STUDENT
TRAVEL INSURANCE EXPLAINED
What
does student travel insurance cover?
Every policy is different and cover varies from one policy
to another so you should always read the policy documents
and wording to avoid any nasty shocks
The following points out what you should expect as a consumer
and the minimum level of cover your travel insurance should
have.
Type of cover Minimum recommended
Cancellation of your holiday or cutting it short (Known as
curtailment) - Full cost of the holiday
Medical emergency - £2 million
Personal liability (for injury you cause to someone else or
damage to someone else’s possessions) - £2 million
Baggage and possessions cover i.e. the value of your belongings
- £1,500 is usually enough (watch single item/ valuable
item limit e.g. £150 or £300)
Personal money (cash, traveller’s cheques etc) -£250
- £500
Loss of passport - £250- £500
Medical emergency and hospital
treatment
In general, £2 million of medical cover should be ample,
so do not be overly impressed by ‘Gold and Platinum’
policies that charge extra for an extra £5 million or
£10 million of cover.
Beware – Many exclusions to cover usually relate to
health problems and medical claims. Standard travel insurance
does not pay out for claims related to a health problem which
existed at the time you bought the policy – called a
‘pre-existing condition’ – unless you declared
the problem and the insurer agreed to cover it. A pre-existing
health problem includes such common complaints as asthma even
if they are well managed so, if in doubt, declare the condition.
The health exclusion usually also extends to anyone whose
health would affect your travel plans. For example, if a close
relative was already severely ill when you bought the insurance,
the policy would normally not pay out if you subsequently
cancelled your holiday because that person had become worse
or had died.
Baggage, luggage and possessions
Unlike home contents possessions insurance, with most policies
the baggage section usually covers your possessions only up
to market value, given wear and tear, not on a new-for-old
basis.
If you have an all-risks extension to your Home Contents insurance
with personal possessions cover, your luggage may already
be covered while away from home. Given that cover under this
policy, apart from for clothing, will almost certainly be
new-for-old, you may prefer to rely on your parents home insurance
rather than a travel policy.
Occasionally some travel insurers give you the option to cancel
the baggage coverage in return for a discount. This is worth
doing if you are totally sure you already have cover through
your parents possessions or home contents insurance.
If you are relying on the baggage section of your travel insurance,
be aware that as with home insurance there is usually a single
item/valuable item limit on possessions. If you’ll be
taking something more valuable with you e.g. an expensive
video camera – see if you can pay extra to increase
the cover. Alternatively, consider extending your home contents
insurance with a specified item addition to the possessions
section, to cover the item while you are away from home.
If you have all-risks possessions or house contents (or possessions)
insurance, see if you can cancel the baggage section of the
travel policy for a premium saving. Expect to save 10 to 20
per cent.
Sports cover
Don’t assume that a standard student travel insurance
policy will cover any sports equipment you take with you.
A specialist sports policy will cover equipment, but check
what limits and conditions apply, for example:
• A limit on the maximum that will be paid out even
if your equipment is worth more
• A reduction in cover according to the age of the equipment
• Special conditions about looking after the equipment
– for example, a requirement that you use ski locks
if your skis are to be left unattended, say in a rack outside
a restaurant
If you are taking part in dangerous sports,
make sure that the medical cover includes the cost of search-and-rescue
operations should you need them – for example, to get
you off a mountain after a climbing or skiing accident.
Extras
As well as the basic cover above, many policies include other
areas of cover, such as legal expenses (for example, up to
£10,000), hospital benefit (for example, up to £10
for each day you are hospitalised), and travel delay (for
example, £10 for each 12-hour delay).
Most Travel Insurers have an emergency helpline for you to
call for help and advice if something goes wrong while you
are abroad.
Endsleigh offer students who are
based at UK Universities & Colleges exclusive cheaper
student travel insurance to cover the complete range of student
travel insurance needs.
Save as much as 75% on travel agents prices.
More Explanations
What is an
E111?
What type
of travel insurance policy do you need?
What
should I be covered for?
What am I not covered for?
How is my premium calculated?
Student Travel Insurance.co.uk
are the UK specialists in providing you with value for money
instant Student Travel Insurance cover for :
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