Travel insurance headache
Dec 27th, 2015, 08:47 PM
#1
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Travel insurance headache
Hi everyone,
I have booked a trip to South America in January and was just looking at travel insurance, but hit an unexpected roadblock. I am a permanent citizen and resident of the UK, currently residing in Northern Ireland, so naturally I looked at UK travel insurance policies. I found a few that look good, but they all state that your trip must begin and end in the UK. Like many people from Northern Ireland, I'm flying out of and into Dublin airport, which is only about an hour from my home, but which of course is not part of the UK, and this means I am not able to use any of these insurance policies. I am well travelled, but have not had this issue before, as I spent a long time living in London. Does anyone have any idea of what I can do?
I have booked a trip to South America in January and was just looking at travel insurance, but hit an unexpected roadblock. I am a permanent citizen and resident of the UK, currently residing in Northern Ireland, so naturally I looked at UK travel insurance policies. I found a few that look good, but they all state that your trip must begin and end in the UK. Like many people from Northern Ireland, I'm flying out of and into Dublin airport, which is only about an hour from my home, but which of course is not part of the UK, and this means I am not able to use any of these insurance policies. I am well travelled, but have not had this issue before, as I spent a long time living in London. Does anyone have any idea of what I can do?
Dec 27th, 2015, 09:43 PM
#2
Must you fly in & out of the UK, or BEGIN & end there. It seems to me that a trip begins when you leave home, whatever your mode of travel. First leg train or car, second leg the flight. Is that not true?
If they insist, I suggest you consult a good travel agent, who, if they are good, will know how to solve this conundrum.
If they insist, I suggest you consult a good travel agent, who, if they are good, will know how to solve this conundrum.
Dec 28th, 2015, 02:38 AM
#4
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Thanks for your reply. It really isn't clear. I've googled around a little and have found conflicting info. Your reasoning seems perfectly logical to me - I will be taking a bus from Newry in Northern Ireland to Dublin airport, which to me means my journey starts in the UK. I would of course expect the travel insurance to cover any loss/theft of baggage on that bus, for example. I called one of the insurance companies and the lady on the phone really didn't know - for some reason, the NI/Ireland thing confuses a lot of UK companies.
I did also look into Irish travel insurance, but it seems you need to be a permanent resident of Ireland to buy it!
I did also look into Irish travel insurance, but it seems you need to be a permanent resident of Ireland to buy it!
Dec 28th, 2015, 03:06 AM
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I've googled around some more and this is a very common issue apparently, with lots of NI residents saying that were unable to get insurance. It seems ludicrous that in this day and age, things like this are an issue. I wonder about the legality of this, as Northern Ireland residents are effectively in a black hole. You can't get Irish insurance because you don't live there and you can't get UK insurance because you're flying from Ireland. I'm flying from an airport which is an hour from my house, for Pete's sake!
Dec 28th, 2015, 08:03 AM
#6
It seems to me that if you can buy travel insurance for a trip that is wholly by bus/coach, then you can buy it for a trip that begins on a bus, then uses other means. Not every journey is by air and if portions of a trip mid-journey not on a plane are covered, and they are, then a portion at the beginning not on a plane would qualify, certainly.
The insurance company, not the sales representatives, must certainly be able to tell you. One just needs to get to the right person.
The insurance company, not the sales representatives, must certainly be able to tell you. One just needs to get to the right person.
Dec 28th, 2015, 11:46 PM
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Rather than ask here, why don't you call a couple of the insurance companies, outline your situation and ask them. I doubt that it will be a problem but best to ask as "full disclosure" is a key element of insurance law. You live in the UK and presumably will be travelling from there to Dublin, therefore your journey starts in the UK. It may be difficult to get that principle across to a call centre operative.
On our last couple of trips to South America we used trailfinders and STA Travel for insurance. Both were excellent in terms of pre and post customer service but, it largely depends on who answers the phone.
This is an extract from my Policy arranged through Trailfinders:
"Eligibility
To be eligible for cover under this Policy, all Insured Persons must be under the age of 76 at the date of payment of the insurance premiums, unless agreed in writing. All Insured Persons must reside within a European country, (excluding Switzerland, Russia, Belarus, Montenegro and the Ukraine)."
On our last couple of trips to South America we used trailfinders and STA Travel for insurance. Both were excellent in terms of pre and post customer service but, it largely depends on who answers the phone.
This is an extract from my Policy arranged through Trailfinders:
"Eligibility
To be eligible for cover under this Policy, all Insured Persons must be under the age of 76 at the date of payment of the insurance premiums, unless agreed in writing. All Insured Persons must reside within a European country, (excluding Switzerland, Russia, Belarus, Montenegro and the Ukraine)."
