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Will I still be able to get medical treatment if I do not have travel insurance? The answer to this question depends on where you are. A few countries have reciprocal arrangements with the UK; this means you will get the same attention and treatment as a citizen of that country, without the need for insurance. 

They include European Union countries; Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the Republic of Ireland and Sweden; as well as Australia, Barbados, New Zealand, Romania and Russia. It does not however include popular destinations such as Switzerland, Turkey and the US. 

You must take into consideration, however, that treatment may not be free. The arrangements also do not cover the cost of getting home if you are seriously ill or injured. 

What is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)? The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives access to free or reduced cost medical treatment in the European Union. It replaced the E111 in January 2006. You can get further details from the Department of Health’s website. 

I have travel accident insurance with my credit card. Does that mean I do not need travel insurance? Travel accident insurance usually covers you if you are seriously injured in an accident whilst travelling. It does not cover the cost of repatriation or treatment if you fall ill. Neither does it cover loss of baggage, money or cancellation of your holiday. So, yes you will still need travel insurance. A few credit cards and packaged current accounts do offer ‘free’ travel insurance. Check the policy is comprehensive and covers everything you need. 

If something goes wrong on holiday, what should I do? Firstly, take the policy details with you – Make sure you call you insurer before you have any medical treatment, have your insurance details with you. Some insurers may even refuse to pay out if you do not call them. 

Then remember to keep receipts – you will need receipts for any items that you want to claim for. These would include: medical bills, prescriptions and anything you have to buy because your baggage has been lost, stolen or delayed. And if your belongings are lost or stolen get a police report – your insurer will want to see a police report. 

What if your holiday is delayed more than 12 hours? If you’re delayed for longer than 12 hours you can usually claim up to around 50 pounds on your travel insurance. Ask the airline to confirm the delay in writing and keep receipts of expenses incurred. 

My claim was rejected. What can I do? Do not be put off if a claim is turned down or not fully paid. Complain, in writing, to the travel insurance company and, if they do not resolve your complaint, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The Ombudsman can look into your case and can force the company to settle and to pay you compensation. 

What is personal liability cover? Personal liability is not used often but is important an important part of travel insurance. If you face legal bills for accidentally injuring someone or damaging their property whilst abroad you will be covered. 

By: Michael Challiner

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I’m going to Bangkok in August and looking for a car hire only for a month. If I hire a car from those car rental companies, they usually charge per day and that would a cost quite a lot. Anyone has any ideas if there’s any other cheaper way to get a car hire for a month there? Thanks

By: sydgal

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Here are some tips for choosing hotel or finding a good deal to book a room in luxury hotel or motel. When quality or neatness is a factor in choosing a hotel room, you should not make your decision by considering price, sometime expensive does not necessarily mean clean. Instead, think always about the hotel’s reputation. Many travel guides or online sites will rate hotels based on various factors, one of these being cleanliness. If you find that hotel ranking is five stars for food, but only one for neatness, you’ll know that that hotel can serve quality food, drinks but may be stuck when you go to your hotel room and you see carpet strands inside your hotel living room carpet floor.

Sometime you can try an old Vegas trick is to book the cheapest room possible and then ask if you’re eligible for an upgrade when you approach the desk with ID, credit card and a $20 bill in hand. Tipping $20 may work for you to get better room of your choice if the hotel is not booked to capacity already. Unpack your clothes once you arrive at the hotel; use the table drawers, closets and bed stand tables to organize your personal belongings and put the bags in the back of the closet so you don’t have to trip over them constantly. Use room space wisely in a hotel room setting, so that you can utilize it to the fullest.

Now how do you find cheap hotel room, sure online reservations is best bet: you simply enter your information and you are done in five minutes flat. If you always want a room in some particular hotel then, making a reservation by phone is good , as it allows you to develop a relationship with the person to whom you are speaking. A phone reservation make possible to turn on the charm, giving you a opportunity of getting a beautiful room. An actual talking in person approach gives you and the hotel reservation taker a opportunity to find a common thing, which is the basis of a lot of human relationships, sometime it can lead for your hotel room upgrades. Perhaps you are flying in from New York or Las Vegas, it’s possible that it is the reservation taker’s home town. It’s a small world, after all. You never know when this could happen.

By: William Dean

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Cheap Hotels

The EHIC card replaced the old E111 forms which ceased to exist in July 2006. Quite simply the card provides either free or discounted health care in countries which belong to the European Union. Many tourists wonder why exactly they need to pay for travel insurance premiums which cover medical care around Europe when they already have an EHIC Card which provides free or discounted care in their intended country. The answer is because there are many cases which aren’t covered by the EHIC Card. The best scenario is an illness which requires flights home; as flight costs are not covered by the EHIC Card alone.

Most European countries don’t have a healthcare service which is anywhere near as comprehensive as the NHS, so many treatments or prescriptions require an additional cost, as either a percentage of the total amount or a fixed amount, such as we offer in the United Kingdom. Your holiday insurance premium will cover this additional supplement and any costs associated with it.

For example, if you decide to travel to France with just an EHIC Card and no travel insurance, you will be made to pay the following costs if unfortunately you or any of your family members fall ill:

Prescription Costs – You will need to pay for your prescription costs if you fall ill whilst on holiday in France. Travelling with the EHIC Card allows you to claim back a percentage of the costs at a later day, unless the doctor has marked the prescription form with a dreaded NR. However, without holiday insurance you may find yourself having to pay up to 45% of the total prescription cost, which can work out as very pricey with regard to certain types of medication.

Visiting The Doctor – No one wants to have to visit the doctor whilst on their holidays. However, if you fall ill whilst in France and don’t have travel insurance to match your EHIC documentation, then you’ll find yourself having to pay 30% of the doctor’s costs. This is something that just doesn’t bear thinking about in the situation that your child falls ill during the night and you have to cover 30% of the hefty call-out fee.

Hospital Stay – This isn’t really something you particularly want to think about whilst booking your city break to Paris in a glossy travel agency. However, if you end up in a Parisian hospital without travel insurance it’s a little to late to then discover your EHIC card won’t cover the fixed daily charge charged by French hospitals to their in-patients.

Meanwhile, if you’d had taken out holiday insurance this would have been covered in your medical costs. Paying a fixed daily charge isn’t the end to your worries, a hospital stay in France means that you also have to pay a non-refundable 25% of the cost of any in-patient treatment.

Spain, Switzerland and Portugal are further examples of countries which require a hefty percentage of your medical costs if you are just travelling with an EHIC Card and no holiday insurance. So if you’re travelling to Europe then the only way to save money and at the same time ensure you are well covered is by pairing your EHIC Card with a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

By: Patrick Chong

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Travel Insurance

It is sometimes hard to tell what people enjoy the most, great vacations or really great deals on their vacations. For most vacation planning, the two biggest budget items are the hotel reservations and the air tickets.

Finding low airfares and cheap hotel rates can help stretch that travel budget to the max. These days, with the many discount travel websites out there, if you invest just a few hours of time researching your trip, then this will often end up saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

In addition to doing your legwork by researching the various airfare deals, discount hotel accommodations and car reservations that are available, the timing of your trip and your flexibility can also have a great impact on the final cost. When it comes down to traveling, there are certain factors you have a great deal of control over, and others you don’t.

Some of the factors you can control, and therefore influence the price you will pay for are: the day of the week you travel, the time of day you fly, the days of the week you will be in a hotel or renting a car, and when you book your travel.

One of the most important considerations in booking air tickets and hotel reservations is knowing when you should do the booking. Determining the best time to book the flight and make those reservations is a little akin to gambling because air fares and hotel rates are constantly changing.

There are many travel agencies and travel industry experts who advocate for booking your air ticket and your hotel as early as you can. For early booking, they will often reward you with better pricing and substantial discounts.

When you book early you can relax, knowing that your vacation arrangements have been made, with your itinerary firmly in hand. You can simply focus your energies on packing, losing a few extra pounds before the trip or saving up some extra cash to pamper yourself while away.

However, almost everyone who has done a bit of traveling will tell you that if they had waited and booked their flight or made arrangements for their hotel room at the last minute, they might have saved a good deal of money. In some instances, a call to the airline or the hotel will result in a discount being granted, even if you have already paid a deposit or paid in full in advance. But, more often than not, the security of knowing that your vacation plans have been set for months will give you more peace of mind.

On the other hand, there have been many stories about travelers who decided to wait to book a room at their favorite hotel. Unfortunately, to their chagrin, they discovered that not a room was to be found. Every cheap hotel to luxury hotel room had been booked for a convention and they were out of luck. That’s where the gambling aspect of last minute reservations comes into play.

The good news is that if you can be flexible with your destination, then the solution can be as simple as choosing a different city to visit and securing flight and hotel reservations. But, not everyone can be that flexible and if you have to be in a certain city for a once-in-a-lifetime event, then it’s best to take the best deal you can find early and enjoy the knowledge that your travel plans are all set.

By: Mike Selvon

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Cheap Hotels

On the southern coast of Gran Canaria is Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a year-round resort that is popular with people of all ages, although be advised that the area is extremely hilly in most places due to the fact that Puerto Rico is built alongside and up a valley.

Puerto Rico features two main beaches – Puerto Rico Beach and Amadores Beach. Puerto Rico Beach lies between two harbors and is full of soft golden sand that kids love to make into huge sandcastles. The clear waters offer fantastic opportunities to go scuba diving and dolphin-watching on one of the many boats available. A path links the two beaches and the views along the way make the walk worthwile – plus, the waters at Amadores are perfect for cooling off!

Puerto Rico has three of the large commercial centres that are common to the tourist areas of Gran Canaria, the largest of these being the Centro Civico that offers everything from souvenir shops to supermarkets, restaurants to bars. The bars around Puerto Rico provide a lively nightlife for all which lasts until the early hours of the morning.

Close to the Centro Civico is the picturesque marina that exhibits luxurious yachts and is the main place where holiday makers have their choice of sedate or extreme water sports to try out depending on their level of daring!

Getting around Puerto Rico is extremely easy and the surrounding areas of Gran Canaria. Air-conditioned buses run frequently and taxis are both safe to use and extremely cheap. There is plenty of activites around the resort such as mini-golf, squash and tennis courts and of course there is always the mandatory trip to the Aqua Park which provides a fun and sun filled day for everyone, with thrills and spills on the hair raising waterslides!

One of the best places to stay in all of Puerto Rico are the Altamar Apartments. Set on a hillside at the top of a mountain so the views are some of the most spectacular you’ll find in Gran Canaria – imaging watching the sunset from the top of a mountain! The Altamar Apartments offer a wide range of facilities including pools, some of which are heated according to the season, the Altamar kids-club so mum and dad can have some relaxation time and an on-site shop so you never need to wander far. Taxis and buses are available for the Altamar Apartments to various beaches as well.

Puerto Rico can be both relaxing and exciting and as it is set in some of Gran Canaria’a finest surroundings, you’re sure to enjoy your stay here!

By: David Crouch

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One of the biggest concerns when travelling to foreign countries is how to avoid catching bugs or a nasty case of the ‘tourist trots’. It can be hard to know what is safe to eat and what should be avoided. No matter how careful you are, however, it is very easy to unwittingly expose yourself to bacteria, germs and viruses. That is one reason why taking out travel insurance is very important. Some basic awareness, plus following a few simple food hygiene tips, can help avoid a nasty case of Delhi Belly, Montezuma’s Revenge, or whatever the affliction may be called in that part of the world:

Make sure food is well cooked and very hot (to kill any bacteria present) Avoid food that may have been left sitting out at unsafe temperatures (i.e. buffets) Be wary of buying food and drinks from street vendors Avoid consuming sauces/condiments that have been left on tables Don’t eat garnishes (they may have graced many plates!) Avoid drinking tap water, milk, and stay clear of ice cubes in drinks Avoid salads/lettuce (washed in water) Stick to sealed, bottled water or boil or purify it yourself Be wary of some airline food, especially if taken aboard in a foreign country When it comes to fruits and vegetables – if you can’t peel it – don’t eat it!

Be careful when consuming locally-produced drinks such as rice wine or ‘arak’ (several deaths occurred in Bali following ingestion of methanol-laced rice wine).

If you get sick with diarrhoea and/or vomiting it is important to stay hydrated. Sip purified water, tea or soft drinks (preferably drinks without a lot of sugar or additives). Only resort to using anti-diarrhoeal medicine when you are absolutely certain you need it, as the downside is developing constipation. Avoid drinking alcohol and eat dry food like crackers and toast until the worst is over.

In most cases, a bout of diarrhoea from contaminated food will knock you off your feet for a few days and the duration of the illness can vary. If symptoms persist or are unusually severe always seek medical help to rule out anything more serious. If outpatient tests are carried out, ask for copies to take with you and obtain receipts so that you can claim on your travel insurance. If hospitalization is required you will normally need to obtain authorization for treatment by calling the hotline provided in your travel insurance policy.

If you have been bitten by insects, especially mosquitoes, and develop suspicious symptoms like fever, chills or flu, always seek medical attention. Serious diseases like malaria take several days to incubate so symptoms may not appear until after you have returned home. If this happens arrange an appointment with your doctor and explain that you have been travelling.

A few more reminders:

Always clean and treat cuts to avoid infection and Tetanus Carry a first-aid kit and hand-sanitizer with you Use mosquito-repellent products Wear light-coloured clothing to easily spot mosquitoes, ticks and bugs Take steps to guard against tick bites and Lyme Disease Be wary of swimming in fresh-water pools in tropical areas (however tempting it looks). It is possible to pick up parasitic infections like schistosomiasis from infected water Get all recommended vaccinations, including a Tetanus booster if needed Carry a list of contact numbers for the embassies in the areas you are visiting in case you need help finding an English-speaking doctor or other assistance

Other common ailments which can affect travellers include: Altitude sickness, heat stroke, heat exhaustion and serious sunburn. The latest concern to worry about is exposure to Swine Flu; if you think you may have been exposed and develop symptoms seek medical help. A good travel insurance policy should provide for emergency medical repatriation to get you back home once you are fit enough. However, always read the terms and conditions of your particular policy so that you understand the cover provided.

A wide variety of nasty bacteria and diseases may just be waiting for an unwary victim or host like you to come along, so do your research and be prepared before leaving home. It is your trip, your money, your life – so use your brain – and don’t make yourself an easy target for anything to bug you!

By: Jean Andrews

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Holiday insurance – for some people buying it is almost instinctive as soon as they book a trip, whereas others will inevitably leave it until the last minute…if they choose to buy it at all! It is easy to say “it’ll never happen to me” but the risk simply isn’t worth taking – cheap holiday insurance is so easy to get (and the cost of an uninsured disaster so high) that there really is no acceptable excuse.

If you are the kind of person that is always finding reasons not to get covered, here are some statistics that will have you reaching for the phone and buying yourself some cheap holiday insurance!

Over 1000 bags a day are lost by UK travellers…

In total, 396,000 Britons lost their luggage on holiday or had it stolen in 2008, making it the second most common travel insurance claim. With accidental loss, theft and airport baggage mistakes all adding up, no matter how careful you are there is always the danger of losing your baggage.

…at a total value of over £37 million in 2008, an increase of 8%

With an increasing number of travellers taking valuable items like digital cameras and lap tops on holiday with them, the cost of travel insurance claims keeps spiralling up and up. If you are going to take something valuable with you, make sure you get the holiday insurance to cover it – it is worth it just for the peace of mind.

1 in 6 UK travellers have been a victim of theft in Europe…

You may think of Europe as being a much safer holiday destination and might be tempted to skip on buying travel insurance, but be warned – one in six UK travellers have had money or possessions stolen whilst holidaying in Europe.

…and a third of these thefts took place in Spain

Spain is one of the most popular European holiday destinations, but petty theft is relatively common, especially in tourist heavy cities such as Barcelona. The silver lining? Only 6% of claims in 2008 were violent theft. Even so, a non-violent theft can leave you very much out of pocket – much better to have some holiday insurance to fall back on and cover the costs!

The cost of medical travel insurance claims in 2008 went up by 57%

In some countries, such as America and Canada, the cost of medical cover can be truly phenomenal, often running into the tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds if you require a stay in hospital. Even if you go on holiday in a comparatively cheaper country, if you have an emergency that requires an airlift or repatriation, you could face a truly colossal bill unless you have holiday insurance.

…and it is the most common travel insurance claim

Not only is it the most expensive kind of travel insurance claim, it is also the most common, with over 565,500 claims in 2008. Even cheap holiday insurance usually includes hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of medical cover as standard. Spending a few pounds on travel insurance, before your holiday begins could save you thousands if something goes wrong!

By: Patrick Chong

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Many retailers are reporting that despite gloomy economic statistics sales of pet products in general are holding up well. Perhaps the high-end items like designer collars or custom-made beds are being set aside but even at this difficult time people still buy what has become in their eyes items that are essential to the well-being of their family and the pet dog or cat are very much a part of that family. The gourmet food that our pampered pooches have become used to are kept on the shopping list, as owners are reluctant to risk upsetting the digestive systems of their beloved animals. It has been shown that Female shoppers are more likely to buy cheaper brands of other products from medication to milk rather than switch to less expensive brands of pet food and pet-care products.

– There are 74.8 million dogs in the United States and goodness knows how many cats.

– 56% of dog owners buy a gift for their dogs during the holidays

– In the past decade, dog owners giving pets a gift has increased by 12%

– The average amount spent per dog gift is $10. More than $400 million will be spent on dog gifts in the holiday season

Sources: 1. Media Metrix 2.0, comScore Inc. 2. APPMA National Pet Owners Survey 2007-2008

The American Pet Products Association estimates that Americans will spend $43.4 billion this year on their pets – despite the dramatic slowdown in discretionary spending.

All well and good for those animals fortunate enough to grace the homes of these loving and well-intentioned owners who would rather cut down on their own spending needs than sacrifice the needs of their animals. Bravo!

But! We also hear from the dog rescue centers that they are being overwhelmed with abandoned animals and dogs, in particular who are being “forced out” or left tied to the gates of shelters with a note “I cannot feed my kids anymore, please look after my dog?”

Foreclosures spell disaster for thousands of pet dogs as home owners cannot keep up mortgage repayments, this is the grim reality for thousands of animals as recession looms, and foreclosure hits families right across America and Europe. Desperate times and desperate measures with everyone as a casualty, especially mans best friend.

The majority of pet owners love their animals, and would never do anything to harm them but unfortunately, many people are faced with a terrible dilemma, they have lost their job and now they face losing their home, which means they may have few alternatives, protect their family or protect their pets!  They may be forced to accept accommodation that does not allow animals and if they refuse that accommodation, then their family could be at risk. Most pet owners will move heaven and earth but they may have just run out of options. The animal rescue centers are full to brimming and this could end up with them abandoning their dogs or cats to fend for themselves.

This economic crisis is forcing ordinary, decent people to do things they would previously have never considered and this is truly heartbreaking. Not only have they lost their job, their home but they are now faced with losing everything so, perhaps some of the incompetent banks who caused this global economic crisis in the first place, should now help to fund additional animal rescue centers so that they can house all these newly made homeless dogs and cats. After all, they managed to get themselves a nice rescue package from the government didn’t they! They will still be getting their big fat pay checks every month, courtesy of us all, the general public, won’t they?

By: Taylor

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With this you can make your trips safer. If you are setting out for your trip and planning to do a lot, then ensure your future plans with travel insurance. It will give you coverage necessary to deal with unforeseen situations that may occur while you travel. This is certainly useful, but not all of travelers have enough money to afford it.

With affordable travel insurance, you can spend your money with care, as it is affordable even to those with tight budget. It is available for a lower rate, but the coverage is not the same in some cases. For this reason, it is essential that you carefully look through the coverage offered by a package. Generally, this type of insurance doesn’t cover your whole travel costs; it covers only a part of it. However it is still better than nothing.

Approximately, you can get affordable insurance for about 3 per cent of the cost of your trip. In comparison with paying 5 per cent of the cost for traditional travel insurance. If you are purchasing your travel package online or if you are consulting with a travel agent you will find better prices for it than if you seek for it by yourself.

Affordable travel insurance doesn’t essentially mean that the quality is lower and is not similar to traditional travel policies. Travel agencies realize that most individuals do not look at it as a need. They have also worked out that if they offer it at an affordable cost than their rivalry it can be a key feature for some individuals to make their choice in favor of them.

When purchasing affordable insurance, remember to compare prices. As well as this, make comparison of the coverage offered by several companies. It is important to get clear information about everything you are interested in; if you do not understand even a single issue then you can ask any question to the insurer that comes into your mind.

Certainly you never know when an unforeseen occasion, like illness or some other health problems, will cause you to call off your travel plans. And that can really get a thing of disappointment without having travel insurance, as it makes everything easier. In this case the insurer will help you to postpone it or will give you a compensation for it. Even though if you can just manage to pay for affordable insurance, you will get a partly reimbursement and you can use that money on the purpose of rearranging your travel plans.

By: David Hunter

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