Buying travel insurance for trips to Ireland is one of these things… a waste of money, until you need it. And most of the time you won’t need it, so next time you’re traveling and wondering if you should really spend money on that, again, take a look at whether you need additional insurance to plan an Irish vacation.
Naked needs are covered
First things first: Ireland is not one of those places where an ambulance rolls up and paramedics inform you that they take Visa, Mastercard, American Express first and then take you to the hospital second. If you get sick or have an accident, you will receive medical attention. This may not be free, but the haggling will start only after your heart has started beating again and the bleeding has stopped.
The same is true for special services, such as sea or mountain rescue, it also applies to both the Republic and Northern Ireland.
In a less threatening situation, such as having forgotten your medication and needing a new prescription, you will face an upfront charge, but this is manageable, a visit to a GP (family doctor) will delay you between fifty and sixty Euros and you will have to pay for medications as well. Considering that many travel insurances have an excess of, say, $ 100 to $ 200, you are not in the red just yet.
If your flight is delayed or canceled, EU law will help you get at least some compensation and a snack.
For everything else, there is travel insurance
Looking at the benefits section of really comprehensive travel insurance is puzzling – you’re covered for the basics and for the most exotic things you can imagine (but wouldn’t). Some travel insurance covers kidnapping and kidnapping. Which sounds great until you find out that the sum to pay is € 10 per day up to a maximum of € 300.
The benefits to consider are:
- Trip Cancellation : It must be covered by the total price of the trip at least and the coverage must include all cancellations (except fantasy, of course).
- Travel reduction : Check that you are covered for additional costs if you have to shorten your vacation for serious reasons.
- Baggage : It is always good to have your luggage covered, although claiming can be more complicated than you think (due to lack of receipts, etc.).
- Medical costs : a few million should do the job here, better safe than sorry later.
- Rescue – Check that you are covered for any rescue missions that need to be started on your behalf, they can be very expensive.
- Recovery – Check that recovery of human remains is covered as well, as the most severe reduction in your trip may be due to…
- Death – Death benefits may not be helpful to you, but they can help your loved ones cope with tragedy in many ways, financially at least.
- Repatriation : one of the most important aspects of travel insurance: what happens after you have survived the critical phase? An air ambulance flight home is expensive, it must be covered. Repatriation of human remains must also be covered.
Then there are the optional additions you might want to skip, like valuables (if you don’t take any, you don’t need to secure any), hospital upgrades, or the scandalous kidnapping benefit mentioned above. However, if you are looking for a high medical benefit, they will often be considered free.
Excessive Excess
Insurance becomes cheaper if you agree to pay part of the bill. Irish insurers, for example, offer a substantial discount if you have private health insurance covering you abroad. Knowing that in all probability they will not have to pay a penny, even in more serious cases.
And all insurers generally offer an excess – that’s the amount you have to pay before insurance payments go into effect. Effectively keeping minor claims at bay. Choose the excess you can pay without breaking the bank and smile when your insurance bill drops.
On the other hand, don’t try too hard to lower your excess insurance bill. If you accept an excess that you cannot pay, it is best not to take out any insurance. And keep your fingers crossed in both situations.
For a basic calculation: if your excess is the equivalent of € 200, a trip to A&E for a sprain or similar, plus the prescription painkillers you need, will be the excess.
Shopping around
Okay, there are billions of insurance deals on the web and dozens more in your neighborhood. Some offer coverage as low as a few cents a day. Which sounds good. But you will have to compare prices and benefits to make sure you get the best deal. Note that so-called price comparison websites can help, but sometimes they also confuse the problem (by not including all offers or by comparing apples to pears).
Always look at the bottom line and ask your home or auto insurance company about specials as well. Many will offer additional discount percentages for existing customers.
Oh, and avoid any last minute deals at the airport or so. Also, don’t let your travel agent pressure you into buying your internal insurance package (for which you act as an agent and receive a tip).
Finally, do you really need travel insurance?
Simply put, not if you don’t need it. Unfortunately, you will only find out that you need it when it is too late to get it. So ask yourself: Do you tend to worry about such things?
If you do, put your mind at ease by purchasing decent travel insurance, and write down the costs as travel expenses you can’t avoid (like airport taxes or the like).
If you don’t… why are you reading this?
