A variation on the age-old question. We are planning 3 trips this year and I am wondering whether it is more cost-effective to go for single trip insurance each time or an annual insurance policy? Also, is one less hassle than the other?
I did look at an annual one a few weeks ago, but rather lost the will to live just trying to get a quote! The thought of having to go through the same process a number of times fills me with horror.
We are both over 70 and OH has a number of mainly age-related conditions. We don't want to change our bank accounts.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
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I know what you mean about trying to get quotes and the umpteen questions you're asked in the process. We are members of the CAMC and got their annual insurance; they don't ask the millions of questions, about 5 very basic ones, such as whether a doctor has advised you not to travel, are you awaiting an operation/procedure etc. One of us is over 70, the other over 65, we paid £235 last August for both of us. Had a look for a friend last week, it had gone up to £263, but IMHO still good value. I'm sure it'd be cheaper and also less hassle to get annual insurance rather than single trips each time. We also have 3 trips during the insurance period, 2 with the caravan and the other was a week in Cyprus in November, so it covered us for that too.
I'm sure you can also get a quote as non-members, but I didn't go into that, so possibly worth a look?
Edited to say there are various levels of cover for maximum number of days away from home, 31 days, 45 days and I think around 60 days (not sure on that one). We've got the 31 days insurance.
Agree with Ina - CAMC ask far fewer questions than others. If you are a member give them a call, if not I'd call anyway and ask for a quote then you can with up whether it's worth joining. We have an annual policy as we always go over at least twice a year. Levels of cover are good but do be careful in your choice of what you choose eg length os stay is calculated from the day you leave home ( if I remember correctly) we have the 45 day version.
Quote: Originally posted by jaiash on 06/1/2023
Agree with Ina - CAMC ask far fewer questions than others. If you are a member give them a call, if not I'd call anyway and ask for a quote then you can with up whether it's worth joining. We have an annual policy as we always go over at least twice a year. Levels of cover are good but do be careful in your choice of what you choose eg length os stay is calculated from the day you leave home ( if I remember correctly) we have the 45 day version.
Fully agree with the above. We (ages 71 and 67) have the 45 day version annual policy for our 2 trips a year and when I checked last year it was cheaper to do it annually than 2 separate policies.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Like many others we have a Nationwide Flex Plus Account, just for the benefits. You don’t need to change your bank account, there is no need for paying in a set amount each month or Direct Debits etc.
Just make sure you have enough in the account to pay the £13 p month fee.
We get UK and European breakdown cover for out two cars plus caravan.
World wide Travel insurance and mobile phone insurance.
I am 74 my wife 70, we both have pre existing medical conditions, which means we pay a £200 supplement.
This year, my wife’s 70th, my 75th, our Pearl Wedding and 5 years Cancer free for me, so we will be celebrating with some holidays.
I think NW is good value.
Quote: Originally posted by jsparkes201148 on 07/1/2023
Like many others we have a Nationwide Flex Plus Account, just for the benefits. You don’t need to change your bank account, there is no need for paying in a set amount each month or Direct Debits etc.
Just make sure you have enough in the account to pay the £13 p month fee.
We get UK and European breakdown cover for out two cars plus caravan.
World wide Travel insurance and mobile phone insurance.
I am 74 my wife 70, we both have pre existing medical conditions, which means we pay a £200 supplement.
This year, my wife’s 70th, my 75th, our Pearl Wedding and 5 years Cancer free for me, so we will be celebrating with some holidays.
I think NW is good value.
We had NW insurance for years. Even with the additional premiums for existing conditions and extended stays, it was extremely good value.
Unfortunately when we had both turned 8o, we were regarded as pariahs.
For really old and ailing wrinklies, the Eurotunnel insurance is by far the cheapest.
Thank you all. We are currently CAMC members, although we may not renew after this year as we are planning to sell our UK caravan. I will look at their cover. At the moment we would only need the 31 days.
I hadn't realised that I wouldn't need to change a bank account, but I have just realised that OH has a Nationwide Flex Account, so I shall get him to see if he can upgrade it to a Flex Plus.
Really helpful information. Thank you.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I just took out a multi-trip world-wide travel insurance including USA, Canada and the Caribbeans with Coverwise which includes Covid cover.
I used them before and liked it.
4 years ago I had their "Silver" package to include Travel Disruption and it was just under 60 GBP for a multi-trip world-wide travel insurance, again, including USA, Canada and Caribbeans, before I was diagnosed as being a Type 2 Diabetic back in 2018.
Current "Silver" package to include Covid cover (all their insurances include Covid cover), Travel Disruption has gone up to just under 150 GBP!!!
My new package is called "Platinum Plus" and it includes Travel Disruption and medical cover as disclosed and I had to complete a medical questionnaire.
Although I have a Nationwide Flex account, I did not want to upgrade to Flex Plus account and pay the additional charges, as I had already taken out a separate motor insurance with Safeguard for my van in 2021 that included UK and European breakdown cover.
So now, I have a world-wide travel insurance for all travels, and a separate van motor insurance with UK and EU breakdown cover.
Rightly or wrongly, that's what I have done.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 07/1/2023
It may be that you are younger than many of us here, dk.... Once the years and medical issues pile on, so does the insurance cost.
Not so young anymore, and now I have a pre-existing condition, hey ho!
It has its advantages in that I was called to have my fourth Covid vaccine back in October 2022 ahead of people I know in my age group without any health issues.
Motor insurance goes down while health/travel insurance goes up with age, hey ho!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
My motor insurance hasn't gone down!
I got a quote on the 22nd of Dec from Saga for a motorhome I was thinking of buying, the quote was £636, on the 27th of Dec I got an email saying retrieve your Quote which I did it had risen to £740! I assume it was because my birthday was on the 24th Dec so I was a year older!
saxo1
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We had four trips in 2022, and took out single trip insurance for each. Surprisingly three were with the travel operator we used. One with Eurotunnel for a two and a bit week trip (endorsed above by Stuart Thomas), and two with Ryanair for stays of just over a week. The fourth, longer trip, of eighty nine days, was with STaysure. Once you've used a 'Comparison' site, you can opt to retain your details for subsequent quotes, just changing dates/length of stay/etc, but retaining your personal details and health issues.
This worked very well for us, and the shorter trips were very quick to complete an application, competetively priced, with the only health requirement being 'You don't have a terminal illness and aren't travelling against advice from your GP'. It's definitely worth trying a quote from your ferry company, or airline.
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 07/1/2023
I just took out a multi-trip world-wide travel insurance including USA, Canada and the Caribbeans with Coverwise which includes Covid cover.
I used them before and liked it.
4 years ago I had their "Silver" package to include Travel Disruption and it was just under 60 GBP for a multi-trip world-wide travel insurance, again, including USA, Canada and Caribbeans, before I was diagnosed as being a Type 2 Diabetic back in 2018.
Current "Silver" package to include Covid cover (all their insurances include Covid cover), Travel Disruption has gone up to just under 150 GBP!!!
My new package is called "Platinum Plus" and it includes Travel Disruption and medical cover as disclosed and I had to complete a medical questionnaire.
Although I have a Nationwide Flex account, I did not want to upgrade to Flex Plus account and pay the additional charges, as I had already taken out a separate motor insurance with Safeguard for my van in 2021 that included UK and European breakdown cover.
So now, I have a world-wide travel insurance for all travels, and a separate van motor insurance with UK and EU breakdown cover.
Rightly or wrongly, that's what I have done.
DK
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Is there any restriction on the length of each trip, or the number of trips taken? I found that was the major problem after the age of 70, with many insurers offering a maximum stay of 35 days.
Is there any restriction on the length of each trip, or the number of trips taken? I found that was the major problem after the age of 70, with many insurers offering a maximum stay of 35 days.
Found this in my policy document or whatever, which is fine for me personally:
For annual multi trip policies, the maximum duration of any individual trip is 31 days, or 17 days, for a Winter Sports trip when the Winter
Sports premium has been paid.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Is there any restriction on the length of each trip, or the number of trips taken? I found that was the major problem after the age of 70, with many insurers offering a maximum stay of 35 days.
Found this in my policy document or whatever, which is fine for me personally:
For annual multi trip policies, the maximum duration of any individual trip is 31 days, or 17 days, for a Winter Sports trip when the Winter
Sports premium has been paid.
DK
Thank you. Unfortunately no good for us, as we often go for three months in one, and then shorter trips to maximise our time in France.
Nationwide flex plus mentions a travel extension cover for stays longer than 31 days. Does anyone know roughly how much this costs for a stay of 40 or 60 days?
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Topic: Travel insurance - annual vs single trip
via mobile 06/1/2023 at 9:33am
