Travel insurance can save you a world of trouble when you are travelling abroad, covering unexpected costs and medical bills when something goes wrong. But when it comes to buying travel insurance or trying to make a claim while abroad, there are some very common errors that you see repeated again and again: here are five of the biggest travel insurance mistakes that you can make:

Only looking at the price when buying…

There is plenty of good cheap travel insurance out there, providing decent cover at low prices, but you should thoroughly review the small print before you buy. Every travel insurance policy has a list of exclusions; make sure these won't affect you. Also check that the medical, cancellation and personal possessions cover is good enough for the holiday you have in mind. Cheap travel insurance is often good enough, but if you are going on a holiday with very valuable possessions, or where the cost of cancellation will be very high, you may need to invest in something a little more comprehensive (and expensive!)

Taking part in uninsured activities…

Standard travel insurance will provide cover for most activities – but not all! Higher risk sports and activities, like skydiving, may need specialist insurance to give you full cover. Before you take part in any kind of sport or activity abroad, make sure that your travel insurance will cover you if something goes wrong. Many activities will only be partially covered – motorbikes up to a certain size of engine, hiking up to a specific altitude, diving to a certain depth – so research the specifics of the activity you want to try before you take part.

Failing to sort out their paperwork…

Travel insurance will cover theft and lost items whilst you are on holiday, but only if you can show proof of ownership…and proof of loss! If you are the victim of a theft, go to the police to get a written police report. If your luggage is misplaced at the airport, get a written acknowledgement from your airline. Of course, if you are taking any especially valuable items with you, make sure you have the receipts for them. If your paperwork isn't up to scratch, you may struggle to make a successful claim with your travel insurance company.

Acting negligently while on holiday…

Once they've bought their cheap travel insurance, far too many people assume that it gives them free license to whatever they want. Not so – most travel insurance includes a long list of exclusions, one of which is for negligent behaviour. If you leave your hotel room unlocked and wide open, for example, the chances are that if anything gets stolen your insurance claim won't be valid. And if you have been drinking and something goes wrong, you are out of luck – this counts as negligence for most travel insurance providers.

Not buying insurance in the first place!

The biggest mistake of all! Thousands of people travel uninsured every year, and with worldwide travel insurance available at very low prices, it really isn't worth the risk. The theft of valuable possessions, the costs of cancelled and delayed trips and the expense of medical treatment abroad are just a few of the many good reasons to get insured – make sure you select your travel insurance carefully to guarantee a safe and enjoyable trip.