Travel advice

The question many of us tend to toy with when booking a holiday, is ‘what level of insurance do I need for my trip?’ We get the temptation to try and get the best rate - in some cases, you can end up spending almost the cost of a holiday in insuring yourself to travel, particularly if you have red flag medical conditions or are over 75. But a lower price can often mean a lower level of cover and that can be risky – for you and your family.

In this guide, we look at the importance of travel insurance and how to get the best out of it.

Why is travel insurance important?

Insurance is a there for your protection against things such as lost or stolen baggage and unexpected medical costs abroad should the worst happen, and you require treatment. Consider travel insurance a safety net – a promise that you will be looked after should anything happen on your holiday. If you’re going for a cheaper policy, or have a free one with your bank account, just make sure that safety net applies to you, should you face the worst case scenario.

The mindset, 'it probably won’t happen to me’ crops up a lot when buying insurance. No one knows what’s around the corner and although saving money might be important, if you do Travel without insurance and require medical assistance abroad, the costs could reach tens of thousands of pounds. We would never recommend travelling without the appropriate level of Travel Insurance in place.

I think we can all say that we habitually ring around and get quotes to carry out price comparisons. It’s standard practice really and we’d be silly not to have a look, to get the best for our money.

For some people, their medical condition may carry a much higher premium, a premium that seems unfair when the condition may be acute and not a hindrance to daily life. The mindset, ‘it probably won’t happen’ crops up a lot when buying insurance and that can be a really dangerous rationale. We don’t know what’s around the corner and we should plan for all eventualities. Saving money might be important, but if your insurance doesn’t cover your condition, age or activities, you may as well have no insurance at all.

What are you risking without the right insurance?

If you travel without the correct level of insurance, then you may find you’re not covered for something you assume would be. In the US for example, you may not be seen by a medical professional without appropriate insurance or a financial deposit to cover the cost of treatment – regardless of whether you have a pre-existing condition or have had an accident.

With basic cover, you might be ok for trivial things like theft or lost belongings, but if you’re unlucky enough to require emergency medical assistance, you could find yourself having to pay for treatment or repatriation.

What you should consider?

Whilst as a general rule, you can expect higher cover to be at a higher cost and lower cover at a lower cost, there are ways to guarantee good cover for less money and we can use our insurance here as an example.

All of Saga’s holidays comes with optional travel insurance included in the price. However, those who stay opted in, benefit from an insurance policy that offers fantastic cover for a fixed amount. Cover for a week in Spain will set you back just £20 (correct as at 31.05.19) and we cover more than 400 pre-existing medical conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy and stroke*.

Having the right amount of cover is vitally important and could save you thousands. We recently had a 93-year old customer with medical conditions, go on holiday with us. Having opted in to include our optional travel insurance, she was spared a £76,000 bill when she had to make a claim for treatment and to get her home.

What you get with Saga Holidays Travel Insurance

Saga’s optional travel insurance offers cover for your holidays booked with Saga. Saga will even cover those extra activities that make your holiday really special. So if you want to snorkel around the reefs of Egypt or take a 4x4 safari across the great plains of Africa – you’re covered.

Saga Holidays Travel Insurance’s overall aim is to enable you to explore the world, enjoy our passions and not worry should the worst happen on your holiday. It offers medical cover up to £5m, with no hidden extras and adequate cover for your condition. You can freely partake in all the included or optional excursions, without compromising your cover and it means no missing out on once in a lifetime experiences* that you desire to tick off in your chosen destination.

Make the most of Saga Holidays Travel Insurance

Great cover doesn’t have to come at a high cost. Our optional travel insurance guarantees great protection at a great price for passengers who are fit and healthy but it’s even better news for those who have pre-existing medical conditions, or who are over 75.

To make the most of our insurance, just make sure you opt in when you book your holiday.

Saga’s range of insurance products is designed specifically for our customers and is unique to us. Saga Holidays Travel Insurance is underwritten by Astrenska Insurance Limited who meet our high standards of quality and service. Cover is subject to medical questions.

*Terms and conditions apply. We’ll ask you some questions about your medical conditions. In some occasions, we may have to refer to the underwriter for a quotation.