For some people, the thought of relaxing on a beach reading the latest love story is an idyllic holiday choice, but for some it sounds like an uninspiring way to spend your holiday. With the increasing availability of activity holidays across the globe, it can be very tempting to book a biking trip in France, skiing around Italy or canoeing river rapids in Switzerland.
There are many occasions where people visit a destination, completely unprepared and under educated, putting themselves in unnecessary danger. There are many ways to reduce the need for assistance, and proper planning will ensure the trip goes off without any incidents.
What do you need to know?
Know the road - Knowing the highway code for each country you visit is extremely important, as is ensuring you are wearing the relevant protective clothing! Recent studies suggest that almost 13% of accidents caused by British road users abroad were down to lack of knowledge of which side of the road to drive on. Next time you plan a trip, check the highway code for the country you visit.
Where and when to expect you - Inform people what your plans are and when to expect you back from your activity. There have been situations where people, who have become stranded, could have been saved a lot sooner if they informed a hotel manager or loved one when to expect them back from a trip.
What you are covered for - Ensure that your travel insurance policy offers cover for any activities you are undertaking. Not having the correct cover can be very costly and can cause you more distress than is ever needed.
Know your limitations - Don’t push yourself too hard, even if the activitylooks exhilarating. The average cost of an emergency helicopter evacuation from a ski slope will cost up to £1,500 in Europe with air ambulances flying to the UK costing up to ten times more.
Don’t rely solely on the EHIC - Many travellers run the risk of only using the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) when they are on mainland Europe, believing it to be sufficient enough cover. This has always been a risky move because an EHIC does not cover repatriation or emergency recovery. A common misconception for people with medical conditions is that their travel insurance will be unaffordable, but should the worst happen, the cost of medical care could easily run into tens of thousands of pounds without this valuable cover.
How we can help
If you have pre-existing medical conditions to declare, we can compare travel insurance to include these on the policy. Whether you are booking a short European cruise or an action packed three-week trip to Australia, finding the right policy for you is essential.
You can apply online for travel insurance using our online quotation tool, which allows you to manually add all your medical conditions yourself. Alternatively, you can give our helpful Sussex based team a call on 01243 784000. They will be able to help and guide you through the entire process.
