From picking a destination to finding your perfect accommodation, there’s a lot to enjoy about booking a holiday. Buying good travel insurance to go with it, however, often gets overlooked. Travel Eye CI’s new guest columnist, Jim Purkiss, Group Sales & Marketing Director of Islands Insurance, explains why finding the right insurance can make all the difference.
‘As islanders we were born to travel. Wanderlust and the spirit of adventure flows in our blood and whether it’s a hop across to France or skip to the UK and further afield, we travel in our thousands every year.
‘We buy good luggage, we book good value accommodation and we secure tickets to events all over the world but the one thing that is often overlooked is really comprehensive travel insurance. Yes, when you’re excited about your trip the thought of buying insurance cover is probably a bit dull but, as recent events have demonstrated, the best laid plans can very easily become derailed.
‘You might expect the occasional travel delay because of weather or a technical issue with your transport, but less expected are airline strikes, natural disasters, military coups and travel company failures. These have all happened in 2019 and hundreds of thousands of people have spent uncomfortable and sometimes very stressful time worrying about how they will get back home or to safety.’
‘As Monty Python said, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition” and while it’s a good analogy, it’s no joke when your travel plans are disrupted. Buying good quality insurance to cover all your needs makes sense, whether your trip is a short hop or a long tour. But you don’t want just any insurance: the modern traveller needs a modern policy that takes into account our individual preferences.
‘You might be an avid skier or a complete novice on the piste; you may be visiting friends and family taking your car on the ferry or going on a world cruise; you could be sneaking in a weekend break in Paris or trekking the Nile. You might travel once a year or once a week – the truth is, everyone is different and so you need a policy that reflects your lifestyle.
‘Bespoke travel insurance can cover almost every eventuality – from travel cancellations to emergency evacuation, sporting mishaps to an unfortunate prang in your hire car. You can also extend your cover to journeys to and from university for your children. Plus, you have access to hundreds of airport lounges all over the world if your flight is delayed by more than two hours.
‘Of course, we all want our journeys to be seamless, but they aren’t always, so good travel insurance can help smooth those bumps along the way.
‘You can buy travel insurance for single trips or annual cover, so whether it’s Southampton shopping or Amazonian adventure, you never need to even think about it – just pack your bag and go (but don’t forget your passport).’
For more information about travel insurance and a range of options to suit your needs visit www.islands.je
