If your idea of the perfect holiday is lounging on a warm and beautiful beach, then you might want to check Trip Advisor’s Traveller Choice Awards 2016. Each year Trip Advisor asks its users to vote for their favourite destinations in a number of categories, and this year’s Best Beach awards revealed some fantastic locations.
The USA: 3.8 million square miles of landscape just waiting to be explored. From mountains and forests, to beaches and roller-coasters, America has it all. It’s a particularly fantastic holiday destination for families, given the variety of scenery, sights and attractions.
With so much to see and do, why stay in the same place when you and your loved ones can experience the Great American Road Trip?
In the 21st Century, most people have at least one holiday per year. If you asked these people to describe their holidays, most would probably depict an airplane journey, lovely sunny weather, beautiful beaches, relaxation in a hotel and some kind of adventure or anecdote.
However, the origins of these kinds of holidays were very different;
Wherever you decide to holiday this year, make sure you invest in top quality Travel Insurance before you travel.
No one books a holiday expecting to have to cancel at the last minute, but of course we never know what is waiting round the corner, do we?
There are many reasons why you may need to cancel your trip. A few examples are: you or a close relative fall ill and are unable to travel, you may be called up for jury service and are unable to be released from it, you are made redundant, or the Foreign Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to your holiday destination.
That is why it is always advisable to buy holiday cancellation insurance when you book your trip. It doesn’t matter if you are just renting a cottage in the Lake District, Cruising the Med, or jetting off to the USA, if you suddenly had to cancel your trip you would lose money.
Cancellation cover begins on your chosen policy start date.
As well as cancellation protection all our policies provide:
We also have a range of cover options so that you can choose the level of cover you require to suit your budget.To find out more, and to check out our great prices, simply click on our Get a Quote button and then choose the type of policy you are looking for.
It is only when someone is unfortunate to fall ill or suffer an accident whilst travelling abroad that they come to realise just how cushioned and protected we are with our National Health System.
With the introduction of cheaper air travel, and budget priced cruises, the world is rapidly shrinking, and what were once considered far off and distant places are now within easy reach, both in terms of travelling time and the cost of getting there.
Today’s budget conscious travellers are always looking for cheap travel insurance; however, low premiums should not mean inadequate cover and it is important to make sure that you are buying a policy that will protect you for the type of holiday or trip that you are going on.
Similarly if you are backpacking around Australia or the Far East, you will require less cancellation cover than someone who has booked an expensive cruise.
Not all travel insurance policies are the same, so it is important that you take time to read the small print so that you know what is, and what isn’t covered by the policy you are thinking of buying. Small print is a pain, we appreciate that, but unfortunately we cannot get rid of it, but a few minutes scrutinising the cover before you buy, could save you financial hardship and worry later on.
Here are some pointers to look out for when considering buying a worldwide travel insurance policy.
Once you have purchased your policy you will have 14 days in which to read it through and check that it covers your particular needs – however you should also ask yourself the following:
Have I declared any pre-existing medical conditions? Have I told the insurer about any hazardous (risky) activities that I am thinking of doing?
Holidaysafe worldwide travel insurance has a range of cover options so that you can choose the level of cover you require to suit your budget. To find out more, and to check out our great prices, simply click on our Get a Quote button and then choose the type of policy you are looking for.
Our award winning travel insurance policies will give you peace of mind if you should fall ill or suffer an accident whilst on your dream trip, our doctor managed 24 hour emergency medical helpline will liaise with the hospitals and doctors abroad, and where necessary guarantee payment of your medical bills so that you do not have spend any of your own money. In addition, should it be medically necessary, they will arrange to bring to you home so that you can be treated in your local NHS hospital.
All Holidaysafe worldwide policies provide the following:
It is surprising how many people do not feel the need to buy travel insurance when travelling to Europe. After 1st Jan 2021, we will no longer be in the European Union, meaning the EHIC card will be null and void and therefore travel insurance is more important than ever.
From 1st January 2021 rules around travel to Europe have changed, visit the Government website for up to date information on passports, EHIC, healthcare and more. We’ll update this page with more information as and when the Government release it.
Europe has an amazing range of destinations and activities on offer, catering to every type of traveller. Whether you want to ski in the alps, sunbathe by the Mediterranean, or wander through historic cities.
Holidaysafe European travel insurance has a range of cover options so that you can choose the level of cover you require to suit your budget. To find out more, and to check out our great prices, simply click on our Get a Quote button and then choose the type of policy you are looking for.
It’s rare to leave the house these days without carrying some kind of gadget with you; whether a now ubiquitous smartphone, or gadgets with more specific uses, such as sat-navs and mp3 players. Indeed, they are now so commonplace and easy to use, that it can be easy to forget just how many you regularly use, what conditions could potentially damage them, and, most importantly, how desirable they can be to other people.
The advice on this blog will help you to make the most out of your holiday, allowing you to be sure of the maximum efficiency and safety of your gadgets while abroad. After all, the last thing you need when on holiday is to have your favourite or most expensive device stolen from you, or find yourself robbed of all of your diligently gathered holiday snaps!
While there’s not a dramatic risk of theft or damage occurring to your gadgets while in flight, there are certain restrictions and security measures that may impede the use of certain devices, or prevent their transportation completely. Different airlines may have slightly different policies, so be diligent with when you use certain gadgets during flights. In many cases activating flight mode is plenty to prevent any inflight issues; though double checking with airline staff is always the best policy.
One recent change in airport regulations now means that electronic gadgets must be kept charged, or else passengers risk having them confiscated, or being refused access to the plane itself. The criteria that airport security will judge a gadget by is whether or not they can turn it on; the thinking being that if they can’t, there’s a good chance that the device in question may instead be camouflaging a weapon or bomb. By making sure that your devices are fully charged before you leave for the airport, you ensure that they will be completing the full trip by your side.
When it comes to keeping your gadgets safe and secure in your chosen accommodation, your most paranoid instincts are often the most effective at safeguarding your property. Avoid revealing your gadgets as much as possible, and ensure that they are stored securely in your room (in a locked safe or locker if possible) to minimise the risk of theft in your absence. This can be especially necessary when staying in youth or traveller’s hostels, as there is not only an increased likelihood of strangers sharing your room, but of there being a high turnover of other tenants; making it that much easier for your favourite gadgets to disappear if not sufficiently hidden, or used in a conservative enough manner. A little bit of common sense can make all the difference; it just isn’t worth taking chances with your expensive tech!
On a similarly paranoid note, it’s also a good idea to avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, such as the ones found in many hotels, wherever possible, as these networks are vulnerable to enterprising hackers, potentially opening up your devices to unauthorised access by third parties. There are plenty of ways to secure your devices in such situations, but if you’re not confident about such things, it may be worth avoiding public Wi-Fi networks altogether.
While we’re talking about data networks, also make sure that you’ve turned off data roaming! The last thing you want to find when you return from your trip is a ridiculously large roaming charge.
While it’s a good idea to avoid drawing too much attention to expensive devices while staying at a hotel, this advice goes double for travelling out and about in foreign climes. Tourists often make extremely easy targets for thieves and pickpockets; flashing the latest smartphone, or showing of a desirable model of mp3 player just mark you as an obvious, affluent target; which in turn may ultimately rob you of more than just the gadgets you brought with you.
The risk of mugging or theft alone makes a good case for leaving your most valuable and/or desirable gadgets at home when you travel abroad, though there are also other more practical, and environmental reasons for the restriction of gadget usage while abroad.
Extremes of temperature and humidity, for example, can play havoc with electronic gadgets, as can the egress of dirt, dust and sand; so take extra precautions when staying in areas that are likely to expose you to these kinds of conditions. Other factors that may damage or impede the usage of your devices include excess sun cream preventing easy operation, and, as obvious as it may sound operation near or in a swimming pool increases the odds of a gadget finding a premature, watery grave!
More physical holiday activities, such as skiing or snowboarding, also risk damaging your precious gadgets; the usual places that you carry them may place them in harm’s way when on piste. While carrying a smartphone in your back pocket, for easy access should the urge to take snow-based-selfies prove too powerful, may seem like a smart idea, the second you wipe out you may find yourself sitting on the shattered remains of your favourite device!
Needless to say, while it won’t mitigate the risk of any of the above taking place, taking out the correct level of gadget travel insurancewill go a long way to offsetting any doubts you have about bringing them with you on your travels. A good policy won’t bring back a lost or damaged phone, but it will give you fast access to a replacement, and possibly further restitution.
When most people plan their holidays, they head to hotter climates for some much needed sun. However, every year people fall victim to sun burn, heat stroke and dehydration.
To avoid a holiday disaster in hotter climates, here are our top tips for dealing with heat;
Enjoy the heat safely!
Every year, more and more teenagers and young adults are heading abroad on group holidays or backpacking adventures. We are not suggesting that these people abstain from having fun altogether (as this would be extremely naïve), but to stay safe we warn them to be sensible.
Follow the guidelines below, to avoid a holiday disaster;
Holidaysafe is a trading name of Travel Insurance Facilities Plc, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN 306537. Registered Office: Suite 12, 20 Churchill Square, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4YU. Travel Insurance Facilities Plc registered in England No. 3220410. All rights reserved. All policies offered are on a non-advised basis.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has up-to-date advice on staying safe abroad, see gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. FCDO Travel Advice can change so check regularly for the latest information and sign up to email alerts for your destination. For more general travel information, visit the FCDO Travel Aware website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk.
Ɨ Please note, Holidaysafe’s online prices automatically include a 15% discount against our Customer Service Centre prices. This is discounted from our core policy price before you add any additional cost of optional extensions or additional medical premium. Discount codes cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer or discount. Only one discount code may be applied per purchase.
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