Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses and financial (such as money invested in nonrefundable pre-payments) and other losses incurred while traveling, either within one's own country, or internationally.

Temporary travel insurance can usually be arranged at the time of the booking of a trip to cover exactly the duration of that trip, or a more extensive, continuous insurance can be purchased from travel insurance companies, travel agents or directly from travel suppliers such as cruise lines or tour operators.

Travel insurance often offers coverage for a variety of travelers. Student travel, business travel, leisure travel, adventure travel, cruise travel, and international travel are all various options that can be insured.

The most common risks that are covered by travel insurance are:

• medical expenses;

• emergency evacuation/repatriation;

• overseas funeral expenses;

• accidental death, injury or disablement benefit;

• cancellation;

• curtailment (cutting short a trip);

• delayed departure;

• loss, theft or damage to personal possessions and money (including travel documents);

• delayed baggage (and emergency replacement of essential items);

• legal assistance;

• personal liability and rental car damage excess.

In addition, often separate insurance can be purchased for specific costs such as:

• pre-existing medical conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes);

• sports with an element of risk (e.g. skiing, scuba-diving);

• travel to high risk countries (e.g. due to war or natural disasters or acts of terrorism).

Typically travel insurance for the duration of a journey costs approximately 5-7% of the cost of the trip.

Travel insurance buying tips

• Shop around to find a good price and the right product rather than opting to travel without cover.

• Cheaper policies will usually have less cover – for some the price seems most important, but is it worth the initial saving?

• Consider annual multi-trip insurance if you make several trips a year – you’ll save time and money.

What should a travel insurance policy cover (the necessary minimum):

• medical and health cover for an injury or sudden illness abroad;

• 24 hour emergency service and assistance;

• personal liability cover in case you’re sued for causing injury or damaging property;

• lost and stolen possessions cover;

• cancellation and curtailment cover;

• extra cover for activities that are commonly excluded from standard policies, such as jet skiing.

In case of cancellation or curtailment ensure your policy:

• covers delayed departure because of bad weather;

• will refund the full cost of your holiday;

• pays out if you need to cancel or cut short a trip because you fall ill, for example;

• covers pre-paid expenses such as excursions;

• pays out in case of home emergency: fire, storm or flood, burglary, etc;

• covers extra costs incurred to get home.

In case of stolen, lost or damaged possessions

You can normally choose the limit in your policy. Limits for single items such as cameras and jewellery can vary from as little as £250 up to £1000 or more. Check these limits are adequate and realistic.

All insurance policies say that you must take care of your belongings at all times. If you don’t, the policy may not pay out. So, take as much care of your property as if it were uninsured!

In case of lost baggage on flights

Do not rely on compensation from an airline if it loses your luggage.

By law, airlines only have to pay a specified minimum value per kilo of lost luggage. This is unlikely to cover the full value of your things.

Vocabulary Focus

Belongings	вещи, имущество, собственность
Emergency	сущ. 1) непредвиденный случай; крайняя необходимость; крайность 2) а) критическое положение; авария
Insurance rate	ставка, размер страховой премии
Long haul	1) дальний рейс 2) долгий (жизненный) путь 3) долгая перевозка
Lump sum	1) паушальная сумма 2) единовременная выплата 3) единым платежом, однократный единовременный платеж
Meet the cost	покрывать/оплачивать стоимость
Nonrefundable	прил. 1) не подлежащий рефинансированию (особ. облигационный заем) 2) невозмещаемый
Policyholder	сущ. держатель страхового полиса
Rely on	полагаться, надеяться; доверять; быть уверенным (в чём-л.)
Sue sb for	преследовать в судебном порядке; подавать в суд, возбуждать иск, предъявлять иск