Buying
the right policy is no fun. It's a pain and often annoying to realise
it's going to add another £50 or £100 to the cost of the holiday.
It's also frustrating to think that you could be ripped off... Buying
annually can bring cost savings although the scale of these depends on
how many holidays you take and where you go...An in depth survey of
holiday insurance...showed that the cost of an annual policy giving
worldwide protection from Options is the same as the combined cost of
two seperate policies from Options, one for a three week holiday in US
and another for a two week holiday in Europe.
|
TRIPPED
UP BY TRAVEL POLICY SMALL PRINT: Check the excesses on the policy.
You'll often find the cheapest has the highest excesses...Shop around
for the best deal and don't be pressurised into buying insurance from
your travel agent - it often works out far dearer than cover bought
direct from insurers. Good places to try include . . . Options
|
INSURANCE:
CHECK COST AND COVER: You don't have to buy the travel insurance
offered with your package holiday, even though travel agents may push
it by offering discounts on the holiday ...For two wekks in Europe an
adult looking for a straightforward policy should try Options . . .
Their premium is currently unbeatable...and if you're venturing
furhter affield families should check out Options.
|
GOOD
INSURANCE: It always pays to shop around for travel insurance, Options
(0870 848 0870) has again been highlighted in May's Consumer
Association Which? report as having among the lowest prices of 'Best
Buy' travel policies.
|
ALL
YEAR: Even if you take just one holiday a year it's worth considering
year-round insurance - because some annual policies are cheaper than
individual holiday cover. One of the best bargains seems to be a
multi-trip policy from Options...
|
BEWARE
OF CUT-PRICE DEALS: Families are warned to beware of cut-price holiday
insurance deals offering inadequate insurance cover. Options claims
more people are being attracted by misleading advertisements for cheap
cover in order to avoid the exorbitant premiums being charged by some
tour operators and travel agents. Managing director Andrew Blowers
said: "One Company which guranteed the lowest premiums has been
slammed by the Advertising Standards Authority because cover cover was
not comparable with other policies. It's a good idea to shop around
but make sure you are getting high levels of cover as well as low
premiums... With more new insurers coming into the market , travellers
should deal only with members of the Association of British Insurers
and Insurance Ombudsman Bureau.
|
Regular
Travellers can buy a whole year's insurance from a Farnham company
than travel agents charge for a two week single trip. Options
Insurance Services Limited offeres it's 'Options' Multi-Trip . . .
Andrew Blowers, MD of Options says: "By cutting out middle men we
can offer the same cover as agents at a fraction of the
price".
|
If
you go to Europe every summer and skiing in Europe every winter then
the Options multi-trip option should be adequate for your needs . . .
The more intrepid who want annual worldwide cover can choose option
two ...Andrew Blowers, managing director of Options Insurance Services
Ltd. told us: "...When people phone us they can't believe that we
can do for £40 what their travel agent told them would cost
£140".
|
BEST
POLICY FOR YOUR HOLIDAY: Options has particularly good value rates for
family cover... A recent development in travel insurance is budget
policies which give mostly basic medical cover. One of the cheapest is
Options Silver policy...
|
You
can grow old waiting for an insurance claim to be settled but Options
promises a speedy response or recompense.
|
| DON'T
LEAVE INSURANCE UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE: A growing number of travellers
are being forced to pay for holidays they have not taken. Options
claims that more families are delaying buying cover until the last
minute - and many face high cancellation charges if they have to
cancel... Particularly at risk are travellers who arrange their
flights and accomodation independantly. Many consider insurance as an
afterthought just before departure. Travellers are paying £1,000 or
more up front for a villa in Tuscany or an apartment in Florida. they
stand to lose the lot if they do not have cancellation cover. Those cancelling a package holiday within a month before departure could be liable for 90% of the total cost.
|
Inter
Assurance, whose Options policies again featured amongst the lowest
priced "Best Buys" in May's Which? report on travel
insurance... has added extra cover... The Company also features a
concierge service offering round-the-clock assistance. Travellers can
have their family or office warned of flight delays, lost credit card
reported or even have a restaurant reservation made...
|
...
Families taking their car on holiday to Europe will save money on
breakdown insurance and enjoy wider cover ...the comprehensive new
(Options) policy features low prices and wider premium banding
enabling motorists to avoid paying for longer cover than they need...
Arranged through Green Flag National Breakdown, the policy offers
unlimited cover for roadside assistance and towing, despatch of spare
parts or vehicle repatriation. A chauffer can be provided if the
driver is incapacitated.
|