The handy travel insurance guide

Sorting your travel insurance out as early as possible is just one piece of advice that is a must when it comes to purchasing your policy. Without a policy you really are living on the edge and tempting fate. It could cost you tens of thousands of pounds if you injure yourself whilst you are abroad and need to make special arrangements to get back to the UK. The British embassy will rarely assist if you get yourself into trouble and do not have adequate insurance to cover you in this case.

With so many excellent deals to be had online, your best bet is to avoid dealings with high-street brokers. Once you have found a range of suitable insurance brokers you need to ascertain what you need to be covered against.

• Firstly, medical and health cover is an absolute must and should be the first thing you look at when choosing a policy.
• For peace of mind, you should also go with a company that provides a 24-hour helpline to assist you if you get into trouble.
• It is also a good idea to incorporate personal liability cover into your policy. This aspect of insurance covers you if you are sued for causing injury to someone else or damage to property.
• Protection against cancellation is also a must as you stand to lose a great deal of money if this were to happen
• If you are taking expensive possessions with you on your trip you should also make sure that you are covered if you're valuables are stolen or if you lose them whilst you are away.
• Looking for adventure whilst you're away? If 'yes', then you should look at the addition of extra cover for activities and sports.

Be sure to shop around for the best priced policy, but beware, you may believe you have found a cheap deal but you should look at the small print as certain vital points are often missed out. When you look into the finer details be sure to check the following...

• Your insurance covers all payments on excursions that have been booked prior to your holiday.
• The full cost of the holiday will be reimbursed by the company in case of cancellation.
• If your trip is cut short for whatever reason then you will receive a payout.

Once you have sorted your insurance you may be given the option of choosing your own excess. If you choose a higher excess your quote is likely to become cheaper, whilst a lower excess will result in a higher policy price. You should play it safe here and choose an amount that is straight down the line. Anything up to £100 is deemed as reasonable.

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