Every person that goes on a self drive holiday to Europe should have three types of insurance. That is, you should have three types of insurance if you own or rent your home. The reason for this will become clear in a moment. 

The following insurances are absolutely essential because between them they will protect your interests whilst you’re away:

Travel Insurance – This is the most obvious one, but not everybody chooses to take out a policy. It should be a part of any good holiday purely and simply because it provides you with peace of mind should anything happen. For example, if a member of your family is taken into hospital with food poisoning then you know that the travel insurance will cover any medical bills should it be necessary. If your caravan or hotel room is broken into then it doesn’t matter what’s gone because your travel insurance will cover it. Of course, both of these problems might just put a dampener on your holiday but it won’t ruin it if your insurance company can help you to replace what’s lost and bear the burden.

Car Insurance – Every driver going on a self drive holiday is legally obliged to have car insurance. It’s the same on the Continent as it is at home – if you don’t have car insurance then you’re on the road illegally and can be prosecuted as a result. You should make sure that the insurance for your car or for your rental car is comprehensive in its coverage. It is worth asking your insurance company how far you are covered just in case. There is nothing worse than getting into an accident and finding that you are libel for damages because your coverage wasn’t good enough or didn’t count because you were outside of the UK.

Home Insurance – This is one I guarantee that you won’t think about. If you are on holiday though, what happens if someone breaks into your house or something happens to damage it? This is why it is essential to have home insurance in place before you go. Another element of home insurance is that it will often cover you for things that travel insurance does not. For example, you have personal possessions cover on home insurance that will cover items that your travel insurance won’t, such as your mobile phone. As such, obtaining a policy if you don’t already have one is a great idea.

Guest Article by Louise Crowley

The truth is that the majority of car insurance policies only provide you with the level of cover you selected when taking out the policy in the local world region. In more simple terms, it’ll cover you if you’re driving in the UK (including Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and the Republic of Ireland. If you head to the rest of Europe then it usually won’t provide the level of cover that you need to give you peace of mind.

Although most car insurance policies cover your car if you are in a European Union country, the majority of insurers only provide you with the basic level of cover so you can’t claim for an accident that is deemed your fault or anything above fire, theft and 3^rd party claims. In some cases, they don’t even provide you with all of that! The only way to find out what you’re covered for is to read the policy documents you were given or make a call to your insurer.

However, all is not lost! You can get the cover you need through your existing insurer, even if the basic level of cover doesn’t live up to much. Most car insurance companies offer policy extensions that you can take out for the duration of your self drive holiday. All you have to do is call your insurer and inform them that you’re taking your car to Europe and they can offer you advice on what is the best course of action to take is.

Your car insurance company can advise you on any number of things, from the availability and need for green cards (this only applies to certain countries) to the legality of insurance policies taken out in the UK. They can also extend your cover to make sure that your selected level of cover applies in Europe too. You do have to give specific dates for this because you will be charged for the extension and it can be quite expensive if you extend it for more or less days than necessary for different reasons. Some also offer breakdown cover that applies in Europe as well.

Making sure that you have enough insurance cover for your car should be top of your to do list when heading to Europe. It’s much better to be safe than sorry because anything can happen on the open road!

Guest Article by Louise Crowley

It all sounds great. And, in all probability it will go like a dream and your holiday will be everything that you hoped for. But snags, small and large, can be just a heartbeat away. And if something does go wrong it’s best to have the peace of mind that you are well covered by sound insurance.

Some insurance policies might seem like an expensive addendum to what is already a hefty cost. But the price of not being properly covered is likely to be much, much worse.

I’ve only once been in a hospital abroad, thankfully for me only accompanying someone, but I can vouch that it is a scary experience. On that occasion, following a bizarre accident involving a kilt, a high kerb and a lot of blood, the staff took pity on us and treatment was offered free, the only price being the stares and laughter of almost every doctor and nurse on duty at the time.

But healthcare can be expensive abroad – and the price can be much, much higher if you need to be transported back to the UK.

The first tick on your checklist should be the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC for short), the replacement for the old E111 form. You can get the card easily by filling out a quick online form (including children, partners etc) and it should be delivered in seven days or so.

The EHIC is a first step but a valuable one. Some countries do apply restrictions but as long as you do your research before you go the card offers some peace of mind.

Of course it is better to have the additional security of your own health insurance policy. Age and existing medical conditions are two factors that will affect this. So try and shop around: price will be a factor but don’t be tempted to scrimp on a policy only to find out that you won’t be covered if disaster strikes.

If you are mugged, robbed or simply lose your money and cards then an adequate insurance policy can reduce the stress of a horrible experience. It’s amazing how many of us Brits spend so much on a holiday, fill expensive suitcases with expensive clothes and stuff wallets and handbags with cash and credit cards only to find that if any, or all, of this stuff goes missing we have very little protection.

It’s also a good idea to keep in mind what sort of activities your holiday is going to consist of. If you are, say, mountain biking or golfing then you can find an insurance package that will protect both you and your equipment.

Finally, for the self drive holiday goer, there is the question of vehicle insurance. Your existing insurance provider may offer insurance for driving abroad. If that doesn’t suit you then there are plenty of other companies who can provide an insurance policy that matches your requirements.

Things like the age of your car might affect cover and costs. And bear in mind other things: if you’re planning a day trip into another country then make sure your insurance won’t be affected.

So the moral of the insurance tale is quite a simple one: it’s better to be safe than sorry. Plan your holiday and plan the insurance that will suit you best. The irony is that you’ll probably never need to call on your insurance. But the peace of mind is worth it.

Guest Article by Tom Hall