Travel insurance offers peace of mind

Question: I am planning a break over Eid and I don't know if I should take out travel insurance or not. I have had a look around, and there seem to be so many products on the market. I am 35, and will possibly be doing some white water rafting. What should I do?

Answer: Holidays are about having fun and relaxing, whichever way you chose to do it. But the last thing you want to be doing is worrying about what might happen to you and your family if things go wrong - especially if you are in a foreign country where you don't speak the language, and are not familiar with the culture or systems.

The wisest thing to do is to take out travel insurance before you leave. Most travel insurance covers the cost of medical emergencies, trip cancellation fees and many other benefits, which will give you peace of mind during your trip knowing that help will be there if, and when, you need it.

The only issue now is choosing your policy - an independent financial adviser can help you to wade through the large number of policies on offer, that have grown in recent years along with cheaper travel.

First of all you need to consider your own personal situation, and decide which areas of your holiday you want covered. There are a number of questions that need to be answered.

Do you want to pay to get compensation if your flight is delayed, cancelled or your baggage is lost? If you get injured while taking part in a hazardous activity such as white water rafting, will you be able to afford the medical fees? If you have your credit card stolen will you have funds for the rest of the holiday?

Itinerary

Look at your itinerary, and discuss what you have planned while you are away. Try to give as many details of your trip as possible to ensure that your policy covers all of the areas you expect. It is also very important to consider any medical conditions you suffer from, or medications you are taking, as this may invalidate your policy.

The geographical location you are visiting will also need to be taken into account - if you are remaining in the Middle East then a policy for this region will be sufficient. But if you are going further afield to Europe, the US or Australia, then this must be specified and the charges will increase accordingly - a world policy may be the best product if you are travelling across many countries.

A word of warning too - most hazardous activities or sports such as white water rafting, skiing and scuba diving, are not normally covered under a standard travel policy. Check this part of the policy carefully before signing up as you may need to take out extra cover to insure you against injury while taking part in an activity classed as hazardous.

If you travel a lot, then the best option maybe to get an annual travel insurance policy that means you are covered wherever you travel, throughout the year. But if this is just a one-off trip then a policy for the time you are away will suffice, and will work out cheaper.

To re-cap the overall cost of a travel insurance policy will vary depending on how extensive you want the cover to be, what location you are travelling to, and whether you want to take part in high-risk sports.

As a guide there are various types of insurance cover available, and choosing the correct one can help to ensure that you enjoy a happy holiday!

The writer is Team Leader General Insurance at Nexus Insurance Brokers L.L.C., one of the leading regional financial advisors. View expressed here are the writer's and do not necessarily reflect the view of Gulf News. If you have any questions, please email us at advice@gulfnews.com.