Planning a family holiday: Travel insurance

With so many people taking to the skies for foreign holidays these days, insurance companies have upped their game and now provide a whole range of travel insurance products tailored to meet the specific needs of travellers. Among these is family or group insurance.

When considering one of these packages, take a look at what providers term as family, as their definitions can differ from company to company. The biggest differences tend to be in the number of children, or the age of children that can be insured.

Your family need not travel together all the time either. Anyone who is signed up tot the family or group policy can enjoy insurance cover wherever they travel to, whether they do so with the family in tow or not.

Further benefits include free child cover. You will find that most policy providers will offer completely free cover to children under the age of two, while others will provide free cover to all children.

Single parent families are now catered for also. Most insurers offer some sort of single parent family reduced rate so that single parent families do not miss out on the reduced insurance costs offered to other families.

It is worth noting that any child who wishes to travel must do so in the company of a named adult. This is particularly pertinent for older teenagers who may wish to travel alone or with friends. Should they choose to travel alone then they will be required to purchase their own separate cover.

If you are hoping to add an elderly parent or grandparent to your family or group policy, you may find that your premium will be much higher as a result. In fact, you may find some insurers who are unwilling to add anyone in their sixties or older to a family policy due to the increased health risk.

Families looking for insurance for a single holiday can take out single trip insurance, while those who plan to travel broad several times in a year could save more money by choosing to take out an annual family insurance policy.

by Micke Jack

Some useful tips for Travel Insurance Buyer

The most common types of features available for travel insurances are:

1. Trip cancellation

2. Accident/Sickness Medical expenses

3. Baggage/Personal Loss or Delay

4. Medical Evacuation / Emergency Transportation

5. Trip Delay

Here are some tips which will help you to make your decision about purchasing the travel insurance.

1. Don't think that taking travel insurance is not worth: Never consider the process of buying the travel insurance as an extra headache before your travel. You may well have the holidays without any problems, but there is always a possibility of some unexpected issues that may leave you with unnecessary stress and an empty wallet.

2. Consider if there are more than one trip you may plan in the same year: Before buying a single trip insurance, consider whether you'll be travelling frequently and therefore better off with annual cover. The annual insurance policies can be very reasonably priced and are often better value for money if you intend to travel twice or more during the year.

3. Consider which kind of travel you are planning: Most insurance companies offer different plans for different type of travelers. If you are going for a holiday with family, the insurance will be cheaper than for a travel for winter sports holidays which require more accident cover.

4. Compare quotes from different companies: Go online and try to get as many as possible online quotes from different companies, compare them to get the best rate.

5. Don't go for it in the last minute: Never try to purchase the travel insurance in a hurry. Take time to research and analyze, then only you will get a great deal.

Always do your research carefully, and read over the policy so that you can be sure you're covered for all your needs. Always purchase the travel insurance policy from a reputed insurance company with good track records.

by Radhika

Will My Private Health Insurance Cover Me Against Swine Flu?

Swine influenza is a respiratory disease in pigs. The original virus spread to humans and has since been passed from person to person, with a number of reported cases now in the UK. There is no evidence that the disease has been found in pigs in the UK. The fact that the disease has now spread to humans in a number of different countries means that it is now in danger of becoming a pandemic flu outbreak. The word 'pandemic' refers to the fact that the virus is widespread, rather than the level of threat to humans.

Cold and flu viruses are spread by coughing and sneezing, and therefore the Government has released guidelines on preventing the spread of the wine flu virus by disposing of tissues hygienically and covering your mouth when sneezing or coughing. The UK's plan for dealing with the virus has been identified as one of the best by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and there is a large stockpile of antiviral drugs including 'Tamiflu' and Relenza' which help to reduce the symptoms of swine flu.

Is this covered by my private health insurance policy?

According to the largest health providers, a case of swine flu would officially be covered under a private medical insurance policy, because it is a new, rather than a pre-existing medical condition. However, and this is a big however, many private hospitals would be reluctant to admit you with early symptoms of swine flu because of the duty of care they have to other resident patients. Because Accident and Emergency facilities fall under the remit of the NHS, private hospitals are primarily set up for planned treatment, with little or no resources to deal with accidents or emergencies.

Therefore, you should make an appointment with your GP in the first instance, or to Accident and Emergency if your case is severe. If you then feel that you would prefer to be looked after privately, you should contact your insurer and request that a consultant takes on your case. If this consultant, having examined you, feels that you need to be admitted to hospital, this can be arranged through the insurer. It is definitely worth double-checking with your insurer however, as if you contracted the illness from travelling to a country to which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) had advised 'only essential travel' this may invalidate your claim.

Access to Swine Flu medication

According to the NHS, "Arrangements are being put in place with local healthcare services for antivirals to be made available to those who need them". You cannot easily get Tamiflu and Relenza on a private prescription, but an NHS prescription will come from the stockpile that the government has made available on a regional basis. Therefore it is much better (and cheaper) to use NHS resources. Under no circumstances should you attempt to source the drugs online, because you will have no guarantee of the authenticity of the medication or that it has been stored in the correct conditions.

How do I recognise the symptoms of swine flu?

The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of ordinary seasonal flu. However, due to the fact that this is a new virus and therefore that the general population has little or no immunity, the symptoms may be more serious and cause more complications if treatment is not sought quickly. Symptoms include a cough, sudden fever, aching mucles, a sore throat, diarrhoea and sneezing. Most flu sufferers can be cared for effectively at home. However, if your symptoms worsen, contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or make an appointment with your local GP. Please note that unless a pandemic has been announced, it may also be that you have seasonal flu.

Katie Jenkins

http://www.SimplyFinance.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_Jenkins

Travel Insurance and Swine Flu - Important Frequently Asked Questions

Whether its Swine Flu (H1N1) or any other outbreak of infectious disease, you may or may not be covered by your travel insurance policy. It all depends on the circumstances and the fine print on your travel document. Here are some of the frequently asked questions that travelers are asking about swine flue.

Am I covered if I catch swine flu on holiday?

Yes - if you have a normal medical travel insurance policy and you get ill any doctors visits, hospital stays, medication, and costs associated with changes to travel plans will be covered. Swine flu is just another disease and your policy will cover you. Fortunately for most healthy adults a hospital stay is unlikely.

Am I covered if I get swine flu before I go on vacation?

Yes you should be - most comprehensive travel insurance policies will cover your for costs incurred when you have to delay or cancel your trip because of either your illness or that of a traveling companion. You may also be covered if a close family member gets ill - check the fine print.

I want to cancel my vacation to Mexico - and I covered?

Maybe is the answer to this one. If your government has advised against travel to a specific destination because of a pandemic, or other reason - then your travel insurance should cover you for loss of deposits etc. However, if you have decided you want to cancel just because you are nervous - and there is no government advisory against travel to your main holiday destination - then its unlikely that you are covered. In this case you will only be covered if you have a "cancel for any reason" clause in your policy.

Conversely - if you decide to continue a trip to a country that has an advisory against it then your travel insurance is probably at least partially void. For example if you travel to Mexico when there is an official advisory against travel to that country and you do contract H1N1 while there - its unlikely that your insurer will cover your medical costs - check before you leave. You may wish to either cancel your travel insurance (no use in paying for it if they are not covering you) or change insurance companies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_H._Jones