Breakdown and personal insurance abroad

[Sylvia Want]

Hi
I am now looking at both breakdown and personal insurance for our trip to Spain Jan and Feb
Any advice on who to use and maybe avoid

 

[mitzimad]

quite often you can get breakdown cover with your insurance personal insurance you need to trawl the web to find what suits you

 

[138go]

Red Pennant is really good. If you have a problem they are very helpful and keep in contact with you until its solved or you get home.

 

[Jim]

We've always enjoyed breakdown cover along with our insurance. Holiday insurance is always bought on a trip by trip basis. If you shop around there are lots of companies and you should find precisely what you need at the right price

 

[Koppersbeat]

Nationwide Flex Plus bank account covers it all.

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[monzer]

Little bump for this as although I have motor insurance sorted for my extended Euro trip I am still looking for personal travel insurance. Any recommendations?

When using the compare sites would a 9 month+ trip through various European countries class as back packers insurance or a multi trip?

 

[Mikeco]

We have used the Camping Club for our 6 months trip, basic cost was £104 each plus any add ons for pre existing conditions. Mine cost £9.40 and the quote for my wife was around £680, quess who’s not covered.

 

[mikebeaches]

We have used Columbus Direct successfully for a number of years. We always have an annual multi-trip policy and you can choose single trip lengths of 30 days, or 45 days or possibly longer?

We used to pay about £85pa (to cover both of us) for a Bronze Europe only policy, but when I reached 65 it doubled - which I still found acceptable value. We have quite a few medical conditions listed, but fortunately nothing too serious.

https://www.columbusdirect.com/

 

[berni109]

From my experience so far the nationwide travel insurance for medical emergency is not worth the paper it's written on or the space it takes up in the internet.
I will post more details as a warning to others when I get a final answer.

 

[joka250]

As per @QFour another vote for CAMC Red Pennant. Just received my renewal down by £60 on last year, £370 for vehicle self and Janet, all health conditions (mine, she's condition free) to a greater level than I'm likely to need, very comprehensive vehicle cover all of Europe for up to 66 days at a time (longer available) and total for year is 247 days I think (got to double check that).
C&CC didn't want to know and as @berni109 said Nationwide Flex Plus an absolute non starter. Haven't gone to huge lengths to find alternative but best I could find on comparison sites was £408 for personal cover for the 2 of us with 45 day limit and no vehicle cover.
NOT everybody will gain from the Red Pennant policy as it is geared up to complex health needs but I can't find anything better.

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[carolyn]

Oh dear, that does not sound good.

From my experience so far the nationwide travel insurance for medical emergency is not worth the paper it's written on or the space it takes up in the internet.
I will post more details as a warning to others when I get a final answer.

 

[Mikeco]

I think that you will that none of the normal travel insurance companies policies include any medical cover apart from repatriation. The ones I looked at which includes Staysure, Caravan Club and the Camping Club say that you should use your EHIC insurance for any medical treatment. One of them clearly told me that it was travel insurance not medical insurance.

 

[mikebeaches]

I think that you will that none of the normal travel insurance companies policies include any medical cover apart from repatriation. The ones I looked at which includes Staysure, Caravan Club and the Camping Club say that you should use your EHIC insurance for any medical treatment. One of them clearly told me that it was travel insurance not medical insurance.

That is very strange. Medical cover - including all types of emergency treatment - is normally an integral part of personal travel insurance.

 

[Mikeco]

That is very strange. Medical cover - including all types of emergency treatment - is normally an integral part of personal travel insurance.

That’s what I used to think until I asked them, I am only talking about insurance within the normal eu countries and not worldwide.

 

[denisejoe]

We use Eurotunnel Multi trip personal insurance. Costs £88 per couple and you don't need to declare any conditions. It's valid as long as your doctor will confirm that you are fit for travel if you need to claim. It is only available for 31 days at a time which suits us at the moment. Other insurances were coming in at ridiculous amounts as we both have medical problems, all of which are controlled by medication and unlikely to cause problems.

It is Europe only cover and you don't have to be travelling by Eurotunnel to use it!

Denise

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[mikebeaches]

That’s what I used to think until I asked them, I am only talking about insurance within the normal eu countries and not worldwide.

All I can say is that the company I referenced earlier - Columbus Direct - which we've used for some years, certainly includes full emergency medical treatment, in addition to repatriation if required.

 

[joka250]

That’s what I used to think until I asked them, I am only talking about insurance within the normal eu countries and not worldwide.

The cover I purchase from Red Pennant covers all medical aspects. It does require presentation of EHIC at time of treatment but this is so that any local treatment covered by reciprocal arrangements is given. Beyond that it pays for anything else required. This is confirmed to me verbally and in writing and covers all of geographic Europe and for all pre existing conditions.

 

[Mikeco]

The cover I purchase from Red Pennant covers all medical aspects. It does require presentation of EHIC at time of treatment but this is so that any local treatment covered by reciprocal arrangements is given. Beyond that it pays for anything else required. This is confirmed to me verbally and in writing and covers all of geographic Europe and for all pre existing conditions.

You do not need the travel insurance though to get any treatment required, even things like heart surgery and other major operations are, at the moment covered by the EHIC which is why the insurance company’s ask you to use it. The only thing not covered is repatriation which is what you are paying for in the event that you need it.

 

[joka250]

You do not need the travel insurance though to get any treatment required, even things like heart surgery and other major operations are, at the moment covered by the EHIC which is why the insurance company’s ask you to use it. The only thing not covered is repatriation which is what you are paying for in the event that you need it.

The information I have from both insurance company and DWP is contradictory to that and certainly personal experience also contradicts that.

 

[mikebeaches]

You do not need the travel insurance though to get any treatment required, even things like heart surgery and other major operations are, at the moment covered by the EHIC which is why the insurance company’s ask you to use it. The only thing not covered is repatriation which is what you are paying for in the event that you need it.

I have an elderly close relative that suffered a fall in Tenerife who had an EHIC card, but no travel insurance, and ended up with medical and other expenses of circa £25,000 as a result (not including repatriation - he was eventually able to return to the UK on a scheduled flight).

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[peterc10]

The EHIC card only ensures that you pay the same for medical treatment in an EU country as a citizen of that country does. If they have to pay for it, so do you. Very few other EU countries have a free at the point of use health system.

 

[mfw]

Comfort includes eu breakdown cover with insurance as do other companies not cheap but may be worth a look certainly cheaper than separate policies in my view

 

[carolyn]

Comfort includes eu breakdown cover with insurance as do other companies not cheap but may be worth a look certainly cheaper than separate policies in my view

Comfort offer it as an add on, it’s an extra £62 per year. Safeguard include it in their price.

 

[carolyn]

Comfort includes eu breakdown cover with insurance as do other companies not cheap but may be worth a look certainly cheaper than separate policies in my view

Comfort offer it as an add on, it’s an extra £62 per year. Safeguard include it in their price.