Why You Need An Insurance Broker When Travelling After Covid 

Before the Covid pandemic, travel insurance was considered unnecessary by many travellers, however this perception has indeed changed. It is clear now that travel insurance is more important than ever due to the disruption which Covid presented. And whilst travel has opened up again, Covid certainly hasn’t departed, and the risk of delays and cancellation or postponement remains.  

The LHK insurance broker team can provide you with an affordable travel insurance policy that will put your mind at ease and cover all of the following mishaps.

Trip Cancellation in an Insurance Plan

Travel insurance will give you the peace of mind that you are covered for cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances associated with illness, injury or death, whether this is yourself, your travel companion or a relative. 

Unforeseen circumstances can be difficult enough without worrying about whether or not you may lose your prepaid holiday money.  That is why getting a trustworthy and reliable insurance broker to arrange a suitable travel policy is vital. It will help you to enjoy a seamless and happy experience, even under not-so-happy circumstances.

However, you cannot be covered for everything with travel insurance. Some things that are not included are a change of mind about going on the trip. Other circumstances include personal plans getting in the way, any work-related events or obligations, and any illness that is related to pre-existing medical conditions. 

Baggage Loss/Delay

Sometimes bags end up with the wrong person, in the wrong place, or nowhere at all. If the airline loses your bag or there is a delay getting them into the terminal, travel insurance will cover the expense of the contents of the bag (up to a certain point). This means it is important to have a rough idea of the contents and value of the contents that are in your bag. However, it is best to not lose your belongings in the first place, as it can be a huge hassle to have no clothes with you on holiday or to lose all of the gifts you’re bringing home for your family. Here are some tips to make sure you keep your bag:

Carry your bags through the airport

This seems obvious, but of course isn’t always an option especially if you are going away for a long period. Only having a check-in bag that you keep on your person at all times is the most effective way of making sure you do not lose your belongings.

Remove old flight tags when flying 

Most check-in desks will ensure all tags are removed before checking in your bag, but it never hurts for you to take a final look. Having flight tags from other airlines or flight numbers may confuse under-pressure baggage handlers. 

Be on time for your flight when you travel

Your bag has to be checked through security too, and if you check it at the last minute and rush to your gate, there is a chance that it may not be there as fast as you. It may seem as though you check it in and then it magically appears on the plane. But it has to go through the whole airport just as you do. Its journey may cause it to be momentarily confused with other luggage or forgotten.

Label your bag 

Put your name and phone number on your bag. This is wise because if your bag happens to be misplaced or taken by the wrong person it can be easily returned to you. 

Use a marker

Use an obvious marker like a ribbon or colourful tag so it is clear which bag belongs to you when it comes out. This way no one will mistake the bag for yours and you can’t doubt that it belongs to you.

Direct flights 

It’s not always possible to get a direct flight, they can be much more expensive or maybe the location you are flying to is just too far away to get there directly from Ireland. In any case, the fewer changeovers the safer your bag will be. If your bag needs to be changed from flight to flight, it is increasing the risk of being misplaced every time. 

Lock your bag when you check it in 

Though combination locks (or zip-ties) on a material bag won’t stop any determined person from getting into your bag, they take away the chance of an opportunist trying to open it. These people can put illegal substances in your bag to try to smuggle them to a different country or steal from you. If you have a lock on your bag you will always be able to tell if it has been tampered with. The lock or zip tie will be broken, or the combination will have changed. If there are illegal substances in your bag they may be confiscated and you may charge for possession of them. If you suspect your bag has been tampered with, report it immediately, before opening the bag.

Keep important items with you

This one is very important. If you have any possessions you cannot live without, or would just be impossible to replace, keep them in your carry on bags. You have no control over who may be looking through your bags once they go through security. It is an unfortunate truth that things like cash, gadgets, and jewellery have been known to disappear out of suitcases. 

Medical expenses when travelling

Without insurance, medical expenses can be significant especially if you’re in another country. Travel insurance can cover expenses including illness and injury. This means that you can relax knowing that you are covered if something were to go wrong. 

Unfortunately, if a medical condition is pre-existing it will likely not be covered.

Emergency Evacuation 

Being covered for emergency evacuation means that your travel insurance policy will cover you if you need to evacuate your holiday destination. In case of a natural disaster or any other tragedy that may fall on your location while you are on holiday. You must be covered for any uncertainty.

Travel Delay

If there is an unforeseen circumstance out of your control then insurance will cover your missed flight or connection, and if your flight is delayed they will cover that too. Circumstances may include but are not limited to, extreme weather conditions, accidents and strikes. This happened a lot at the beginning of the pandemic, that’s why you need an insurance broker when travelling after covid.

Accidental Death 

Travel insurance covers if you die in an accident or after an accident occurs.

An insurance broker can help you

You need an insurance broker when travelling. Now more than ever you need to protect yourself while travelling. Flights are being cancelled, countries shut down abruptly and flight bans put into place. You never know if you will be able to travel when the time comes.  If you want to learn more about the travel insurance which we can arrange for you, as your insurance broker, don’t hesitate to ask!

In addition to Travel Insurance, our experienced team of insurance brokers can arrange cover for you across the following products for you or your business.

We have Home insurance, Car insurance, Gadget insurance, Marine insurance, Personal accident insurance, Self-build insurance, Commercial legal expenses, Commercial liability insurance, Commercial motor insurance, Commercial property insurance, Contractors all risk insurance, Credit insurance, Cyber insurance, Directors and officers insurance, Engineering insurance, Farm insurance, Group personal accident insurance, Marine cargo/ goods in transit insurance, Motor fleet insurance, Motor traders insurance, Office insurance, Professional indemnity insurance, Shop and retail insurance and Special types vehicles insurance.