There are quite a few fundamentally different insurance policies available. There's single or multi trip, then specific packages such as backpacker insurance and sports insurance for holidays such as skiing. It shouldn't be too hard to think of what you need if you're going on a foreign beach holiday within the EU ? probably single trip cover ? but if you're considering more than one trip during a twelve month period, you should probably go for multi trip. The family deals on these packages can make them cheaper in the long term. Outside the EU is likely to drive your quote higher. You should remember that due to their expensive private healthcare system, you will probably need to pay more if you're travelling to the USA, and substantially more if you're going on a sporting or skiing trip due to the related risks.
Special Clauses
Anyone with special conditions can get quoted ludicrously high amounts from most traditional insurers. People with histories of serious illness or disability, and those who are pregnant or over sixty-five can all find themselves struggling to justify the cover price. Make sure you have an EHIC card (when travelling within Europe) and check out specialist insurers that may be able to give you a better deal. If you find the cover to still be unaffordable, then the price may drop if you ask the insurer to exclude pre-existing conditions; though it's then your call on the risks of going abroad with limited cover. Also, the EHIC card won't cover you for everything. In fact, it will only give you as much medical cover as a local citizen in your destination country ? it won't cover you for luggage loss or plane ticket cancellation.
How Much Cover Do You Really Need?
Getting an EHIC card for the EU is fine for medical treatment, but then it won't actually protect you for loss of baggage, or flight cancellation. Furthermore, not all European countries have substantial state owned hospital infrastructure, which may mean you end up at a private hospital for emergency treatment. In this case, you may have to pay in order to be treated, and in any case you may have to pay for emergency flights back to the UK. Despite these issues, it's important that you don't overpay. It's extremely unlikely that your medical expenses would ever exceed more than ?2,000,000, while personal liability cover should be around the ?1,000,000 mark. Take out around this amount of cover with extra for loss of baggage or flight cancellation and you should be ready to go!
