Even if you are planning to travel abroad for less than 3 months (90 days), you should not underestimate the potential risks. Moreover, you won’t be supported by your home insurance when leaving the European Union. To avoid having to pay for medical expenses yourself, it is necessary to take out short-term travel insurance. Here we explain what this means and entails.
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Why take out a short stay insurance?
Being sick or hurting yourself can quickly cost you a lot if you don’t have insurance.
If you are from the EEA, UK or Switzerland and you are travelling within the European Union, you can get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) online for free. This card covers medical care in other European countries. For UK citizens, you should get a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This card replaces the EHIC and lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free.
However, outside the European Union, you won’t be covered with this EHIC, which is why it is important to take out short term travel insurance before your departure.
Although some credit cards offer insurance for trips of less than 90 days, there are limitations.
With a short-term travel insurance, you can leave with peace of mind being insured properly for most situations. You can usually add on policies such as cancellation insurance. This way you won’t lose too much money in case of unforeseen circumstances. It’s especially advantageous if you’re travelling in a group because the likelihood of something happening is higher.
Basic cover
Typically, short-term insurance covers at least two things, no matter where you go:
Medical and hospitalisation expenses as well as repatriation if necessary. Medical fees vary depending on the rates applied in the country you are travelling in.
Civil liability, for material and bodily injury to others that you could possibly cause.
Specialised short-term travel insurance
In addition to these indispensable insurance policies, short-term insurances usually offer other advantages as well. For example,
- Luggage insurance in case of loss or theft,
- Returning early if necessary,
- Trip cancellation,
- Flight delay,
- Legal assistance.
You can pay by the week or by the month, while the rates are usually decreasing. Depending on the insurance, you can even sign up with the whole family or groups of friends, which makes it cheaper.
Holiday insurance providers
World First Travel Insurance
Single Trip travel insurance
They cover you until the age of 100. You can choose to take out this insurance from 1 day up to 6 months. They provide cover for several pre-existing health problems and medical conditions as well as pregnancy. Their insurance policies include more than 75 sports and hazardous activities.
Go Walkabout
Cheap Annual Travel Insurance for multiple trips per year
Go Walkabout Insurance policies are available to UK residents up to age 99. The Annual Multi Trip insurance policy covers multiple trips up to 31 or 45 days each. You can also buy add-ons such as cruise, gadget and winter sports.
Columbus Direct
Single Trip Travel Insurance
Their insurance protects you from 1-365 days up to the maximum age of 85. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, insurance might be available. They also cover up to 150 sports and hazardous activities, and you can choose to include winter sports, ski and snowboard cover. They offer free Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance (SAFI) and baggage insurance.Additionally, you can add gadget cover.
Annual Multi-Trip Travel
This insurance is available to travellers up to 74 years old and offers a variety of policies that suit specific requirements.
Their limits for trips are 31, 45 or 60 days. They cover a number of sports activities and you can add winter sports insurance. Pre-existing medical conditions can also be covered. Depending on your travel plans, you can select between Europe, Worldwide, and Worldwide with exclusion.
Chapka
Cap Assistance 24/7
Chapka collaborates with Europ Assistance, one of the leading insurance companies.
They cover travellers of all ages for overseas trip of less than 90 days. You’ll get a 15% discount if you take out insurance for several people from the same family or group, from 3 to 9 people.
There are a plethora of comparison websites with search engines that spit out an overwhelming number of travel insurances. It’s difficult to make a general comparison though, as individual interests and plans differ. We have been working successfully with the partners listed above. If their policies don’t meet your needs, you will surely find a travel insurance provider that offers what you want, when doing your own research.
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