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Thursday, August 6, 2009

Do You Need Annual Travel Insurance

By Susan Reynolds

Paying a one-time fee for travel insurance with the promise of having all of your yearly travel protected from accidents and illnesses sounds wonderful, doesn't it? In most cases it is; however, the time to find out your coverage isn't complete is not after you experience an illness in another country.

Today people travel for a wide range of reasons and the travel insurance policies accessible to you have evolved to meet the more varied demand for suitable cover. In this guide we will look at which policies are suitable for certain types of travel. If you are plan to take a winter holiday you may want to consider taking out winter sports insurance.

This form of insurance provides cover for activities such as skiing and snowboarding, covering equally injuries and the loss or damage of sports tools. Fewer than 60 countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK and without adequate cover a broken leg in Switzerland could cost you around ?25,000.

Perhaps you are the adventerous type and your chosen outdoor activities include kayaking, white-water rafting, bungee jumping our rock climbing. Because these are considered high-risk activities, they may be exempt from a regular travel insurance policy. In that case, you would want to look into a holiday adventure insurance policy. Taking one out could save you expensive bills should anything go wrong. But, make sure that when research these policies that they cover the activity in which you plan to participate.

A backpacking holiday is another activity that can require a specialized policy. Backpackers insurance is a form of long term insurance that can last up to 18 months. Policies also cover you when working abroad which may be necessary when travelling for a long period of time, mostly for students. When taking out backpackers insurance it is essential to verify that all the countries you plan to visit are covered by the policy, mainly if you are travelling to countries where your EHIC card is not valid. Also remember that a few third world or war-torn countries may not be covered.

* Regardless of your age if you have any pre-existing medical conditions it is vital to let your insurance company know before buying the insurance. Such a condition is likely to increase the cost of your policy but it is a little fee to pay; if you fail to declare any medical issues your insurance policy is unlikely to cover you and this could result in a large bill for any medical treatment.

Before taking out any kind of policy, it's important to let the insurance company know of any health concerns or pre-exisiting medical conditions you may have. While disclosing this information may raise the price of the policy, the costs of illness while on holiday can be ruinous - it's a small price to pay in the end. One other thing to consider is that many standard insurance policies have an age-limit - often this is 65. If you are over this limit, this throws you into the high-risk category. But, you'll be happy to know that there are insurance companies that have policies that specialize in affordable insurance for the older traveler. Whatever type of travel you plan to do, or whatever your age, there is a travel policy for you that will give you peace of mind and allow you to enjoy your holiday.

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