Sun? Check. Sand? Check. Stress? No thanks! The last thing anyone wants is to have a well-deserved holiday ruined by an unexpected disaster. Whether it’s a delayed flight, lost baggage, or a health issue, unforeseen issues can really affect your enjoyment. Fortunately, with the right Travel Insurance, you’ll not only be covered against such scenarios – but you’ll have the peace of mind that goes with it.
In this blog, we’ll provide a brief overview of what to do when things go wrong on holiday – and how your insurance can help put it right.
If Something Goes Wrong on Holiday: First Steps
Step One – Travel Insurance
The very first step needs to be taken before you go on holiday: you should make sure to take out a comprehensive Travel Insurance policy. As a minimum, look for cover that protects against lost/stolen baggage or possessions (including cash); cancellation; flight delays; and medical expenses.
In terms of medical expenses, we’d recommend looking for an insurer that will offer Covid cover – whilst the effects of the pandemic are subsiding in many places, it’s not worth taking the risk that the virus could spoil your holiday (particularly if you have to isolate or require medical treatment).
Step Two – Before You Make a Claim
If something goes wrong whilst you’re travelling, an initial – and completely understandable – response is to panic. Take a few deep breaths: almost every problem is fixable, particularly with the right insurance team to support you.
There are a couple of important things to do immediately, though, so do bear these in mind:
Should I… contact the police? Any crimes (for instance, if any of your possessions have been stolen) should be reported to the local police and the incident number noted down – before you make a claim. Bear in mind, too, that you’ll usually be required to acquire a police report within the first 24 hours in order for your claim to be valid.
Should I…keep documentation? Yes, if it’s relevant to your claim. Be sure to safely store any receipts as well as additional documents (for example, medical records for any hospital treatment, or, if your flight was delayed, the receipt from your hotel stay plus other reasonable expenses, like food). Photos, if relevant, could be very useful too; for instance, if items are stolen, photos of each item plus receipts (from when these were purchased) can be helpful.
You may also need to acquire other pieces of information. For stolen items, a police report is vital (as stated above). If your flight is delayed, you’ll likely need a letter from the airline confirming the delay. If your baggage is lost, you may need to request a ‘Property Irregularity Report’ or similar from the airline, as well as keeping any baggage tags/receipts.
Should I… contact my insurer, even if I’m not sure what is going on? Yes – as soon as possible. Most insurance companies provide an emergency helpline (usually 24/7), which you can call (useful ifyou’re in a different time zone). Whilst most insurers will give you at least 30 days in which to make a claim, it’s best to speak with them sooner rather than later.
What about medical expenses?
If you require treatment whilst abroad, it’s often best to speak to your insurer before you start, if you’re able to – the process will be smoother and easier if they are aware and in agreement before treatment is carried out. Regardless, we’d recommend contacting your insurer as soon as possible; and, if you have to pay for any treatment upfront, make sure to get a receipt detailing all costs.
Remember, too, to make the details of your Travel Insurance accessible, should someone else need to contact your insurer on your behalf. If you’re travelling with someone, give them a copy of your policy (and the relevant contact details), so they’re able to start the process for you if necessary.
Will I have to pay anything else?
As well as any upfront costs (which you’ll hopefully be able to claim back), you may need to pay an excess, depending on your policy. What this means is that you pay a portion of the claim – or, if you receive a lump sum from your insurer, you’ll receive the total minus the excess amount.
Excesses are usually applicable on most claims – including those to do with medical expenses, cancellation, and lost possessions. Do check your policy, though, for full details of what you’ll need to pay and when. Read the fine print, too: you may find that your excess is higher when travelling to certain destinations.
