Things to consider when buying travel insurance
Theo Wooster
Research

Travel insurance provides peace of mind when heading abroad. In this guide, we break down the key considerations to make when buying travel cover.

This is the third guide in the four-part series on buying travel insurance on bonkers.ie. The other guides in the series will be linked at the end of the page.

Getting travel insurance is easy on bonkers.ie. However, no two trips are the same, and come with different things to consider. 

Do you want to know whether to get a single trip or annual multi-trip cover? Or would like to know the difference between silver and gold cover? Read on to find out the main things to keep in mind.

Whether you need single trip or annual multi-trip cover

When applying for travel insurance, you have the option of covering a single trip, or the option to cover all travel for the entire year, known as annual multi-trip cover. 

Deciding which type of cover depends on your travel habits. If you travel abroad infrequently, just covering the single trip will likely suffice, and offer the best value.

However, if you are a frequent flyer, or are planning to travel for over a month at a time, getting annual cover will ensure that all of your trips are fully covered. Annual multi-trip insurance will often present better value than covering multiple trips individually, allowing you to be covered for 183 days total.

The level of cover you need

There are three levels of cover available to you on bonkers.ie - Silver, Gold and Platinum. 

Silver cover

Silver cover is the cheapest, and most basic level of cover, it offers:

  • Up to €3,000,000 in medical cover
  • Up to €750 in cancellation costs, 
  • €200 to cover against loss of money and documents
  • €5,000 of personal accident cover
  • 31 days maximum single trip duration on an annual multi-trip policy

However, for a greater peace of mind, then Gold and Platinum might be for you.

Gold cover 

This type of cover offers a more comprehensive cover than Silver. It offers:

  • Up to €6,000,000 in medical cover
  • Up to €6000 in cancellation costs, 
  • €400 to cover against loss of money and documents
  • €25,000 of personal accident cover
  • 45 days maximum single trip duration on an annual multi-trip policy

Platinum cover

Platinum cover is the most expensive and comprehensive cover available. It offers:

  • Up to €10,000,000 in medical cover
  • Up to €7,500 in cancellation costs, 
  • €500 to cover against loss of money and documents
  • €30,000 of personal accident cover
  • 60 days maximum single trip duration on an annual multi-trip policy

Therefore, it is worth carefully considering the level of cover you require, so that you are covered as best as possible in the event of an accident.

What activities you plan on doing

Planning on taking part in a battle-reenactment abroad? 

If so, you may need to alert us. Certain activities may result in a higher premium, and come with varying levels of excess. Some activities may not be covered for personal accident or liability at all.

While some more obscure activities are not covered, such as zorbing and shark diving, there are some more common activities that are also not covered. For example, fairly common activities such as rugby, football and go-karting may not be covered in the event of an accident.

Therefore, to ensure you are not left short in the event of an accident, it is worth carefully reading the policy documents, and considering the activities you may be taking part in on your trip. 

Whether you are partaking in winter sports

If you are planning on taking part in winter sports, such as skiing or snowboarding, you should add the winter sports option to your policy. 

Equipment

Owning or renting skiing equipment is very expensive, so having cover against theft, loss or damage to the equipment could be a worthwhile investment. Additionally, if you are renting equipment, but become sick or injured, you can insure against the cost of your skiing package. 

Weather

Weather is also a consideration. Transport to slopes or accommodation can be disrupted due to adverse weather conditions, while sometimes there simply isn’t enough snow to make the slopes usable. Winter sports cover can help insure against these scenarios. 

Extreme sports 

While nearly all of the most popular winter sports are covered under this feature, some extreme sports will not be covered in the event of an accident. These include activities such as bobsleighing, luging and ski stunting. 

Before you decide to purchase cover, it is important to read your policy document to ensure that the activities you are planning on undertaking are covered by your policy. 

Length of trip

When deciding on which travel policy to buy, you should factor in the length of time you plan to travel, particularly when it comes to selecting the level of cover you would like. 

Annual multi-trip cover:

The level of cover you choose determines the maximum length a single trip can be.

For example: 

  • If you select Silver cover, the maximum amount of time you will be covered for in a single trip is 31 days. 
  • This increases to 45 days for Gold cover, and 60 days for Platinum cover. 

Therefore, if you are planning an extended trip, you should make sure that you have the suitable level of cover before you purchase your policy.

It is also worth noting that if you are aged 66 or over, you can only travel for a maximum length of a single trip on an annual multi-trip policy of 31 days. 

Single trip:

You can purchase a policy for as long as your individual trip lasts. However, if you are taking an extended trip of a month or more, you may find better value in an annual multi-trip policy. 

Your age

Your age will play a part in the type of cover you can buy, and whether you can get cover at all.

To be able to take out a policy for yourself, you must be at least 18 years old. If you are under 18, you will need to be travelling with a responsible adult, who is also on the policy. 

Additionally, if you are aged between 66 and 86, you can only be covered for up to 31 days in the year. This applies to both single-trip cover, as well as annual policies. Moreover, Silver cover will not be available to you, meaning you’ll need to select a more comprehensive package.

If you are aged 87 or older, you will unfortunately be unable to receive any cover. 

Whether you have pre-existing medical cover

If you already have private health insurance, then you may be entitled to a discount on your travel insurance. 

If your current medical policy covers you abroad for a minimum of €55,000 per person, and will continue until after your trip has finished, you will be able to avail of a cheaper travel policy. 

You can select whether you have pre-existing medical cover in the first stage of your travel insurance order. You can learn more about how to buy travel insurance in this guide.

Foreseen events

Before you buy travel insurance, it is well worth making sure that you are aware of any potential disruption to your trip.

Any disruption to your travel deemed ‘foreseen’ before you take out cover will not be covered by your policy.

For example, if strike action has been planned in advance, or severe weather conditions have been forecast ahead of time, then this will be deemed as reasonably foreseeable, and you will not be compensated for any losses as a result.

Therefore, it is important to carefully consider any disruption that could impact your trip before getting travel insurance. 

Get travel insurance with bonkers.ie

Buy travel insurance on bonkers.ie. Get a direct quote for single trip, annual multi-trip or winter sports insurance in minutes. 

Simply head over to our travel insurance page and start selecting the cover you need, today!

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Take a look at our other travel insurance guides

Get in touch

If you have any questions about anything in this guide, or about travel insurance in general, contact our team today on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok or Instagram.