Travel Insurance- Don't leave home without some! (Direct Travel Insurance)

Member Name: ukusa

Product:	Direct Travel Insurance
Date:	01/04/05 (4069 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good value, Quick, Professional

Disadvantages: None

According to recent survey done by a reputable bank ...

* one in three people suffer some kind of problem whilst on holiday
* eight per cent had lost their luggage
* six per cent had to cancel or cut short their holiday due to unforeseen circumstances
* a number of people had personal items or their money stolen
* eighteen per cent of people suffered a holiday disaster but could not claim because they had no insurance

So, knowing these statistics combined with the fact that my husband and I go on 4+ holidays a year, I decided to embark on finding us the best travel insurance we could at a reasonable rate.

But, what should I look for?

The Consumers’ Association recommends that you should have:

* at least £1m of medical cover in Europe

* at least £2m in the States and the rest of the world

* at least £1,500 baggage and belongings cover - and watch out for policies which limit the amount you can claim for any one item. Check that the total covers you for what you’re actually taking abroad.

* Personal liability of at least £1m, to cover you if you cause injury or damage

* Compensation for trips which may be cancelled or curtailed – and the costs of getting you home in an emergency

A 24-hour emergency line, and cover for your legal costs


In the end we settled with Direct Travel Insurance Services that can be found at www.direct-travel.co.uk.

This excellent value, award winning travel insurance has several types of premiums to choose from. Some examples are:

Single Trip Premiums for 11-17 days Premier Plus Cover in the UK for a family is £22, Europe is £29, Worldwide excluding USA, Canada and the Caribbean is £66 and Worldwide including everywhere is £70

The best values I have found with Direct Travel is with the Annual Multi-trip Premiums. Some examples are as:

Individual- Premier World Wide- £74 per year

Couple or Family- Premier World Wide- £99 per year

Single Parent Family- Premier Worldwide- £94 per year

There are special cover features for the annual multi-trip policy.

* Cover for a continuous 12 month period, with no limit to the number of trips you can make abroad during that time.

* Can be taken out by companies or individuals for business and holiday travel abroad.

* Premier and Premier Plus policies include winter sports cover- 17 days per individual trip, with no limit to the number of winter sports trips you can take

* Covers with no limit to the number of trips you can make in a year

* Includes independent travel for each member of the family

* Coupe or family cover is provided for husband and wife (or common-law partner) together with ANY number of dependent children under 19 years of age or under 23 years of age if in a full time education.

Examples of its cover for the premier coverage are:

£10,000,000 for medical emergency, repatriation and associated expenses

£2,000,000 for personal liability

£4,000 for cancellation/curtailment

£50,000 for legal advice

24 Hour Emergency Service telephone number

This is the 3rd year we have this insurance and we have been very happy with it. When you renew before the last date of your previous policy, you also get a £5 discount.

We have never had to use the policy, thankfully! However, my in-laws have the same policy and have had to use it on different occasions and have always been satisfied by the fair, quick and professional way in which their claims were handled.

To apply, you can call them up. They ask you questions regarding prior medical conditions and set up your policy for when you want it to begin. The first time we bought the insurance it only took about 15 minutes and the policy was in my hands within a day. You get assistance cards with the emergency number that you take with you on holiday (we keep them in our passport holders).

When you renew, it only takes about 5 minutes. It is fast and professional. Just what I need in my busy life!

You can also apply online which takes about 15 minutes as well. The online site is easy to navigate and quick. They give you instant quotes with ease.

I feel that the value for money for the multi-trip policy is EXCELLENT! I would definitely recommend Direct Travel Insurance.

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