Before you
go on holiday |
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Ensure passports,
visa and travel documents are in order. |
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Have you had the vaccinations/innoculations
required? |
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Cancel all deliveries of
newspapers and milk etc. |
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Arrange for a neighbour
to keep an eye on your house while you are
away. |
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Try to avoid taking expensive
jewellery with you and other valuables. |
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Allow sufficient time to
reach the airport or departure point. Make
additional allowances for the unexpected. |
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Remember to ensure that
your home contents and house policies are
up to date. |
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If you are leaving during
the winter months, it is recommended that
you leave your heating on low 24 hours a day,
and ensure that your loft pipes and tank are
adequately insulated so as to prevent returning
to a burst pipe and flooded home. |
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Ask a friend to perhaps
call in occasionally so that if an emergency
occurs, it can be detected and the damage
can be kept to a minimum. |
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Form E111 |
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 E111's
allow you to get free, or reduced cost, emergency
medical treatment in some European countries,
provided they have signed a reciprocal agreement
with the UK for health services. They are
not a replacement for travel insurance for
travellers to Europe. Few countries pay the
full cost of medical treatment, and extra
travel and accommodation expenses and repatriation
costs are not covered by the reciprocal healthcare
arrangements. Nevertheless, carrying an E111
form is a good idea – for example, some
insurers may waive medical excess if you use
it.
If you are travelling to Europe,
you should pick up an E111 from your Post
Office. If used, it will mean any medical
claim excess on your insurance will be waived.
As a citizen of the European Union, it entitles
you to benefit from the reciprocal health
agreement between EU Countries. You may
also wish to take a look at the Government's
web page - Health
Advice for Travellers where this form
is covered in more detail. You may obtain
a free copy of form E111 by calling Freephone
0800 555 777. It can be validated at no
cost at any Post Office with your passport.
If you have an E111, now is the time to
change it, as a new form has been introduced
to replace the old one. The main difference
is that the new form is issued on an individual,
as opposed to a family, basis. However you
will only need to complete one application
form in order to receive E111's for everyone
in your family. During the course of 2005,
the UK will be adopting the European Health
Insurance Card (EHIC). This will be automatically
issued to those who apply for the new E111
form and tick the box to receive the new
card. |
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On Holiday |
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Don't risk over
exposure to the sun, especially for children
and babies who should have sun hats. Ensure
that you have plenty of sun-block cream with
the appropriate Factor. The sun is at its
strongest between 11am and 3pm. |
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Be careful with unfamiliar
food and drink. |
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Check that local water
is safe to drink. If in doubt, always buy
bottled water.
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Observe warning signs and
local laws, particularly in the Middle East
and Asia. |
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Don't leave your luggage
or valuables unattended at any time, especially
at airports and hotels. |
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Don't carry more money
around with you, particularly cash, than you
have to. |
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Avoid keeping your passports,
cheque books and credit cards together unless
in a hotel safe. |
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Think before you dive.
Check the depth of the swimming pools and
sea, and only dive if you are sure the water
is deep enough. |
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If something Goes Wrong |
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Keep your travel insurance
documents to hand with the emergency numbers. |
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Always retain all receipts
for medical expenses |
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Report losses/theft to
the Police immediately and obtain a copy of
the report. |
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Losses not discovered until
return MUST be reported to the Airline within
7 days. |
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If your flight is delayed,
you must obtain written confirmation from
the carrier giving the reason for the delay
and duration. This will enable you to claim
for delayed departure benefit. |
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Hazardous Pursuits |
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If you are going
to engage in any activities which may be hazardous,
ensure that your travel insurance will cover
you. Most activities are insurable and it
is better to be safe than sorry, as it will
be too late to sort out the problem if you
have broken your neck whilst skiing or in
some remote parts of the world without the
correct insurance cover.
Your dream vacation will turn into a nightmare.
Hundreds of uninsured people finally return
home after being held in a foreign country
until the medical bills are paid, often running
into thousands of pounds |
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Country-Specific Information |
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Check the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office web site for country-specific
warnings and information. If you travel against
advice from the FCO, you may find that your
insurance cover is invalid.
There are many other aspects of advice for
the foreign traveller on this comprehensive
site. |
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Laptop Computer Cover |
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If you are one who travels
with your laptop computer, you may wish to
consider a policy on this equipment. Travel
insurance policies are likely to have limits
for single items which are below the value
of this type of equipment so a specialised
policy is the answer. Currently we have a
policy to offer you which is a 12 month policy
which is not confined to cover whilst in trips |
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Car Hire |
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If you intend to get around
and see the sights at your holiday destination,
you will invariably find that hiring a car
will save you and your party a great deal
of money compared to organised excursions
from your tour operator. We have teamed up
with Auto Europe to bring you Car Hire deals
in Europe, the USA and in many worldwide countries.
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