Travel Insurance

[mxh]

Is there much benefit in getting travel insurance to visit the UK, considering that's where I'm from?

 

Going back soon for a few weeks to visit friends, family etc, but am not sure what I'm likely to need it for. After all, I've got a much bigger support network still in the UK than I've managed to build up in Aus since I've been here.

 

Medical bills would be the only major concern, but my understanding is that there's a reciprocal medical agreement with the UK, so I'd get treatment through the NHS in case of any injury.

 

Otherwise, I can't really think of anything else that I'd particularly need / want it for.

 

Thoughts?

[Bungo]

Missed flight, cancelled flight, lost luggage, medical drama in transit..

[mxh]

Missed flight, cancelled flight, lost luggage, medical drama in transit..

 

Missed flight - hmm, maybe

Cancelled flight - it's cancelled - having insurance won't make it fly.

Lost luggage - it'll turn up. Again, insurance doesn't stop it getting lost, and I can borrow stuff in the meantime.

Medical drama - again, maybe. But why wouldn't that be dealt with under the reciprocal medical agreement?

 

Not dismissing your points, but just wondering if there really are any 'must have' reasons.

 

Would you get travel insurance if you were to, for example, fly to a different Australian city for a long weekend? If not, what's the difference between this and going to the UK?

[Bungo]

Missed flight - hmm, maybe

Cancelled flight - it's cancelled - having insurance won't make it fly.

Lost luggage - it'll turn up. Again, insurance doesn't stop it getting lost, and I can borrow stuff in the meantime.

Medical drama - again, maybe. But why wouldn't that be dealt with under the reciprocal medical agreement?

 

Not dismissing your points, but just wondering if there really are any 'must have' reasons.

 

Would you get travel insurance if you were to, for example, fly to a different Australian city for a long weekend? If not, what's the difference between this and going to the UK?

 

I didn't say they were must have reasons, you asked why else might you consider travel insurance and I answered.

[mxh]

I didn't say they were must have reasons, you asked why else might you consider travel insurance and I answered.

 

OK - maybe I didn't get the tone right in my original post.

 

I'm wondering if I'm missing anything that I really should have travel insurance for. My rationale being that when I lived in the UK, I didn't have any insurance for day to day issues, as I didn't need it because I had a support network around me. I've still got that support network, so I'm thinking that I don't need the insurance.

 

Yes, I could still get caught out by unforseen circumstances - but having insurance doesn't stop things happening, just covers the cost of 'making good'.

 

I'm not worried about small costs - lost luggage, hotel cost if flight delayed etc etc, I'm thinking more of the big costs. The medical one is a good point - will the reciprocal agreement cover me for injuries / illness in the same way as it did when I lived in the UK?

 

And anything else along these lines that I've not thought of?

[Guest Dave53]

Let me quickly tell you about my experience. I travel back and forth to the UK at least yearly . I always without fail take travel insurance . I have sought emergency medical treatment in the UK during one trip , and was treated without delay and without cost at a Birmingam hospital . My last address , name and date of birth were entered into the computer system at the triage area and my NHS number appeared and treatment was commenced as though I was still a resident . Great service . I have also had emergency surgery in Cyprus . This was covered by my travel insurance to the tune of $16,000 , all for a premium of less than $300 .. Good value I think we could all agree on , hence my reason why I always take out insurance . If you were travelling only to the UK , you may want to consider all the risks , such as car hire excess inclusions etc ... Best of luck ..

 

Dave C

[mxh]

I get that insurance is a good idea if going to a foreign country - if I was going to Cyprus then I'd get some too.

 

But from what you're saying, you went to the UK, had to have treatment and it was all paid for because you were 'on the system'. Which sort of goes along with my thinking - ie what do I really need it for?

 

And I'm certainly trying to consider all the risks - just need to know what the biggies are which I may be forgetting about.

[Guest Dave53]

I see where you are coming from , and certainly for a trip back to the UK only , it does make you wonder the value of travel insurance . I suppose a cancellation of your plans due to unforeseen circumstances would incur a financial loss which could be covered by insurance , however , there is always the " pre existing " condition that all insurance companies love so much and use to get out of claims on a regular basis . At the end of the day , it's a " peace of mind " thing , and after spending $000's on the fare etc , does another $200 or so break the bank or not ..

 

Dave C

[miw54]

Medical problems in transit would be the greatest worry. If the plane had to land in a country that does not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK/Australia then you could be looking at thousands of dollars. My friend's sister went over to the UK from Oz and did not have insurance. Sadly she died 3 days into the visit but her family back in Oz wanted her body returned there. It cost around £4000 to get her back and Qantas would not allow any of the relatives from the UK to use her return ticket to travel with her body. I just wouldn't risk travelling without insurance as you never know what happens.:no:

 

 

 

 

Better to regret doing something than to regret not doing it...

[PatW]

Coming in on the tail end of this one.

If you broke a leg or (heaven forbid) a back during that UK trip you'd have to be 'repatriated' back to Oz probably with a nurse in tow and special arrangements for seating, etc. Then the travel insurance would come into its own and prove its worth for a few hundred. Cancelled or delayed flights would be covered & you wouldn't lose perhaps $2,000pp+.

[Keith and Linda]

Missed flight - hmm, maybe

Cancelled flight - it's cancelled - having insurance won't make it fly.

Lost luggage - it'll turn up. Again, insurance doesn't stop it getting lost, and I can borrow stuff in the meantime.

Medical drama - again, maybe. But why wouldn't that be dealt with under the reciprocal medical agreement?

 

Not dismissing your points, but just wondering if there really are any 'must have' reasons.

 

Would you get travel insurance if you were to, for example, fly to a different Australian city for a long weekend? If not, what's the difference between this and going to the UK?

 

You seem to be answering your own question, the reasons we have insurance are in general for the points listed by Bungo, if in your opinion they are low risk and not worth the cost of insurance then just go!

But were you to have a medical drama during flights what then? we have once! in Zurich, had to turn the plane around (luckily it was only taxiing to the runway) emergency surgery that night, 4 days of hospital for Linda 4 days of hotel for me, $20,000, with about $10000 of that I had to find, they wheeled linda off to emergency dept and me to admin dept, had to pay initially until insurance got sorted out and then had to claim that $10k back.

[Keith and Linda]

A cancelled or delayed flight is different to you missing a flight, even more so if you had already web checked-in and then say had a car accident/breakdown/roadworks/ on the way to the airport.

You appear to be too readily dismissive of insurance for some reason.

However the easiest way to get travel insurance at no cost to you is to have and use a credit card which has complimentary travel insurance.

[ramot]

Also when I broke my arm + shoulder badly, en route to UK, I was told at least 6 weeks to see a specialist on the NHS, almost the next day to see one privately, and most of the cost repaid by travel insurance. 6 weeks wouldn't have been funny as I needed 3 long pins removed before then and physio started.

Would never travel without it.

Some credit cards include insurance if you pay for your trip with them

[Keith and Linda]

I wonder what the OP finally decided?

[mxh]

I wonder what the OP finally decided?

 

I decided not to bother with travel insurance, and for this trip it wasn't an issue. But it's important not to forget that I was talking specifically about a trip 'home' and not a holiday to a 'foreign' country.

 

However, after looking at the pros and cons, I think for my next trip back to the UK I'll get a credit card (haven't got one at the moment) and book flights etc with that - as pointed out above, most of them now offer a basic level of insurance for the important stuff (medical etc) free of charge.

[ramot]

I decided not to bother with travel insurance, and for this trip it wasn't an issue. But it's important not to forget that I was talking specifically about a trip 'home' and not a holiday to a 'foreign' country.

 

However, after looking at the pros and cons, I think for my next trip back to the UK I'll get a credit card (haven't got one at the moment) and book flights etc with that - as pointed out above, most of them now offer a basic level of insurance for the important stuff (medical etc) free of charge.

 

possibly depends on the level of credit card, check before you assume they all cover you.

enjoy your trip.

[Keith and Linda]

I decided not to bother with travel insurance, and for this trip it wasn't an issue. But it's important not to forget that I was talking specifically about a trip 'home' and not a holiday to a 'foreign' country.

 

However, after looking at the pros and cons, I think for my next trip back to the UK I'll get a credit card (haven't got one at the moment) and book flights etc with that - as pointed out above, most of them now offer a basic level of insurance for the important stuff (medical etc) free of charge.

 

OK, but it's also important to remember that even on a trip 'home' you will be stopping off in a foreign country! and that you could be taken ill on the flight, as in my story on an earlier post and that of others. Assuming you have a return journey from 'home' then you have 4 flights and two stops in another country, also what if you miss your return flight (as mentioned above).Not sure if you are travelling alone? but if with someone else, then that throws more stuff in the fan to think about.

I am not criticizing your choice here just merely making you aware that there is more to think about than it's just a trip 'home'

 

Just think about all the goings on in Bali at present, peopling whinging that they are having to pay out thousands of $, and then trying to blame the airlines, simple insurance would have covered those costs and at less hassle.

Safe and happy travels to you.

[Keith and Linda]

possibly depends on the level of credit card, check before you assume they all cover you.

enjoy your trip.

 

Yep, check out the fine print before signing up.

Ours (Comm bank) have just changed insurer, and we now, to get the full benefits, have to inform them of our travel dates, if not we just get some basic medical and repatriation cover. I am going to check out some other cards on the market.

[ramot]

Yep, check out the fine print before signing up.

Ours (Comm bank) have just changed insurer, and we now, to get the full benefits, have to inform them of our travel dates, if not we just get some basic medical and repatriation cover. I am going to check out some other cards on the market.

 

Just trolling through about 20 double sided sheets of paper from Comm bank spelling out their insurance details!! make sure you get them to print it out rather than you! Seems ok but will probably get some extra car cover.

Leave next week for 9 weeks, let you know if we have any problems, hope not.

[Keith and Linda]

Just trolling through about 20 double sided sheets of paper from Comm bank spelling out their insurance details!! make sure you get them to print it out rather than you! Seems ok but will probably get some extra car cover.

Leave next week for 9 weeks, let you know if we have any problems, hope not.

 

Yep we keep getting up-dates on changes, with the latest being a change of insurer and now we have to inform of travel dates for the insurance to become valid, which is a bit of a pain to remember to do, I also suspect more changes will come soon because of this changed insurer.

As previously posted we have mad one quite large claim which in general was handled ok, like a couple of hiccups in making contact from overseas and a slight delay in it kicking-in but all sorted before Linda left hospital and all finalized once we got back to Aus.

Regarding the car hire depending on the length of car hire then the extra insurance could work out more than the excess so we do not usually bother for our trips of over 4 weeks, I have had 3 separate incidents with pheasants the cost of damage has being less than the excess and less than any extra premiums I would have paid. I also have doubts over the wording on the card insurance regarding car hire.

Which car hire company do you use Ramot?

Have a good trip.

Keith

[ramot]

We have used 1st Direct vehicle rentals for several years as have friends

They meet you as you arrive, walk you to the car and you are off. No having to go to their offices and queue.

 

Extra top up car insurance as using Comm bank insurance, is with;

1carhire insurance, cost 36 ukpds.

[Keith and Linda]

We have used 1st Direct vehicle rentals for several years as have friends

They meet you as you arrive, walk you to the car and you are off. No having to go to their offices and queue.

 

Extra top up car insurance as using Comm bank insurance, is with;

1carhire insurance, cost 36 ukpds.

 

Yes the waiting for the courtesy bus and then, if a queue the waiting can be a pain after the long flight. However just did a quick check on hire rates between your 1st direct and Europcar which we have been getting the best prices from of late...................1st direct 877quid................europcar 625 quid (Based on same 5 week period)! think I will suffer the queues Ramot.

 

I take it the insurance is to cover the excess? and for the whole period of hire? seems good I will look into that more so thanks.

Have a safe and happy trip.

Keith

[ramot]

That's quite a difference. We are paying 959 pds for 59 days, for a golf or similar. Just checked the invoice, will ask my husband when he gets in if he pushed for a better rate.

 

ps not an automatic that was quite a bit more, but as husband does most of the driving he wasn't fussed

[Keith and Linda]

That's quite a difference. We are paying 959 pds for 59 days, for a golf or similar. Just checked the invoice, will ask my husband when he gets in if he pushed for a better rate.

 

ps not an automatic that was quite a bit more, but as husband does most of the driving he wasn't fussed

 

We actually paid less than that in May/june for 5.5 weeks - 5 door Astra (must always be a 5 door), My brother whom was over at the same time his worked out at just over 11quid per day and he got a free upgrade too. But it does seem extortionate money for the auto some 50% extra or more, I do all the driving, too much on this trip equal to Brisbane to Cairns and back.....twice.