Bargain travel insurance
 May 22nd, 2001
Advantages:
Cheap, quick, flexible, choice of quotes and comapnies
Disadvantages:
None I can think of
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Competitiveness of APR
Comprehensiveness of range of products
Product package
Value for money
Online - Pre-purchase information
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  nicci13
About me:
I have exams in Decmeber (2 on a Saturday, not fair!!) so I won't be writing for a little while due ...
Member since:13.09.2000
Reviews:20
Members who trust:4
Review rated by 43 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
This review received a counterstatement by a party concerned
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You lot are going to start thinking I am insurance mad, but hey, I just like a challenge and to discover bargains! Initially it was my Dad who challenged me to find him some travel insurance (I'm sure he has a phobia about computers) as I am always going on about how cheap the internet can be if you are prepared to shop about, and he had just received a quote for £40 which only covered him alone for a single trip to the USA.
Always up for a challenge, I put fingers to keypad and started surfing. I did go to a few companies who I knew offered insurance, like Prudential, and Egg and then the banks
and building societies, but I wasn't really getting a much better quote. Then I spied a link to Screentrade.com, and went to their website. They actually offer all varients of insurance, and not just travel. The site is easy to navigate around, and is very quick, unlike some I could mention! All you have to do is fill in their questionnaire, which consists of the usual questions to do with age, any health problems you might have, and of course where you want to go and what type of cover you are looking for.
As my Dad is going away more than once this year (alright for some!) I thought I would look at their annual cover first. This comes in three types, European, Worldwide (excluding USA and Canada) or Worldwide with USA and Canada. They do offer insurance for just a single trip (currently £9 for Europe!). He needed cover including the USA so I chose that one, and input his details. One concern I had was whether it would be more expensive for someone his age. No offence to my Dad, but he is over 60 now, and another company wouldn't touch him because of that fact, and another one was not interested if he was not working full time, and typically he is part time.
So, how long to get a quote? A matter of seconds. It was not more than 30 seconds after hitting the submit button that they brought up not just the best one, but a whole selection to look at. They increased in price, but some did offer different cover for example water sports, or business travel, length of days you want to be away... What was the cheapest I hear you ask?
Well, for £38 my Dad has now got an annual worldwide multi trip cover including the USA and Canada! I mean, if I was faced with the choice of paying £40 for one trip and not the USA, or £38 for annual as many times as I liked and including the USA I know which one I would choose - the first one of course!!! Yeah right! You seem to have to have insurance for everything these days, and it all adds up, and I really do think that if you can get virtually identical cover somewhere else for cheaper, then why not save some money and have extra for the important things in life like beer money!
The cover he has does actually include some water sports without having to pay extra (but they do list which ones they cover and it is not a substantial list) for if he is feeling adventurous, and he is very well covered for death, personal injury, legal cover etc.. and even for delay at the airport, although not cancellation as he decided he didn't need that. There is an excess of between £40 and £50 that he will have to pay if he makes a claim, but that is all. One thing I would say to anyone looking for travel insurance, is read your home contents insurance first, as nine times out of ten your personal belongings and money will be covered under that, and you don't need dual cover (as they never pay you out twice), therefore you can opt out of that and bring your quote down even further.
Scrrentrade allow various payment options as well, I chose to do it online with Visa, but there is always the option of paying with Switch and some other cards. If you are not comfortable paying online, then you can call them up and do it over the phone. You will be contacted within 24 hours either by phone or e-mail to let you know that your policy has been approved and sent out to you, so even if you are going the next day and it is a last minute thing, they can make it one less thing you have to worry about as they can also send you a copy by e-mail so you have the documents to take with you.
If you want family cover or joint cover they offer those too at very competitive rates, I have just got a joint quote (although I haven't purchased it yet) for £68, so my half of it will only cost me £34! So fellow travellers, if you need insurance, have a look at Screentrade and see if they can't beat what you have already been quoted!
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14.05.2003 12:02
Good op. Thanx
18.07.2001 12:34
Informative and useful Op, of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating and we never really know how good an insuracne company is until it comes to the payout...I always use www.endsleigh.co.uk as I go to Europe and the USA a lot....nice to know there are internet choices though ...Thanks Andrew
31.05.2001 12:42
Great opinion and useful for me as I'm aboput to embark on a round the world trip for a year or so... Cheers. SB.