More than 3 for 2 on suntan cream? (Boots Travel Insurance)

Member Name: doyoureally

Product:	Boots Travel Insurance
Date:	02/03/03 (2293 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wide range of covers, Known Brand, Long trips covered on annual

Disadvantages: Not so competitive prices, Pre-existing medical restrictive, Can't spell!

Boots has a very nicely laid out, clear web site offering the range of products they cover - annual, trip, winter sports and gap year.

Each product is clearly presented for the most part - with simple site navigation.

I once bought their cover, but it was a good few years back.


What is covered?
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Boots has to be praised - there are an enormous number of covers with generally good benefit levels. The key covers are all present and at sensible benefit levels (in my opinion).

Many of the additional, uncommon covers sound great - but I am not sure that it is likely even a handful of people manage to claim on them each year. Still praise is due for the innovative addtions they have made.


Areas not covered to watch
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It is always vital to check what is not covered - and Boots do a good job of spelling these things out. The items below would be of some concern to many buyers:-

Pre-exisiting medical
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I quote their wording and follow up with my comment...

- "You or they have a medical condition (either current or one that has occurred in the last twelve months) which you or they knew about before you bought this policy. " - so I hope you have been healthy this year; otherwise it is not clear that you can be covered at all?

HILARIOUS - it has just struck me that if you use Boots as a Chemist (to get a prescriotion) then you appear to be excluded from their travel insurance. A bit ironic methinks?!

- "You or they have been on any prescribed medication, been a hospital in-patient or had any tests or consultations with medical specialists in the last twelve months." - so tough luck asthmatics or anyone with controlled medical condition.

- "Pregnancy or childbirth where the expected date of delivery is within ten weeks of the end of your trip." - just because
they will cover you - I say don't go if you are over 26 wee
ks. The latest health advice I have seen would certainly not recommend it, and in any event air travel is very unwise
after this stage, if not forbidden by the FAA.

Other covers
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- "Any item, set or pair worth more than £100 which you haven't got an original receipt or insurance valuation for before the loss." - Hope you are meticulous in keeping receipts, and that those who buy you nice christmas presents like cameras are too.

- "luggage placed in the hold or overhead lockers of an aircraft." is not covered - so if you are on your own on a plane - you will have to take it all to the loo. If there are two of you flying long haul - I suppose you can sleep in watch shift on your overhead locker. And don't sit in emergency exits where your bags must be stored overhead. What a dumb exclusion?

- "or putting yourself in danger" - seems fair enough - but where do they draw the line on this? Most sports or say a "4x4 jeep safari" in Spain bring a share of danger - are these excluded?


How much does it cost?
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Ah now here you find out that all those extra little benefits you may never need result in premiums that approach the travel agent level. A one day trip costs £20 to Europe - but so does a 9 day trip which represents a bit better value. Typical online insurers offer this from £10 to £14 respectively. So they can be 100% more expensive.

Annual prices seem to be better value if you need that kind of policy. There are many cheaper covers elsewhere - but not all offer "Trips can be up to 45 days at a time, to a maximum of 183 days in a year" - so if you are going for over the more common limits 31 day trips or more than 90 days in total this year - this may be the cover for you. If not it may not be the best deal.

Here there is s
ome good news and some less good for you silver surfers. If you are aged o
ver 65 you cannot buy online - but you can buy offline. BUT you will pay double the standard premiums too (which
is not unusual practice). Crosscheck with Saga to see if better value is available.



Poor English
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I confess my English and spelling may not be perfect here - but a company such as Boots makes a raft of minor typos on their site - very poor show given they have clearly spent a lot of money to make it work well otherwise.

eg.
- We will not cover you for any activity that is not listed in the 'Whats Covered' section.
- "unattended jackets or costs or allowing these to be taken from you" - so watch out for those unattended costs guys
- We will not cover you for any activity that is not listed in the 'Whats Covered' section.
- the country they call "Slovinia"
- "Frequentley asked questions" - I frequently wonder what happened to weekly spelling test in schools.

I realise this is not truly relevant to the product - but does annoy me when buying.


Closing comments
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Finally, if it all goes wrong, they promise a 5 day claims turnaround - but any dispute is not with Boots, but with their selected insurer who no doubt takes a harder, less customer friendly line than Boots might.

In summary, Boots travel insurance offers wide cover, is well presented, but at somehat uncompetitive premiums (unless you must have the spurious additional covers they offer).

The offline only solution for older travellers is not unusual - but as I am not that old - you will have to provide that review.

Note the opt out style option for further marketing if you do apply.

This review is naturally my opinion and I have doen my best to be fair and accurate - please comment if I failed.

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