What to check for in your travel insurance policy - Martyn James

It’s never been more important to have insurance cover if you’re holidaying abroad. Strikes, storms and pandemics have all resulted in holidays being ruined in recent years. The problem is, every time insurers have to pay out lots of money for an incident, a new clause may creep in to your contract that limits future cover.

Back in 2010, the excitingly named Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland erupted, grounding huge numbers of planes and upsetting news readers worldwide. As a consequence, you may find that some insurance policies preclude claims arising for volcanoes. This is why travel insurance contracts can be almost as long as your beach novel.

Having said that, a good insurance policy is essential – though it won’t cover you for absolutely every scenario that might happen while you are on holiday. The key is to be aware of its limitations and know what you need to do if you have to make a claim.

Here’s my guide on some of the most important things to look out for with your travel insurance policy.

if you’re planning on doing something wild on holiday, make sure you’ve taken out adventure/extreme sports cover (or winter sports if you’re heading somewhere cold). This ‘add-on’ extra policy covers you for a range of things on a scale of risk, like bungee jumping, sky dives, quad bike riding and even horse riding.

A huge number of people fall off bikes while on holiday (motor or pedal) so check if you’re covered. Even more sedate things, like off-trail hiking, might require extra cover.

If you’re the spontaneous type, always add this cover to your policy – it’s not that expensive. In addition, before you jump on that banana boat, make sure the business has liability insurance and are trained and authorised to provide the service.

Read the cancelation and curtailment section of the policy. There are times when you might need to come home from holiday early after a family event at home or an injury abroad. This is covered under curtailment.

Check what your policy covers you for (replacing tickets, getting you to the airport, what happens when you arrive in the UK). If you break a limb, you might find you have to wait for a flight that can fit you on so keep in touch with your insurer about how they can help you.

Cancellation covers a wide range of scenarios, but always with limits. So if a family member falls ill and you can’t travel, they must usually be immediate family.

How much is your bag worth? It’s a common assumption that you’ll be covered for all your personal possessions by your travel insurance policy but this isn’t the case. Most policies have maximum payouts for cash and valuables and you’ll usually have to pay an extra premium before you travel if you want to extend this.

Back in more innocent times, most people would only cart around a tattered paperback and their wallet on holiday. But now we have smartphones, tablet computers, jewellery, smart watches and tons of other expensive electronic devices. Can you afford to lose them? If not, then think carefully about what you take away with you. Make sure you use a safe if the hotel has one – most insurance policies will require you to do this.

I recommend photographing your certificate of insurance and saving it on your phone or emailing it to yourself. Keep your insurer’s emergency telephone number saved too, along with your policy number. If your property is stolen or damaged then call the insurer as soon as you can. You may be required to file a police report too.

If you’re in a hospital, then the insurer will have a special team to help with medical treatment and billing. The hospital may want to know if you’re insured before proceeding with treatment. Hold on to any documents that might be useful for the claim and send copies when you're home.

Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist. Visit martynjamesexpert.co.uk.