posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Jan 24
To get the cheapest DIY travel insurance, you need to do a little research. Be prepared to give a little time to the task. Prepare yourself with a notepad, a phone, and an internet connection, and follow these simple tips to find yourself the travel cover that suits your needs at the right price.
- Shop around – To get the most suitable insurance deal on your travel cover, check out as many sources of insurance as you have time to. You’ll be surprised at the variety of policies and prices that your search reveals. If you fit into any of the defined categories that have specialised cover targeted at them (like students, older people, or families), check to see if they are value for money.
- Haggle – You may find that providers have some flexibility in their prices, especially if the figure is close to that offered by a competitor. Even if you do not manage to secure a large discount, you have not lost anything by asking.
- Get just what you need – Make sure that the insurance quotes you find only cover what you need. Why pay for worldwide cover if you don’t plan to leave France? Why pay a premium for “dangerous sports” cover when you don’t plan to leave your deckchair?
At the same time, compare very carefully at the core elements of the cheapest DIY travel insurance on offer. You may wish to check if the policy contains protection for medical costs, travel costs and transportation costs. If not you may have to pay for these yourself if needed.
- Cash flow – Think about how you will pay for your travel cover. You may not wish to pay outright cash for your insurance premiums and instead may choose to use a credit card. If you have already paid out for the whole cost of your holiday, the ability to spread the cost of your insurance could come in very handy.
- One trip or annual? – Consider whether you plan on travelling more than a couple of times out of the year. If so you may choose to take out an annual travel insurance policy. This could be the case if you make repeated trips to the same location, which may be a holiday home, for example. You may wish to contact the provider and take their advice on if you may be able to benefit this way.
- Don’t skimp on quality and service – When you are comparing quotes, it’s tempting to focus on the on the cost of the protection alone. While cheap premiums may be a top priority you also need to ensure you have adequate insurance. Look at the offline support that is available to policy holders who need to make claims. When checking this look to ensure that they offer the level of service that is needed and which one may expect from a provider.
As you can see from the list above, getting the cheapest DIY travel insurance involves quite a few considerations, but if you work through them in turn, you should find the cover that is most suitable for you. Of course, policy features and benefits will vary among providers, so the above information should be used as a guide only.
