Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It is worth noting that even in developed countries, health services work differently and
you may have to pay more for certain things. Medical treatment is very expensive wherever
you are, and if something really drastic happened to you whilst you were abroad, the costs
could be astronomical. Most gap-year insurance packages cover repatriation costs, mean-
ing that they would pay for you to be flown home if you were seriously ill. Some will cover
the cost of having a family member flown out to you in an emergency.
It is therefore vitally important that when you take out a policy for your gap-year that you
are covered for most eventualities so that you have peace of mind to really enjoy your year
out. Scan all your documents and email them to yourself if everything gets lost, as long as
you can find internet access you will have access to everything you need.
When taking out insurance we recommend that you ask the following questions about the
insurance to ensure that you get the right one:
•
How long am I going to be insured for?
•
What parts of the world will the insurance policy cover me in?
•
What happens if I lose or have my passport stolen or my wallet is stolen?
•
What cover do I get if I decide to do an extreme sport and adventure activity?
•
What happens if I need to go hospital?
•
What happens if I miss my flight?
•
What happens if I have to do exam retakes?
•
Will I get flown home if I need to?
Some banks provide cover for holidays paid for using their credit cards, but their policies
may not include all the essentials you'll need for a gap-year.
Banks also offer blanket travel insurance (medical, personal accident, third party liability,
theft, loss, cancellation, delay and more). You may be able to get reductions if you have an
account with the relevant bank or buy foreign currency through it.
Who to choose?
You don't have to buy a travel insurance policy as part of a travel package through a travel
company and there is intense competition between insurance companies to attract your at-
tention. It may be tedious but the best advice is shop around, check out the internet, talk to
a broker and read the small print very carefully.
Medical insurance
