Essential Travel Insurance Tips: 7 Questions You Must Ask

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This post was crafted with care and occasional typos by Colleen (and not AI)

No traveller should leave home without adequate travel insurance; but how do you know it’s truly adequate? What if your free bank policy isn’t enough? What if, with all the confusing small print, we leave out something important?  

The reality is, no one plans to get sick on holiday but it happens. Travel insurance is often overlooked and as someone who’s landed in an overseas hospitals five times, I’d tell you that it’s non-negotiable.

We travel a great deal and Gerry spent days researching the perfect policy for us to ensure cover for :

He came up with 7 key questions that you need to ask yourself (and your insurance company) before booking or paying for travel insurance.

Why Travel Insurance Is Non-Negotiable

We all think it won’t happen to us—until it does.

No one plans for accidents or illness while travelling, but they happen. Medical emergencies abroad can be shockingly expensive, and even small mishaps like broken eyeglasses can add up. Gerry broke his in India, and without insurance, a replacement pair would have cost hundreds but ours covered the loss.

A simple hospital visit could leave you with thousands in bills. Cancellations, lost luggage, and emergency evacuations can derail a trip and leave you out of pocket or with logistical nightmares. In Peru, I fell very ill during our Inca Trail hike, but thankfully, the hospital dealt direct with our insurance company and they handled everything, allowing us to focus on recovery.

Travel insurance is your safety net. Yes, it’s an additional expense, and there are many factors to consider, but it’s vital. Ask the right questions, and make sure you’re covered before you leave home.

When to Purchase Travel Insurance?

Don’t wait until the last minute. Do your research well ahead. Indeed do it before you book your trip and book with confidence knowing that you’re covered.

Check with the insurance company when you need to purchase your travel insurance. This way, you’re covered for cancellations and other disruptions that might happen even before you leave home.

We’ve used or been recommended the following :

Disclaimer

Whilst I’ve relied on my insurance many times, it’s important that you read and understand the terms of any policy. We are not insurance agents, but we are experienced travellers sharing what we’ve learned. This post provides general guidance and tips, but it is essential that you always consult with an expert for advice tailored to your own personal situation.

1. Where Are You Going? Does Your Cover Match Your Itinerary?

Check that your insurance covers every destination on your trip. Some policies exclude certain regions, or require additional coverage for more remote areas. For example, we could purchase European cover, or worldwide but that excluded Canada and the USA.  As we have visited both of these countries we needed to take a different policy.

Consider the geography too, like Cusco in Peru.  It’s a fabulous destination even if you’re not hiking but it’s at high altitude. Make sure your policy covers you for this.  TrueTraveller lets you add altitude coverage to your policy.

Top Tip : Check your own governments Foreign Office Travel Advisory.  When in India we wanted to  visit Kashmir but because our government advised against all travel here our insurance would not have covered us.

2. How Long Will You Be Away From Home

The key issue here is that your insurance covers you from the moment you leave home until you return. You have two main options:

If you’re taking multiple trips in a year, annual cover might be a more cost-effective, but make sure that the policy covers you for the specifics of each trip.  For a one off event, a single-trip policy maybe sufficient and maybe the only choice for longer trips like our India and Vietnam adventure.

3. What Will You Be Doing?

While walking the Camino may not be considered extreme, many activities could be excluded from standard travel insurance. High-risk activities like winter sports, hiking at altitude, or even riding pillion on a motorbike in Ha Giang might not be covered.

Snorkelling from the beach might be fine, but a diving trip could require extra cover. Always check if your planned activities are included, and if in doubt, ask your insurer.

Top Tip : Areas with high altitudes, volcanic activity, or malaria may need specialized coverage, so verify this before you travel.

4. What Risks Do You Want to Cover?

When we travel, my priority is knowing I’m fully covered if the worst happens. It wasn’t until we started travelling in retirement that we really looked into the fine print.  Then we realised the huge variety of coverage options and exclusions we should consider :

5. How Old Are You? Does Age Matter?

Age does matter when it comes to travel insurance. Once I reached 60, I noticed my options became more limited, and after 65 or 70, you’ll encounter additional restrictions. For example, TrueTraveller offers single-trip policies but not annual cover for certain age groups.

But! Don’t let age stop you from travelling! Just be prepared to pay a bit more, and always check the fine print to ensure you’re fully covered.

6. What Health Issues Do You Have?

Pre-existing medical conditions must always be declared, and failing to do so might mean your policy could be void.

This was crucial for us, as I’ve had cancer, I live with a pre-existing condition and require daily medication. Gerry found that insurers typically take two approaches:

Exclusions didn’t work for us, as I needed peace of mind that I’d be fully covered with my pre-existing conditions. After thorough research, we did find a suitable policy.  But, always be open with your insurer and never leave anything out.  Be very clear about your medical history and work with your insurance company together to find the best coverage for your needs.

7. Do I Already Have Suitable Cover With My Bank Or Credit Card?

Yes, it is entirely possible that your bank card may offer some form of travel insurance, but it’s often not comprehensive. Always read the fine print and check for exclusions, especially those we’ve discussed here. Free bank policies tend to offer limited coverage, so it’s worth paying attention to the detail.

Can You Have Two Policies Running at the Same Time?

Yes, but it can complicate things and it’s not good practice. Having said that, we have two policies, because of the free bank cover, but we rely on the one we researched and purchased. Also, you should never claim from both policies for the same incident.

4 Key Factors Insurance Companies Need You to Consider

Whilst the issues above are things that were important to us, insurance companies also have a few important factors that they rank as important :

Finally do check the excess and deductible costs.  These vary widely between policies so do make sure you know what yours are when choosing your policy.

So Do You Really Need Travel Insurance?

All the photos in this post of me whilst travelling, give testament to the fact that accidents and incidents happen. Travel insurance is your backup for when things go wrong on the road and trust me; they go wrong!

Read the Fine Print

The small print is where many travellers get tripped up. Before you purchase any policy :

By asking the right questions, reading the small print, and selecting the best coverage for your needs, you’ll travel with peace of mind. We’ve been at the sharp end of needing insurance too often to ever take it for granted. In Peru, TrueTraveller did everything. I was very sick and Gerry could stay with me without worrying about the cost or the paperwork.

The peace of mind that travel insurance provides is worth every penny. Whether you’re backpacking across Southeast Asia like us, walking the Camino or simply enjoying a leisurely beach trip, having the right insurance is key.

Go review your insurance, read the fine print and ensure you’re covered. You wouldn’t leave home without your passport and you shouldn’t leave home without the security of travel insurance.