This summer, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) are not just encouraging you to buy travel insurance when you travel abroad. As part of their ongoing Travel Aware campaign, aimed at keeping British nationals safe abroad, they are highlighting the importance of getting the right travel insurance cover for you and your holiday.

Here are the 6 key actions the FCDO recommend you take when buying travel insurance and travelling abroad, along with our explanations on why they are important.

1.    Declare all pre-existing medical conditions ahead of your trip

It is important to declare all of your existing medical conditions to your travel insurance provider, not only when you buy your policy, but also if anything changes before you travel.  

You must declare your medical conditions honestly and accurately, if you don’t your policy may be cancelled, or treated as if it never existed, and your claims may be rejected or not fully paid. This could result in you being responsible for paying your own emergency medical costs abroad. 

Goodtogoinsurance.com are experts in travel insurance for medical conditions.  We can cover all types of conditions up to a high level of severity and we have no upper age limit.

2.    Check the length of your trip doesn’t exceed any limit specified in your insurance policy

This is important if you have an annual policy, as these are designed to cover you for a number of short trips abroad and are not suitable for long stays.  

Annual travel insurance from Goodtogoinsurance.com can cover an unlimited number of trips in one year, but each trip must be no longer than 31 days.

With single trip policies you should make sure that your policy covers you for the entire duration of your trip.  From when you leave home, to when you arrive back home.  

All trips must start and finish in the UK.

3.    Check your insurance policy covers all planned holiday activities

If you are planning to do anything more adventurous than sunbathing or sightseeing, check that you will be covered by your travel insurance.  

Travel insurance policies from Goodtogoinsurance.com cover a number of activities as standard, such as trekking up to 2000 metres, sailing within 12 nautical miles of the shore and glass bottom boat trips.

Other more hazardous activities, such as helicopter rides or hot air ballooning, can be covered for an additional premium.

4.    Check your policy includes medical evacuation cover

This means does your policy cover you to be brought back to the UK after emergency medical treatment abroad.  

All travel insurance policies from Goodtogoinsurance.com include repatriation (getting you home) cover up to £10 million per person.  Repatriation could be by air ambulance, on a scheduled flight with a medical escort or simply on a standard flight, depending on what is deemed necessary to get you home safely.

5.    Take a copy of your insurance policy with you and save the insurance company’s 24/7 emergency contact number and your policy number in your phone

This is very good advice, in the event of an emergency you don’t want to be searching around for the correct phone number to call or not know how to get help.

When you buy travel insurance from Goodtogoinsurance.com we will send you details of what to do if you need medical treatment abroad by email before you travel.  If you request to have your policy documents posted, we will send you a handy information card to put in your wallet.

6.    Share your policy details with a next-of-kin before you travel, and any travel companions.

Make sure everyone travelling on the policy has the details of what to do if they require medical treatment abroad; just in case you are not together all the time.

It is also a good idea to leave a copy with someone at home who will be able to make contact with the emergency assistance team on your behalf if necessary.

Got a holiday planned? 

Get a quote for travel insurance.  We can cover all types of medical conditions up to a high level of severity and have no upper age limit.