Travel insurance for the older amongst us or maybe good for the younger ones, too….

[MickDB1]

You are right that I said we come back when we choose but the next sentance said. We have never gone over our 31 or 45 day per trip, like what length policy we took out.
Added to that our last return got cancelled by the operator whilst away so that return ticket wasnt used and we came back on a later ferry.
Thank you for your coment but surely if you leave on day 1 ( with a 31 policy ) and your plan is to come back on say day 29 but dont book owt, your policy is not being broken till day 31 or 32 plus, like yerve overstayed your policy limitations.
Cheers.

 

[Wapping]

We have never gone over our 31 or 45 day per trip

That may well be so. But the past is no evidence of the future. In short, if a policy has a very simple pre-condition that:

A. A trip must have a maximum duration of X number of days

B. A return ticket must be bought before departing from the UK, so as to evidence A above

Then just do it. Or don’t. It’s free to chose.

 

[Wapping]

Added to that our last return got cancelled by the operator whilst away so that return ticket wasnt used and we came back on a later ferry

Most off-the-shelf Travel policies have a very clear cancellation and / or delay extension.

Subject otherwise to the terms and conditions of the policy, most will automatically extend the policy period to embrace the period of the delay up until your safe return home.

Likewise, for example only, let’s say your policy has a maximum trip duration of 31 days and you have a return ticket booked already for a return on day 30. Let’s pretend that on day 29 you fall off your bike and break your leg or contract food poisoning requiring you to enter hospital for say, five days for treatment. Your policy will automatically extend for the extra days until you are safely discharged and arrive back home. In addition it may well pick up the extra expenses you might accrue, for example new tickets, taxis etc etc.

The policies, even the basic ones - sold over the counter or online in their millions each year - are pretty good. Yes, they might have some restrictions vis-a-vis motorcycles, but that is because they are a mass sold product and the masses don’t own a motorcycle and don’t wish to ever go on two wheels. Likewise MOST bods DO only go on holiday for a week or fortnight and DO buy a return ticket, most often as a part of a simple package, so pre-conditions about including (or excluding) motorcycling do not bother them one jot. Nor does any pre-condition about maximum trip durations, as THEIR holidays are (for the masses) shorter than a month.

 

[MickDB1]

Thank you for going to the trouble of explaining the way of Insurance.
Very happy with what you have said. I will, in future, have to book a more flexi return ticket in the future so if we cut short or extend (within our limited times) it can be used and not lost.
I am sorry to say ive never read policies untill this original post. I supose I /we have been lucky in last 25 years of multi purchase tunnel tickets where we just buggered off then booked our return 24hrs before rackin up at terminal.

Live and Learn if yer lucky..
Cheers

 

[Oldrat]

We’ve just renewed our travel policy, this time with All Clear.

It was better value than our previous cover with Virgin which was a couple of hundred more than it was last year.

 

[R_otor]

That is why it is very dangerous to read a post (posted Lord knows when) and accept what it says as gospel, “But I thought my policy says….”

Summary - DYOR

 

[Wapping]

I am sorry to say ive never read policies untill this original post. I supose I /we have been lucky in last 25 years of multi purchase tunnel tickets where we just buggered off then booked our return 24hrs before rackin up at terminal.

I guess you have been lucky. There again, ‘big’ holiday travel claims are (touch wood) quite rare. That said, that doesn’t mean they don’t happen, as tales on this forum confirm. I have claimed back several hundreds, when I ripped my knee cartilage in France. The claim would have been more, had I and my young daughter not been staying at my parents’. Had the rupturing of my Achilles in Holland, turned out differently, I might well have had to have had an operation in a Dutch hospital. Travel insurance would have dealt with that, along with getting me and my 1600 home, post operation. Just for a moment, the very dull insurance document becomes your best friend, trust me.

Most modern policies sold to the public are available on-line, usually as a PDF. This is great as it makes them searchable. Look for words like ‘motor’, which will generally turn up both motorbike and motorcycle.

Not least there is now (and hasn’t been for several years) very little ‘small print’ if any at all. Things are now, more often than not, spelled out in Janet and John language and formatting. Five minutes or so spent now, might well save you hours later. That said, reading it (when it’s all too late) will take your mind off battling with an overflowing bed pan….. and, believe me, you WILL be reading it after the event.

 

[leedude03]

i believe if you are looking for insurance where you dont have to stipulate a return date, do a google search for (one way travel insurance), i may of course be wrong.

 

[Northern jock]

Had a conversation with Nationwide Flexiplus people (aviva I think) they told me quite clearly that the return leg of a trip from UK Must be booked before yer set off..
To be honest I have never checked before reading these posts. I/ We usually just bugger off to europe and then book and come back when weeve had enough. We have never stayed over our alloted 31 or 45 days per trip. I cant see a reason for this clause being in the policy. Can anyone enlighten me or reccomed a policy that dosent have this book it all before yer leave UK ??.
Great subject post. Could have saved me a fortune if summat had gone tits up whillst away
Thank mr Wapping and other contributers

I’m aware of that clause so a couple of years ago i phoned my insurer and explained that I wasn’t sure which ferry route I wanted to use to get home but that I would book and return within the allowed days. They noted it and said that was ok, but only because I’d told them.

 

[Wapping]

i believe if you are looking for insurance where you dont have to stipulate a return date, do a google search for (one way travel insurance), i may of course be wrong.

Long stay travel insurance, as mostly bought by gap year students, off on their jaunt or maybe wealthy (often retired) persons “Off around the World, spending the kids’ inheritance” or whatever the trite expression is.

Most bods on this forum will find that most (but not all) basic Travel insurance (as sold in their millions each year) will be more than adequate to deal with their jaunts, solo or with mates, into Europe and - pretty much - even for their occasional jaunts somewhere more exotic. Where do bods go wrong? I guess it’s where they trade on their “I don’t care, I’ll come back when it suits me and I’ll do this and that when I’m away, because it suits me to, too” and then expect others to scrape up after them when things go awry.

 

[Neil W]

Wife had a short hospital stay after Christmas , allergic to an antibiotic given to her for a chest infection (caused an issue leading to a bleed on one of her kidneys ). Informed the travel insurance company (we have a yearly policy) . Not a huge increase in premium BUT they made her aware that if she had not told them of the hospital stay and we had gone on holiday and there had been any issues the policy would have been cancelled and they would not pay out

Maybe not a huge jump for the rest of the term of the Policy BUT renewal quote has jumped to £1100 per annum

 

[darvi]

We’ve used Nationwide Flexplus travel insurance for many years now, and very recently had to claim with their new insurers Aviva after my wife did her ACL skiing. First class service and very fast claim process, as in I called the claim in at 9am Monday and the money hit my bank within 24 hours.
I’ve just checked if M/C of any size are excluded and been advised there are no exclusions for our 1200RT for touring use.

just got a quote from Nationwide Flexiaccount for travel insurance and downloaded ther policy document and it stats motorcycles upto 125cc only

 

[wessie]

just got a quote from Nationwide Flexiaccount for travel insurance and downloaded ther policy document and it stats motorcycles upto 125cc only

are you looking at the right policy?
The account recommended here is the Flexplus account

Travel insurance with FlexPlus | Nationwide

FlexPlus current account travel insurance provides cover for you and your family including business, wedding, golf and winter sports.

www.nationwide.co.uk

the only stipulation in the policy is to wear a helmet

 

[dicktheleg]

I seem to be covered - Flexplus account.

 

[Wapping]

just got a quote from Nationwide Flexiaccount for travel insurance and downloaded ther policy document and it stats motorcycles upto 125cc only

are you looking at the right policy?
The account recommended here is the Flexplus account

Travel insurance with FlexPlus | Nationwide

FlexPlus current account travel insurance provides cover for you and your family including business, wedding, golf and winter sports.

www.nationwide.co.uk

the only stipulation in the policy is to wear a helmet

This little exchange highlights the possible dangers of relying posts on this forum and / or on: "My mate says..." and / or "But, I think I read or heard that...." when it comes to being sure what cover YOU have or, just as importantly, YOU don't have.

 

[Wapping]

Nationwide Flexiaccount

Nationwide, from a very quick look, don't seem to offer an account titled: 'Flexiaccount'.

Nationwide's accounts, where (presumably) the benefits and / or any bolt-on extras (such as insurance) might vary greatly are, apparently:

Key Nationwide Flex Accounts:

• FlexAccount (Standard): A straightforward, free, everyday account with no monthly fees, a £50 interest-free arranged overdraft, and access to exclusive savings.
• FlexDirect (Digital/Interest):Designed for online/app management, it offers 5% AER interest on up to £1,500 (for the first 12 months) and 1% cashback on card spending, subject to criteria
  .
  • FlexPlus (Packaged): Costs £18 a month, providing worldwide family travel insurance, UK/Europe breakdown cover, and mobile phone insurance, along with fee-free spending abroad.
  • FlexOne (11-23 year olds): A youth account with no fees, 2% interest on balances up to £1,000, and no charges for spending abroad.
  • FlexBasic (Basic): A "no-frills" account for receiving wages/benefits without an overdraft.

I am guessing (which is always dangerous) that the account that darvi is maybe referring to is the Nationwide 'FlexAccount' not the Nationwide 'Flexiaccount'. If so, the account does not seem to offer any insurance as a freeby bolt-on: https://www.nationwide.co.uk/current-accounts/flexaccount/.

Anyway, always best to check for yourself.

 

[darvi]

Nationwide, from a very quick look, don't seem to offer an account titled: 'Flexiaccount'.

Nationwide's accounts, where (presumably) the benefits and / or any bolt-on extras (such as insurance) might vary greatly are, apparently:

Key Nationwide Flex Accounts:

• FlexAccount (Standard): A straightforward, free, everyday account with no monthly fees, a £50 interest-free arranged overdraft, and access to exclusive savings.
• FlexDirect (Digital/Interest):Designed for online/app management, it offers 5% AER interest on up to £1,500 (for the first 12 months) and 1% cashback on card spending, subject to criteria
  .
  • FlexPlus (Packaged): Costs £18 a month, providing worldwide family travel insurance, UK/Europe breakdown cover, and mobile phone insurance, along with fee-free spending abroad.
  • FlexOne (11-23 year olds): A youth account with no fees, 2% interest on balances up to £1,000, and no charges for spending abroad.
  • FlexBasic (Basic): A "no-frills" account for receiving wages/benefits without an overdraft.

I am guessing (which is always dangerous) that the account that darvi is maybe referring to is the Nationwide 'FlexAccount' not the Nationwide 'Flexiaccount'. If so, the account does not seem to offer any insurance as a freeby bolt-on: https://www.nationwide.co.uk/current-accounts/flexaccount/.

Anyway, always best to check for yourself.

i miss typed it was the nationwide flexiplus account i got a qoute for and it definatly said in there documention download that it only covered motorcyclec upto 125cc

 

[Wapping]

OK, thank you.

Perhaps you could share the document with us and the date of it, please.

From a very quick look (on an iPhone) at the latest policy on the Nationwide website for their ‘FlexPlus’ account there doesn’t (unless I missed it) seem to be any mention of 125cc nor indeed much relating to motorcycles except the usual words about licence, helmet etc etc etc.

 

[Wapping]

Someone has kindly sent me the relevant section of the (so I’m told) the latest Nationwide ‘FlexPlus’ policy and picked out the piece(s) relevant to motorcycles:



Nothing there about cubic capacity.

 

[wessie]

you could have just followed my link in the post above, or taken my word for it, which seems problematic for you ...