Most people take tablets at one time or another for a medical condition.  Figures estimate that more than 2.8 million people in the UK have diabetes, half of all the people in the UK over 65 have high blood pressure ( hypertension) and two thirds of the UK population aged over 40 are said to have high cholesterol levels.  For most people, taking tablets for these conditions is a daily ritual and of no great importance, but even if the medical condition is under control and the symptoms are not problematic, the condition may still need to be declared when taking out travel insurance.  Taking out travel insurance with medical conditions covered should be considered essential if there is the slightest chance that the condition could cause a problem when travelling.

Travel insurance policies can be nothing more than an expensive piece of paper, that is, until a holiday maker experiences difficulties abroad bought on by a condition that has gone undeclared to their underwriter.  Not all medical conditions can be covered.  If the risk is deemed to high for an insurance underwriter, the traveller with the condition will need to assess the pros and cons of travelling without medical cover and the consequences of hospital treatment abroad, against the prospect of not being able to take a holiday.

Travel insurance companies will not all have the same rules regarding medical conditions.  Some will expect only a 12 month period in which there are no symptoms, treatments or consultations before they consider that person to be free of an existing condition whilst others will extend that period to 24 months and more.  Some of the cheap travel insurance on offer will also cover medical conditions; it is not necessarily true that the extra endorsement needs to be prohibitive, the cost of medical care if the condition has not been covered, can be enormous.

In fact there are still plenty of people ignoring travel insurance completely despite this being a prerequisite to travelling abroad. Most will be lucky enough to survive the holiday without concern, but in these uncertain times it is not something anyone should contemplate.

My advice is always to purchase the best cover that you can afford and make sure that you understand the cover that is being offered, even if it means asking the provider to explain.

For those who travel abroad frequently or at least twice a year, savings can be made by purchasing an Annual Travel Insurance, which is basically self descriptive and covers you for any number of trips during a one year period.

This not only saves money but also saves the bother of having to find adequate cover every time you travel. Like all travel insurance there are various levels of Annual Travel Insurance, starting from a basic essential cover up to comprehensive cover.

These are generally marketed as packages but are there are normally options that can be added to the package to suit personal needs, customising the cover into a tailor made policy.

While I would never suggest spending as much time choosing an insurance policy as you would choosing your holiday, it is none the less worth taking time out to compare the policies on offer and making sure that you are completely happy with the cover provided before purchase.

One of the worst things with any insurance is that no two companies offer the exact same cover and something that looks adequate is often completely useless when it comes to making a claim.

So do take the time to at least make sure that you are satisfied with what you are getting before buying and travel with confidence, safe in the knowledge that you will be covered for all eventualities.

The choice of policies for older travellers is beginning to improve, but it can still be difficult to track down a realistically-priced travel insurance policy.  The two main factors to be aware of are;

1. Around 30% of insurers will exclude claims made by policyholders above a ‘certain age’.
2. This ‘certain age’ will vary from one company to another… it can be 65, 70, 75, etc.

The main reason why senior citizens will often pay so much for their cover is because they are three times more likely to make a claim than a younger traveller.  This is not surprising and it does have to be taken into consideration; but it should not mean that the over 65’s end up paying through the nose for their travel insurance.

If you are over 65 and are looking for insurance, then it is worth getting plenty of different quotes.  You may have to pay more than a younger traveller, but prices will still vary from one company to another.  There are also two ways to further reduce the cost of your cover;

1. Anyone planning to travel abroad several times over a twelve month period may get a better deal if they purchase ‘Multi-Trip’ or ‘Annual’ travel insurance.  This can often work out quite a lot cheaper and it will mean having less paperwork to complete.
2. Try to find a policy that is based on your individual needs.  If you just take out ‘Standard’ travel cover, then you may actually be paying the same as someone who takes part in winter sports!

One last thing; always declare any pre-existing medical conditions to your insurer.  If you fail to do this and you become ill whilst travelling abroad, then you may find that you do not have any cover at all.

Cheap.co.uk is available to help you get the best travel insurance for your needs; they offer a huge range of policies with customizable levels of cover plus online medical screening to help cover those vital medical issues.

As many gap year students will have to undertake some sort of work while they are away to help fund their year out, it is worth looking at insurance options prior to travelling.

As part of these trips, many people will undertake work such as building, ecological conservation and farm work which present particular risks that may not be covered by a standard insurance policy due to their physical nature and the presence of machinery.

Accidents while working in environments such as these could leave the volunteer without cover, and therefore require them to pay for costly medical treatment.

Insurance help is on hand from Specialist Travel Insurer PJ Hayman:

“With many young people facing an uncertain future, volunteering or working abroad is a really worthwhile option to pursue.  Not only do they offer unique learning experiences and an opportunity to see more of the world but can also provide invaluable skills which can really add something to a C.V. However, the length of travelling time and the nature of the work that gap year travellers are likely to undertake means that they often require a level of cover above and beyond that of the average tourist. To ensure that a trip is exciting but as hassle free as possible, it is vital that they purchase specialist travel insurance.
A policy such as our Longstay & Backpacker insurance covers a wide range of activities, allows policy holders to work abroad, is for trips up to 18 months and has the added security of a 24-hour medical emergency helpline.  All features which will serve to protect the policy holder as well as reassuring their family members at home.”

Channel 4’s The Ugly Face of Beauty is the latest TV programme to catch the imagination of the nation and as highlighted in that show more people are choosing to travel abroad to undergo cosmetic, dental and elective surgery.

This often costs less than in the UK and recuperation can take place in a more relaxing environment. However things can – and do – go wrong, so here are five tips for anyone considering having treatment abroad.

1.            Carefully research the type of treatment desired, the potential side-effects and any international centres of excellence that there may be.  Also check out the qualifications of the surgeon who will be carrying out the surgery and the after care facilities available. The more a consumer knows about the procedure, the easier it will be to make an informed decision about whether they want to go ahead with it and where they should go.

2.            Speak to the experts! For many types of elective, cosmetic and dental surgery, a UK doctor can provide a recommendation as to who to speak to abroad for specialist advice.  Alternatively, consider using a company with a UK base for added reassurance.  However, if this is not possible, then people should contact local standards organisations and membership bodies in the country they are considering – they will normally be able to provide a list of accredited members.

3.            Review the budget thoroughly and look into costs of having the procedure in the UK and abroad.  While countries like Cuba do offer substantially cheaper common cosmetic procedures, costs such as accommodation and flights may need to be factored in.

4.            Remember it is not a holiday! Some people try to pack too much into their time abroad and forget that they will be recovering from what could be major surgery.  The surgeon will be able to give people the best advice on this matter.  The majority of complications take place within 10 days of surgery so leaving sufficient recovery time and ensuring the flight home is not booked too soon, is vital.

5.            Get the right level of insurance cover.   While no-one wants to contemplate anything going wrong with cosmetic, dental or elective surgery, making preparation for this eventuality can offer peace of mind.  Taking out travel insurance cover such as P J Hayman’s Free Spirit Travel for Treatment policy is essential.

Take time to read through these tips before making any decision and also remember that although many foreign surgeons speak English there is nothing as uncomfortable as being in a foreign hospital where you are unable to understand what is being said.

From TV screens going blank during the game, to volcanic ash disrupting travel, terrorist attacks and freak weather conditions, the risk profession plays a key role when it comes to big tournaments, even though they have provided over £6 billion worth of coverage for the month-long event.

Munich Re estimates the broadcasting rights earned FIFA 2.2 billion Euros for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. If the event is cancelled, FIFA faces substantial claims by companies who have licensed the media coverage.

Swiss Re Group estimate the cancellation of the event is one of the biggest risks insured, and the Olympics and the World Cup are two of the largest events insured for event cancellation coverage. FIFA alone has purchased $650 million in insurance for total cancellation of the World Cup 2010.

Other risks associated with the World Cup are household damage, increased thefts, player injury and even trauma suffered by fans whose teams have underperformed in the games. Surely something that England fans will not have to endure!

This interesting video gives some background to the huge risks and financial costs that must be considered when taking on the responsibility of staging a global event such as the World Cup 2010.

The Icelandic volcanic ash and the consequences of strike action by British Airways staff can make for a very unpleasant experience, even more so if travelling with inadequate travel insurance cover.

Below are ten things that you should consider when buying travel insurance:

1.       No cover for pre-existing medical conditions – Some cheaper policies provide no cover if the individual (or anyone who has an effect on their travel plans) has a pre-existing medical condition which results in a claim, for example, cancellation or medical expenses due to a recurrence of a heart condition.

2. Policies with very specific exclusions – Some insurers, in an attempt to get premiums to the absolute lowest level, use a strategy of harsh exclusions which inevitably trap people at the claims stage.  Examples include very strict interpretation of unattended personal effects, valuables and money as well as a requirement to get a written police report, even though these are often difficult to get in many countries.

3. Selling policies with low levels of cover – Budget covers often have very low limits for elements such as baggage, money and delay – indeed some do not even cover these sections.

4. Selling policies with very high excesses – The higher the policy excess the lower the premium can be. This is not always obvious with travel insurance until a medical claim is made and the customer finds most, if not all, of their claim falls within the excess. There are now policies on the market with medical excesses as high as £400.

5. Confusing exclusions – For example, an exclusion which applies to a “set of circumstances that could be reasonably expected to give rise to a claim”. In this instance, ‘reasonable’ is vaguely defined and open to interpretation from the insurance company who ultimately process the claim.

6. Deductions for wear and tear on baggage claims – Household insurance typically provides ‘new for old’ cover. Many travel insurance policies do not, which means the claim will be reduced depending on the age of the lost, stolen or damaged item.

7. Excesses per person per section rather than per event – This means that an event such as a mugging could result in a large number of different excesses being deducted.  For example: medical costs of £450 with a £75 medical excess, damage to clothing and loss of personal effects amounting to £250 with a £50 excess, loss of money equivalent to £120 with a £50 excess, resulting in total excesses for the claim of £175 rather than £75 on an ‘event’ basis.

8. Missed connections – If an individual is delayed getting to the airport and as a consequence misses their connection, many policies will not cover the additional costs that result, such as additional ticket costs or even an unplanned overnight stay.

9. Breaking down on the way to the airport – It is often assumed that travel insurance provides cover for additional costs if the policy holder misses their flight due to their car breaking down on the way to the airport. However, some cheaper policies will only cover the breakdown of ‘public transport’, and not private vehicles.

10.   Close relatives –The definition of ‘close’ is fairly ill-defined, so while you may think that all of your relatives are ‘close,’ if you study the definitions you may find that many policies limit these. So your favourite uncle becoming ill just before you go on holiday may result in a declined claim for cancellation.

For your own peace of mind, don’t be one of the many travellers who find themselves having to sleep on the floor of a foreign airport overnight because they did not pay for the best cover. All good travel insurance companies will offer comprehensive cover, including travel insurance specialists P J Hayman who provided this check list.

Peter Hayman, Director at P J Hayman explains:
“We have seen several stories in the news recently when people have had an accident or fallen ill abroad but have not had their bills paid by their insurance company due to the fact they did not declare a pre-existing medical condition.  Therefore, we are urging people to read the small print of their policies and speak to their insurer if they have any concerns.

Even managed pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes can cause a claim to be turned down if they are not declared.    It is therefore vitally important that consumers look beyond the price and take note of the terms and conditions of a travel insurance policy before they take one out.”

Research shows that over 60% of us do not read travel insurance documentation thoroughly and 9% do not bother reading it at all. That is until it is necessary to make a claim – which is too late!

P J Hayman offers Free Spirit, a policy which is specifically designed for people who have these types of conditions – and is able to insure 96% of people who approach them for cover – even those who have terminal illnesses.  There is no upper age limit and the policy also covers medical aids and medications.

Travelling Brits were caught out by the fall out from the natural phenomenon emanating from Iceland over the past couple of weeks and many were stranded around the world waiting for the disruption to cease.

Not wishing to be caught out on future holidays and business trips many Brits are showing interest in premium travel insurance products that give much better peace of mind cover than standard policies.

Of course these products also come with a premium price tag, but after seeing the dreadful situation that faced those passengers stranded with little or no insurance cover, many passengers will now be looking at the best cover that they can afford.

The problem with such a mass disruption is that Travel Insurers are reluctant to set a precedent on claims, all waiting to see who makes the first move when this type of unforeseen event happens. Many are still unclear on what they will offer customers whose holidays have been affected by this latest situation.

It appears as usual that nobody from the government, to airlines and the insurance companies, is prepared to take a lead, all saying it is not their fault. Wouldn’t it be nice if insurance did exactly what it is supposed to do and covers us for all eventualities without exemption.

David is already an avid Arctic explorer but this will be his most difficult expedition to date and will fulfil his personal dream of reaching the North Pole. He will be joined by a small team of explorers and the expedition will be led by legendary explorer Rune Gjeldnes.

The expedition will require tremendous physical effort and will see David crossing 110km of ice-fields, including thin and pack ice, and freezing open water which is 4000m deep below the ice. The team will also all be carrying rifles in order to defend against any polar bears that might show an interest in the explorers, as they will be very much outnumbered on the open ice.

As well as being a personal challenge for David, he will also be raising funds for two charities that are connected to his work in the motorcycling world. The two charities that will benefit from the challenge are Riders for Health and BASIC, Brain and Spinal Injuries Centre.

Riders for Health provide staff, training and motorbikes to provide remote African communities with professional healthcare services and David wants to raise money for them to be able to open a new centre in one of the poorest African countries – Zimbabwe, as well as providing a new fleet of motorbikes and fully trained staff.

BASIC is another brilliant charity that will benefit and is very much linked to the motorcycling world. BASIC offer practical support to families who need to look after a family member who has severe spinal or brain injuries as the result of a motorbike accident. The money raised by David would help BASIC to open a specialist gymnasium to help in the rehabilitation of those injured and help with their ongoing care.

As the Chief Executive of a specialist motorcycle insurance company, Carole Nash Insurance Consultants, these charities are very much close to David’s heart as they are directly tied to his work.

Carole Nash provides a number of specialist insurance policies for motorcycle riders including those for classic and modern bikes, multi-bike and female biker insurance. They are one of the most popular motorbike insurance brokers in the UK and Ireland and as well as providing motorcycle insurance they also have a variety of other insurance options including car, household and travel insurance.