You are never required to buy travel insurance, however, it is a good idea. The last thing you want is to lose out on a non-refundable trip due to an unforeseen event. Travel insurance provides protection against losses such as damaged or delayed luggage, cancelled flights, delayed / missed departure, cancelling or your trip short for reasons beyond your control, loss or theft of money or your passport, accidental damage or injury caused by you, illness or injury, some policies include the cost of an emergency return flight if a close relative dies.
There are lots of options when it comes to selecting Travel insurance, depending on the type of activities you will be doing and your chosen destination, it is always worth looking at a few different levels and types of cover. For example, winter sports / adventure holidays are deemed to be dangerous, therefore you may require higher levels of insurance. Also, if you travel allot it may be worth purchasing an annual multi-trip policy which could save money if you’re a frequent traveler. Travel insurance can be tailored to your specific needs depending on your requirements.
Another thing to consider, if you currently have private health insurance you could avail of cheaper travel insurance as allot of private health insurance will cover you for emergency health cover whilst abroad. The new Bank of Ireland Insurance wallet offers a secure place to store all your policy documents on your device (phone, iPad, PC) whilst travelling. The wallet also contains all the information you need to make a claim, along with other useful contact numbers.
Useful information: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
If you're travelling in Europe, the EHIC allows you to get free treatment in public hospitals in many European countries. However, it won't cover getting you home if you need medical assistance to travel, so you shouldn't rely on it as your only form of medical insurance. For more information on the EHIC, please visit HSE.ie
For information on Travel Insurance arranged by Bank of Ireland visit here.
