Da and I are off to LOS in two weeks, for six weeks
Does anybody know of a good travel insurance deal at the moment? Also, do you bother to take out insurance for your Thai partner that resides in the uk???

thanks Paul

quote:

Does anybody know of a good travel insurance deal at the moment?

Check the links under "Travel Insurance" here. Obtain an online quote from each one and see which looks like the best deal.

quote:

Also, do you bother to take out insurance for your Thai partner that resides in the uk???

Yes !! Without a doubt.

Regards

quote:

Originally posted by Paul & Sukanya:
... do you bother to take out insurence for your Thai partner that resides in the uk???

We certainly do. Decent travel insurance is an essential part of our travel plans - without exception.

Have a great trip

WE use insure and go - get the policy for a year and they allowed us to add the wife once her 6 months as a resident was achived and we have since added the step daughetr ( at no charge when her 6 months kicked in)

Good Luck

Skippy

Insureango...

"Black Cover"...covers everything but the kitchen sink.


Nick

Insure & go very good you can do it online

quote:

Yes !! Without a doubt.

As an Insurance man agree with Paul "don't leave home without it"
colin 244

quote:

Originally posted by Skippy:
... once her 6 months as a resident was achived...

What 6 months is that Skip?

Tobias - they said that you had to be "a resident" in the UK eg have a address for at least 6 months to be eligible to be insured ( same thing they said to me when I came from Aust. )

- Skippy

The legal definition of 'resident' is pretty much established. As soon as an individual arrives in the UK for a 'settled purpose' e.g. those arriving on a settlement visa (fiancé(e), spouse, employment, family permit et al) then they are considered 'resident' in the UK from the very first day they land at the UK airport!

Some policies may say the proposer must have had an address in the UK for 'x' months, that will be that particular insurer's requirement - but if the policy simply says the proposer must be a 'resident' of the UK then anyone arriving as I mention above is immediately eligible for the policy.

Great another case of a call centre(s) telling me the wrong thing and I believed it.

Can't believe the wife went to Thailand uninsured!!

No wonder people lie on their claim forms!

- Skippy

quote:

The legal definition of 'resident' is pretty much established. As soon as an individual arrives in the UK for a 'settled purpose' e.g. those arriving on a settlement visa (fiancé(e), spouse, employment, family permit et al) then they are considered 'resident' in the UK from the very first day they land at the UK airport!

I called the DVLA because i thought it would be easier to get my UK licence back having left Switzerland rather than mess about getting a French licence , they said I would need to be resident in the UK for at least 6 months before I could apply.

ash

quote:

Originally posted by Skippy:
Great another case of a call centre(s) telling me the wrong thing and I believed it.

Skip, as I said above, some policies do have a fixed minimum period of actual 'residency' as a requirement for cover.

However, if the policy simply says that the proposer must be a 'resident' of the UK then there is no requirement to have been in the UK for 6 months. I thought it important that we all understand there is no "6 months" requirement unless the policy specifically says so!

As for Insure and Go - they do have a 6 month in the UK policy requirement:

"Residence limits: You must have lived in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Eire for at least six of the last 12 months before you bought or renewed your policy."

So in your case, the call centre was correct!

My friend only insured himself last year, wife and son can get the 30baht treatment if ill in Thailand he told me(not anymore), he was taken ill the the day he was to travel, got his air fare back but lost the wife and sons fare,they are going this year, all insured.(you know it makes sense!)

quote:

Originally posted by ash:
... I called the DVLA because i thought it would be easier to get my UK licence back having left Switzerland rather than mess about getting a French licence , they said I would need to be resident in the UK for at least 6 months before I could apply.

Perhaps that is because of the UK/EEA Licencing requirements for swapping licences? But that is for another topic!

Those of you with a Natwest Gold Account please note that you are ALREADY insured. The Bank gives you & your family ( assuming you've notified them of your wife & kids details ) full medical cover.
Now...you may not feel that this is likely to be much cop as it's 'free' with your account. Think again. I never knew I had this cover last year & was extremely grateful of it when Columbus Travel ( I had a yearly family policy ) cancelled part of my travel policy when I notified them of a new medical condition...accute coronary syndrome. No cover on this means no travel for me but the bank came to my rescue, gave me a cover note & I'm fully comp with them.
So...check your bank, check the level of cover it gives you & hopefully you'll save yourself some cash & worry along the way.
If you're with Columbus...I hope you don't get ill on a pre-paid family policy because you may find yourself in trouble for future cover with them.

The Natwest deal is a good one, a friend of mine has it and is very pleased with it.

The residency requirement? That's looks simple:

"[Natwest] Travel Insurance is only available to persons residing within the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), Isle of Man and Channel Islands"

Note there is no stipulation as to how long!

Anyway the moral of the story is make sure you have proper cover as some freebies with Banks/Health Insurers are not!

Similar to the free Life Insurance our Financial friends give (trying to sell higher limits) so most of the population think they have Life cover but in most offers it is Accidental death only and worse some state you must be killed in a Plane/Train/Car accident to claim!

Advice to all here check the small print!
colin 244 (Insurance Broker)

Colin,

I can imagine some of the claims "my father died peacefully in his bed whilst being run over by a train"

quote:

Originally posted by colin244:
... and worse some state you must be killed in a Plane/Train/Car accident to claim!

and how do you manage that from the grave

My post was sensible advice to some who don't read the small print!

Anyway it will make your executors job a lot easier and having done this deed three times "every little helps"

Must qualify for one of the worst unpaid jobs but you have the duty to do (I am named in at least 4 other wills as everyone I know thinks I'm an expert now )
colin 244

I use Insureandgo PLATINUM because it gives you 90 days per trip cover instead of the usual 60 days per trip.
Husband & wife for £110 for 1 year.

Be careful & read the "small print" on your travel insurance policy. A couple of years ago we canceled our policy with Insure & Go after reading that "Private hospital treatment was not included" We called the insurer who confirmed that treatment at Bangkok-Pattaya & similar hospitals would not be covered. Treatment at your nearest government hospital is what they advised us. Not what you prefer in Thailand. I don't know if this is still the case with Insure & Go. I've since read a few reports of people not getting treatment, or not being refunded hospital bills after falling ill in Thailand. "Check" the "small print".