They will probably only require the insurers name and emergency contact number in case of any problems.

Robby

Hi Chivas,

It's standard practice if you are not using the travel company's insurance, and they are looking after your best interests I assure you.

What do you reckon eight days in a private clinic in Tunisia, then being flown home in a private charter Learjet air ambulance with doctor and nurse in attendance, would cost you?

If you own your own home, a sizeable percentage of its value perhaps?

Well it happened to me, luckily I was fully covered by insurance!

Peter

As far as I am aware it is a condition of booking/travel that you have insurance cover.

We have an annual policy and simply send a copy of the cover note as confirmation of this.

Strange as it may seem there are many people who do not bother - does save you money, until something goes wrong.

fwh

until something goes wrong.

Peters costs were understated

Dr's visit to hotel, ambulance to clinic, 3 Xrays, 2 scans, surgery, drips, trolley loads of drugs daily, accommodation in clinic for 8 days, phone calls, liaison with UK advisers, 14 hrs minimum of Lear Jet air ambulance, with pilot,co-pilot, doctor & nurse, ambulance to & from clinic in Tunisia and ambulance to hospital at the UK end.

Thank God we were fully covered, I will never complain about paying insurance again.

Patka

as a footnote i strongly recommend that you either buy your insurance with the holiday {if you don't have an annual policy] or from an independent source immediately after you have booked DON'T leave it till you go. for if something untoward happens in the interim you will have no cover for your losses, we have several horror stories on the boards where this has happened

wizard

I know we must have insurance, thats not my beef1
But if we went with say First Choice and had their insurance we also wouldn't be having Thomsons insurance! Would we have to ring then? We never have had to before!
Its just I know thomson are a pain to get through to, never answering the phone!

I have often been tempted by UK package holidays, but because I am not a UK resident, I have been unable to take out insurance with the holiday company's preferred insurer and they have always got shirty when I proposed Elvia, La Europeenne or Europe Assistance - all of which will cover me and usually under better terms than the policy offered by the UK insurer!

Just have to keep on with my own planning and booking ... but might I remind you to get a European Health Insurance Card (free!) if you are travelling to Europe and want to be eligible for EU reciprocal health cover.

sorry chivas i thought the others had answered..

As far as i am aware the travel agent or tour operator has a duty of care to their clients, part of this duty is to ensure they have holiday insurance at time of booking

we travel 4 times a year with different companies and have always had to supply the name of our insures, we have never needed to give the policy number

wizard

This is standard practice and we have had to give the details of our insurance to the TA when booking a package as we also have annual insurance.

We'll be getting our own insurance

Don't want to harp on or state the obvious, but you've had the holiday booked for 2 weeks so should really have had the insurance sorted out by now. As Wizard said, we read so many horror stories on here of people who were "going to get round to getting insurance", but left it too late then had to cancel for some unforeseeable reason and weren't covered.

luci

But if we went with say First Choice and had their insurance we also wouldn't be having Thomsons insurance! Would we have to ring then? We never have had to before!
Its just I know thomson are a pain to get through to, never answering the phone!

Little puzzled what you are saying here. Do you mean you are also taking a holiday with First Choice as well? TOs insurance typically covers one holiday between specified dates. They are not transferable.

Simple answer is to send a copy of the certificate via "Signed For Service" with a covering note. Easier, and probably cheaper than hanging on the end of the telephone.

Remember what I said in my earlier post - it is a condition of travel with most TOs that you have suitable insurance.

Failure to provide details would be classed as reasonable cause for them not to allow you to board the aircraft. It is for your own protection.

It is a condition of all the policies I have had that you also have a EHIC card previously known as E111

fwh

What I meant was when we've holidayed in the past we've been on a skytours holiday booked through First Choice, First Choice then give you Their insurance! It is different to skytours insurance, so basically when having First choice insurance we are NOT using the skytours insurance!
If a travel agent offers you insurance on a holiday it is going to be their own insurance and not necessarily the brochures!
Should we have let Thomson know then?

Skytours is part of Thomson anyway. However, I think what you have seen on your paperwork is standard procedure.

I think the airline/tour operator has the right to refuse travel if you do not provide adequate insurance.

Personally, I would be better be safe than sorry and give them a ring.

Kath x

I will do,

Just going through a few quotes. Theres quite a lot of difference in price!
Just need to make sure it's as good as Thomsons!

We booked our holiday with Skytours (Thomsons) this year. We always get separate travel insurance as we can get almost identical cover for a lower price than most travel companies own brand of insurance (for want of a better description). We booked in the Thomsons shop and at the time of booking we were told that we had to confirm travel insurance details with them within 2 weeks of booking the holiday. They have to add their insurance company details on the booking forms because they cannot book a holiday without it. (Does that make sense?)

We confirmed our insurance within 3 days to Thomsons, but still had a standard reminder letter about confirming insurance details.

Better to inform them of the details just to be on the safe side.

who are you insured with?

Currently (and for the last couple of years) we have used Go Travel. We also get a discount with them because we are repeat customers. You can upgrade with them and insure for separate things too. I don't agree that you get better insurance if you pay more or that tour operators' own insurance is best. Reading through previous posts on insurance, paying more hasn't always been better.

The policy might not suit everyone, but it does suit us for what we need/want. We have only ever traveled as far as Majorca/Menorca, we don't participate in any dangerous sports or activities (apart from perhaps lifting a heavy glass or two ). We also have our EHIC cards which are required as part of the insurance conditions (as with most insurance policies these days). If we were traveling further afield, then I would perhaps consider using a different company for insurance purposes with a higher level of cover to suit our circumstances. It is always best to shop around.

cheers
well for £18 with Swinto we get 9 days cover for 2 adults and one child! Seems to cover everything Thomsons did, only £50 excess too!
Has anyone used Swinton before?

Hi Chivas .. we do have a dedicated Travel Insurance topic which contains lots of info and discussion. Members recommendations are summarised on page 1 of the thread.

David