Travel insurance is offered by most insurance companies and also by most tour operators, it is designed to protect the policy holder against the possible risks they may encounter when travelling abroad or when on holiday in the UK.

Travel insurance used to be viewed as a luxury, nowadays it is seen as crucial for anyone thinking of travelling abroad. Although it is not compulsory as such, some airlines and tour operators will not let you travel unless you have adequate insurance. The reason for this tends to be the huge financial cost for airlines and tour operators should anything go drastically wrong. For example, should you happen to require urgent medical attention mid-flight which the stewards cannot assist with, in this case let’s say a passenger suffers a major heart attack. The quickest and most logical thing for the pilot to do may be to turn back or land at the nearest available airport so that the passenger in question may receive the medical attention they require. The cost of doing this is huge for both the airline and the various tour operators whose passengers are also on the plane. Not only are there costs such as additional fuel, but the tour operator or airline may also be faced with legal costs as most passengers will often claim for compensation for the disruption to their trip. In this case travel insurance would cover the cost, including any medical expenses you may incur.

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Other types of cover provided by travel insurance include cover against illness or medical emergencies and expenses should you be ill or injured, loss or damage to your personal possessions, loss or theft of money, any expenses incurred due to a delayed departure or incurred replacing a lost passport, legal expenses and personal liability cover in the case of an accident where you cause injury or damage to a third party or their property. Insurance also provides compensation if you suffer permanent disability or death whilst on holiday. Furthermore, travel insurance will provide some financial compensation should your trip be cancelled or curtailed due to circumstances beyond your control.

Like most insurance, travel insurance is split into categories depending on the kind of holiday you have booked and the cover you require.

Most tour operators will offer you a single trip policy when you book your holiday. A Single Trip policy, as its name suggests is for a single trip only, which can have a duration lasting up to 6 months.

One thing to bear in mind is that if you suffer from a disability or a long term health problem, or are over the age of 65 (this age limit varies depending on the policy provider) you may not be fully covered with a Single Trip policy and so some tour operators may refer you to a specialist policy which will insure that you have adequate insurance before you travel. Specialist insurance may be a little more expensive than a Single Trip policy but as the saying goes it is better to be safe than sorry. The last thing you need is to suffer an illness or medical emergency abroad and then find out your insurance does not cover you.

For those people who make more than one or two trips every year, Multiple Trip policies may be a better option. Although Multiple Trip policies are more expensive, it makes sense to purchase a Multiple Trip policy if you plan on going abroad say 5 times within a 12 month period, rather than purchasing a Single Trip policy each time. Again if you have any health issues or are a certain age, some companies may direct you towards a more specialist insurance policy.

Some holidays present more health risks than others and so there is a Winter Sports or Activities policy. Ideal for those who wish to partake in skiing, snowboarding or any other activity that could cause potential injury. Again if you are planning to make more than trip of this nature, there is also a Multiple Trip Winter Sports/Activities policy. In addition to these, some insurance companies will provide a Backpacker travel insurance, which will cover the policy holder for a duration of around 3 to 18 months, and is usually available for Europe, Australia or Worldwide travel. A Winter Sports policy can also be added for all or part of the trip.

If you are unsure of what policy is right for you consider what you are planning to do while you are on holiday and where you are planning to go. Obviously if you are looking for a relaxing beach holiday than you are probably not going to need a Winter Sports policy. With all of the policies mentioned, most insurance companies or tour operators will offer special prices for families or couples.

As with any type of insurance, be sure you understand exactly what the policy will cover you for before you buy. Most insurance companies will offer a 14 day ‘cooling off’ period in which you can cancel your policy should you change your mind. Another thing to consider is that some credit card companies will offer travel insurance providing you have used your card to purchase your holiday, likewise some household contents insurance may provide cover for personal belongings temporarily abroad, so it is always worth checking to see what kind of cover you have already before you purchase an additional policy.