Making a Claim on Your Comprehensive Travel Insurance

We’ve all heard that heart-wrenching story from a friend or relative who was looking forward to a perfect holiday, which eventually ended in complete disaster. That’s why taking out an insurance policy has become essential whenever you travel, and should be regarded with as much importance as your passport.

Unfortunately, there are times that unforeseen circumstances occur whilst we are on holiday or travelling. From lost baggage to serious medical problems, although your insurance policy can’t make these problems disappear, it could save you from unnecessary fees and extra expense. If you take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy, you should be covered for most mishaps.

An Example of a Recent Incident

To illustrate, here's a recent example of someone who needed to make a claim on their policy. A group of triathlon coaches were providing triathlon training camps in Mallorca. While out coaching one day, the coaches returned to the staff house to find they had been burgled. One of the coaches had his laptop stolen which was not only expensive, but also held all his important work files and, as a result, had an effect on the rest of the camp.

Luckily, he had taken out a comprehensive travel insurance policy and, on his return home, contacted his insurer with the relevant details. Unfortunately, his work could not be replaced, of course, but at least his policy covered his loss and provided him with a replacement laptop.

Essential Advice on a Claim

You can see from the above example how easy it is to fall prey to a mishap or misadventure while travelling. Should you have to make a claim on your comprehensive travel insurance policy here's some essential advice.

1. Make sure you have your policy reference number to hand. You probably received a letter in the post documenting your policy, which will have your reference number printed on it.

2. You’ll also need the name of the policy and where it was purchased, as well as the name of the place you were staying and the country you were visiting.

3. You will need to include the value of your claim. For example, if your laptop were stolen from a hotel room, you would need to state the exact value of your laptop (always be honest).

4. You will also need to share some brief information about the circumstances. If this is difficult for you (perhaps you have been injured during an accident), you should work with a family member or friend to get the situation documented as coherently as possible.

5. You will also need to provide your travel dates, the date your policy was purchased and the date of the incident.

Finally, make sure you have read the small print on your comprehensive travel insurance policy so that you know what you are actually covered for. By providing your insurer with the correct details about your incident, they will have all the information they need to respond to your claim, without delay.