Are you getting the right insurance for your holiday?

Choosing travel insurance can be a bit of a minefield - with so many types of different policies and levels of cover, how do you know where to start? Make sure you get the right insurance for your holiday with our handy guide to travel insurance.

One hit wonder or seasoned traveller

The type of policy you need depends on several factors, such as your travel plans, destination and your plans whilst on holiday. Some of the more common insurance policies are; single trip, multi-trip, family insurance, European insurance and worldwide insurance.

Some are fairly self explanatory - for instance, it usually works out cheaper to take out a family insurance policy than individual cover for each person. Single trip insurance is perfect if you're only planning one holiday this year - if you're planning to travel abroad several times, then it could make more sense to take out multi-trip cover, which will protect you for the entire year, no matter how many times you travel! Worldwide travel insurance will usually cost a bit more than European insurance, but it's essential to have - the further away you are from home, the more important travel insurance is!

Optional extras

If this wasn't confusing enough, there's also a wide range of optional extras you can add on to your travel insurance policy, to cover you for various things. Some of these include; winter sports cover, gadget cover, cruise insurance and golf cover.

Whilst these are all optional extras, if you're going on a cruise or skiing holiday, or taking a lot of expensive gadgets with you, it's worthwhile 'topping up' your coverage to include one or more of these in case you need them.

Check your coverage

Before choosing your travel insurance, it's important to get a quotation and check the level of cover provided - all providers will vary, but as a general rule your insurance should cover you for the following:

Insurance for lost or stolen money, valuables, luggage and documents (such as your passport)

Medical cover - as a general rule around £2 million cover for European destinations and £5 million for worldwide travel is recommended

Cover for cancellation or change of travel plans - this includes cancelling your holiday for personal reasons such as bereavement or illness, but also covers you should the airline cancel your flights due to bad weather conditions

Personal liability - ideally you should have up to £1 million worth of cover - this is in case you injure anyone else or damage their property whilst travelling.

Choosing the right travel insurance is easy if you follow our simple tips - and try to choose an insurance provider with a 24 hour helpline, in case you need them!