for a policy with a lower excess. That way you know that if you do ever need to claim you will at least get some benefit. Other small print will say when cash, credit cards or valuable items are protected and when claims related to them will be refused. It’s always worth checking the small print so you don’t get a nasty shock after a claim. You can get a lot more information about travel cover and the risks you might be taking on holiday on the Government’s website www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo.