Research into travel insurance is the best way to ensure you get a policy which provides adequate cover to you personally. Professional advisors can help you with this and may save you time because of their knowledge of the market. Online watchdog sites such as Which? also give impartial advice on products. Making sure you buy a reliable and comprehensive policy could mean the difference between life and death in the most extreme circumstances.

While saving money is desirable, don't gloss over your medical history to try and get a lower premium. Covering up a medical condition or past incident could land you in trouble. If the insurer finds out you have lied and you need related treatment, they are legally entitled to refuse to pay for it.

Here are five basic questions to ask about a travel insurance policy that will help you buy wisely. Hopefully they will ensure you stay safe and get the treatment you require in the event of an emergency.

1. What are the conditions of payment for any medical treatment you receive abroad? Whether or not you pay up front and are reimbursed is a big issue.

2. Medical expenses can easily run into the millions of pounds these days. How much exactly are you insured for? It's a sign of the times that some policies have up to ?10,000,000 allowance.

3. Is it necessary to contact your insurer before you have treatment? This is sometimes the case and can lead to the difficult situation of an insurer refusing to pay if you have not made them aware that you are receiving medical attention.

4. Not all medical treatment is covered. Dental is a prominent example. What happens if you need a dentist or other non-essential medical service?

5. Travel to other countries where medical and transport infrastructure is not as advanced as in the west poses problems. Will you get flown out in the event of a rock-climbing accident, for example?