Travel Insurance policies should really be like life in general. I.E. You get what you pay for. But we are afraid they are not, in so many cases travel insurance policies are purchased in a last minute panic or as add-ons or extras from travel agents at the time of booking a flight or package holiday. The industry seems to be plagued with travel insurance policies that give very limited cover for very expensive premiums.

There are a few things to consider when purchasing travel insurance.

What am I actually getting for my money? Do not assume that because it is a cheap travel insurance you will automatically be covered for this or that. Check the details. Know what you are buying.

Is it more economical to purchase annual multi-trip cover rather than cover for a single trip? A very large number of people in the UK travel abroad more than once each year and purchase cheap travel insurance each time when an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy would have been far more economical for them.

If you purchase a multi-trip travel insurance policy what is the maximum length allowed for any one trip. Usually it is between 35 & 45 days, but it could be less.

Remember like all insurance policies the insurer will generally not cover you for events that happened prior to them issuing your policy. This is particularly important if you book a holiday and then obtain a travel policy at a later date. As the booking took place prior to the issue of your policy they will generally not cover you for cancellation etc.