Before you go

It’s advisable to begin preparing for a trip at least four to six weeks before you travel abroad, especially if you need vaccinations and visas.

• Find out what vaccinations you need by visiting www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or asking your GP.
• Get the latest travel safety updates from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website www.fco.gov.uk before
  you travel.
• If you’re travelling in Europe take your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with you, that way you may
  not have to make an initial payment if you need to seek medical help.
• If you’re travelling to the USA, you’ll need to apply for an ESTA visa before you travel. This will last for two years and can be purchased online.
• Try to learn a few local phrases before you travel as medical staff won’t necessarily speak English.
  

Please refer to your policy document for full information about your cover.

Concierge service

Our concierge service can help you with pre-travel advice and information, as well as a range of other services you can use while on your journey. We can help:

• locate entertainment tickets
• make restaurant reservations for you
• assist with travel arrangements.

Call our concierge service on 0845 603 5379 from the UK, or +44 (0) 1737 815 136 from abroad.

Keeping safe on holiday

After weeks of looking forward to your time away you’ll want nothing to spoil it. With our practical tips you could avoid things going wrong.

Money and passport

Keeping your personal belongings safe while abroad is extremely important.

• Try not to carry large amounts of money; only take the amount you need for that day and leave the rest
  in a hotel safe.
• Never leave money or valuables unattended on the beach.
• Take a mixture of cash and travellers’ cheques. Write down the numbers of your travellers’ cheques and
  make a note of your credit card numbers and expiry dates – keep this information in a safe place.
• The hotel may request to see your passport on arrival, after that it’s advisable to leave it in the hotel safe until your return home.

If your money or personal documents, including your passport, are lost or stolen we’ll pay you up to £300* for bank notes, currency notes and coins.

We’ll also pay up to £500 for any additional travel and accommodation expenses you incurred in order to obtain a replacement passport. These are reimbursed on your return home – so keep all of your receipts.

*Limit of £50 applies for those under 16 years.

Luggage

To prevent lost or stolen luggage ruining your holiday:

• Always keep your possessions either on you or locked away in your hotel room, as items left unattended will
  not be covered by your Travel Insurance.
• If your luggage is lost in transit, obtain a Property Irregularity Report (P.I.R) from the airport.
• If your property is stolen, you must report it to the local police immediately and request an incident number.

Not only do we pay up to £2,500 to replace your luggage if it’s lost or stolen, we’ll also reimburse you up to £300
for emergency clothing, medication and toiletries if your luggage is delayed. (Terms and conditions apply.)

Health

Taking simple precautions while you're away will mean that you can avoid common health problems.

• Avoid drinking tap water as this can lead to an upset stomach. Instead only drink bottled water and ask for
  no ice in your drink.
• Only eat freshly cooked food that's thoroughly cooked and served piping hot.
• Drink plenty of water while you’re away to avoid dehydration.
• Apply sunscreen regularly and liberally – choose a sunscreen that has a SPF value of 15 or above.
• Be aware of mosquitoes, particularly between dusk and dawn. Repellents can be bought over the counter
  in chemists, choose one with a high DEET concentrate.

Our Medical Assistance Helpline is able to offer help and advice 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, simply call
+44 (0) 207 0539 103.

What you should do in a medical emergency

Call our Medical Assistance Helpline as soon as possible – our worldwide network of English-speaking agents are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so we’ll always be on the end of the phone whenever you need us.

Before undertaking any treatment make sure you speak to our agents to ensure that all of your costs will be covered by your policy. Our dedicated team will also be able to offer help and advice as well as the following:

• Arrangement for hospital admission and relocation
• Organise repatriation
• Authorise medical expenses
• Arrange payment directly to the hospital or clinic to cover large medical expenses

For simple out-patient treatment, you'll need to pay the hospital or clinic yourself and we'll reimburse you
on your return home.

Beware of requests for you to sign for excessive treatments or charges. If in any doubt please call our 24 hour Medical Assistance Helpline for guidance.

24 hour Medical Assistance Helpline +44 (0) 207 0539 103

How to make a claim

Step 1 – Contact us

Make a claim – 0845 610 0306 (open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday)

24-hour Medical Assistance Helpline – +44 (0) 207 0539 103 (open 24 hours, 365 days a year)

Step 2 – Details of your claim
The claims handler will explain the amount of excess that will be applied and will ask for details of your claim – the more information you can give, the sooner the claims process will begin. We may ask you when you booked your holiday, the dates of travel and details about the expenses you’re claiming for.

Step 3 – Settling your claim
We'll then send you a claim form to complete. The letter accompanying it may ask you to return the form with additional information to support your claim, such as receipts or your itinerary. Below are some examples of the kind of information we may need.

If your luggage or possessions were lost or stolen:

• If your luggage was lost in transit, you'll need to send us the Property Irregularity Report (P.I.R.) you obtained from the airport.
• If your luggage or any possessions were stolen, you'll need to provide us with the police incident number
  given to you at the time you reported it.
• Send us receipts for any emergency purchases you made while you were without your luggage.
• Provide us with receipts where possible for the items that were lost or stolen, especially for the higher
  value items.

If you had to cancel or cut short your holiday:

• Request a cancellation receipt from the tour operator or the airline or a letter if you were delayed.
• Send us evidence from an appropriate authority explaining why the cancellation was necessary.
• Provide us with receipts for additional accommodation and travel expenses.

If you’re claiming for medical expenses:

• You’ll need to provide written confirmation from the doctor for the medical treatment you received.
• Send us any receipts for additional accommodation or travel expenses that you incurred as a result.