Travel Insurance: Why You’re Covered from the Moment You Buy It

Many people assume travel insurance only covers you once your holiday begins.

But the truth is that your coverage starts the moment you buy it, offering protection long before you travel.

If you’re thinking of taking out a travel insurance policy and are not sure of the benefits, this blog is for you.

Read on for everything you need to know about early purchase benefits, the start date of travel insurance coverage, last-minute travel insurance and why it’s always wise to pack your European Health Insurance Card.

The Truth About Travel Insurance Coverage Start Dates

The great thing about travel insurance is that coverage starts immediately from the day you buy it. This means that before you even leave for your trip, you’re covered for the likes of:

Trip Cancellation: For example, if you need to cancel your holiday plans due to illness, injury, or any other reason covered by your policy.

Delays & Disruptions: If unexpected events such as airline strikes or natural disasters like storms and wildfires affect your trip.

Emergency Situations: Medical emergencies, family bereavements or work-related issues can interrupt your plans and cause you to cancel your trip.

Why Buying Travel Insurance Early is a Smart Move

Did you know the best time to buy travel insurance is as soon as you’ve started booking flights and accommodation?

It’s a commonly asked question and there are a few reasons why buying travel insurance early is a smart move:

Lengthens Your Cover Period: This means you can take advantage of cancellation cover if anything happens that means you can’t go on holiday such as illness, bereavement, pregnancy, jury service, redundancy or natural disasters at your destination like hurricanes or wildfires.

Cover For Big Ticket Items: Hotels and flights are often the most expensive, non-refundable parts of the holiday so you’ll want to be covered as soon as possible after booking them to save yourself a big financial loss should things go wrong.

Get The Best Deal: Researching early gives you more time to compare policies and get the right cover for you from the many travel insurance options available including single-trip and multi-trip policies that cover missed flights, cancellations, lost luggage, as well as additional cover for credit card fraud or emergency medical expenses.

Last-Minute Travel Insurance: Is It Still Worth It?

While it’s always best to buy holiday insurance early, last-minute travel insurance can still provide valuable coverage against the cost of unexpected events during your trip such as medical emergencies, flight delays and lost or stolen baggage.

The risks of waiting too long to take out travel insurance is that you miss out on pre-trip protection for things like cancelled flights or hotels due to illness, injury or bad weather.

Buying travel insurance last minute can also limit your options and be more expensive overall. Certain cover benefits might have waiting periods and not cover you straight away if bought too close to your time of departure.

Always read the policy documents to find out exactly what you’re covered for…and more importantly what’s not covered.

Don’t Forget Your EHIC Card

If you’re travelling in Europe, make sure to bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and always carry it with you.

Please note that it does not cover you for healthcare outside of the EU, other than Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

What is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)?

The European Health Insurance Card used to be called the E111 form. It gives you access to public healthcare in another EU country for free or at a reduced rate.

Each family member needs their own card and it’s valid for up to 4 years.

EHIC cards are not automatically renewed so you will need to apply to renew your card. It’s easy to renew online via the HSE website. All you need is your old EHIC number and your PPS number.

If you have any problems renewing your card online, for example if you’ve changed address or do not have your old EHIC number or your PPS number, you can contact your local health office and they will help you.

Do I need travel insurance if I have an EHIC?

Yes. The EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance because it may only partly cover medical costs in public healthcare abroad and it’s not valid in every country.

It’s also worth noting the EHIC does not cover private healthcare, medical repatriation to fly you back to Ireland, ongoing or permanent medical treatment, or treatment of a non-urgent nature.

Remember travel insurance also covers you for things of a non-medical nature like lost or stolen baggage, flight delays or flight cancellations.

Conclusion

Travel insurance protects you before and during your trip. Buying early gives you the most benefits should anything go wrong that stops you from travelling.

Our advice is not to leave it to chance and secure your policy as soon as you book flights and accommodation.

For extra reassurance, remember to check and renew your EHIC card before traveling and always carry it with you.

Ready to book that trip? Get a quote here for travel insurance with Chill for more peace of mind that we’ve got you covered for the unexpected.

Bon voyage!