The question of holiday insurance - and whether to get it or not - is a contentious one. But should you fail to purchase family holiday insurance for your next trip, you may have to wonder if you can afford a holiday for you and your family at all! There are so many possibilities that could curtail or ruin your trip, that travelling without adequate cover may leave you open to financial ruin.
If you adopt the attitude that nothing will ever happen, or it only happens to other people, you may have cause to think again! Without proper cover you'll have to hope that you don't become one of the statistics where people become injured or ill while overseas and have to find the finances to pay for hospital or other treatment - just because they decided to save a few pounds by not purchasing family holiday insurance.
Will your UK NHS and other free assistance work when you leave the UK?
Your UK cover will not apply or help you when you are abroad. It is true to say that you may be able to receive some free medical treatment in certain European countries and other parts of the world that have a specific arrangement with UK, but you should expect not to be covered in most circumstances. Where you choose to eschew family holiday insurance to save you money on the overall cost of your travel, you may be better off choosing a cheaper holiday option so that you have a backup fund if it's needed for an emergency.
What does cover do for you?
A proper policy provides protection for you and members of your family if you become sick or suffer an injury while overseas. Funds would be provided to cover your hospital and medical expenses, as well as (in some cases) simple dental treatment after an accident or emergency. In the worst circumstances, it will provide you with funds for the evacuation back to the UK in an emergency.
If you're consider not purchasing this type of cover, consider also what you would do if an emergency did strike your family; medical costs can rapidly spiral into tens of thousands of pounds for just a short stay and a relatively simple operation in a foreign hospital.
An appropriate policy is also useful if you should become delayed during part of your journey and need to seek accommodation that wasn't in your original budget. It can also cover you if you lose your luggage and need to purchase a new set of clothes and essentials to be able to continue your holiday.
While not pleasant, it is wise to imagine the worst possible scenario - for instance, imagine being mugged abroad, where you might lose all of your money and be hospitalised at the same time! It's times like that, and for many other minor occasions, when family holiday insurance can prove one of the most sensible and effective purchases you can ever make.
Source by Patrick Chong
