Worldwide travel insurance policy

A worldwide travel insurance policy takes into account the higher cost of medical treatment you’ll encounter beyond Europe. In some parts of the world, people have private health insurance to cover their care so, as a visitor without this, you’ll need your travel insurance to help fill the gap.  

In Europe, there are agreements in place to keep treatment costs to a minimum for visitors from other EU countries. This doesn't mean you don't need medical insurance though – you do need it. This is because even though the costs are reduced in the EU for EU citizens, they're still expensive to pay for.

The EU agreement for medical costs is not in place with countries outside the EU.Outside the EU, most people have private health insurance to help with medical costs. But as visitors, we don't. So a broken bone can end up costing you an arm and a leg, if you don't have the right cover.

Most travel insurance providers offer UK, European or worldwide policies.

• UK travel insurance is for people who are travelling within the UK, and still want the protection of travel cover.

• European cover is for people travelling within Europe, though some European policies stretch the boundaries to include Egypt, Morocco, Israel and Turkey. It's generally (but not always) cheaper than worldwide cover.

• As the name suggests, worldwide travel cover provides travel insurance cover for the rest of the world. Always make sure your destinations are included in your policy, as definitions of worldwide cover can vary by provider.
• your baggage gets lost or stolen
• your flight is delayed
• you need to cancel your trip at the last minute.
Main benefits of worldwide travel insurance cover

Worldwide travel insurance is well worth having. It could be a lifesaver if: 

• you have an accident and need medical treatment
• your baggage gets lost or stolen
• your flight is delayed
• you need to cancel your trip at the last minute.

There are many advantages to worldwide holiday insurance, including:

Medical cover – if you have an accident or fall ill while abroad, worldwide travel insurance will cover your hospital expenses and transport back to the UK, if needed. A policy with £2 million of medical cover, which should include repatriation, is a good level of cover.

Stolen,Lost or Damaged luggage - as a guide, your policy should pay out at least £1,500 if your luggage or personal possessions are lost or stolen. Bear in mind most travel insurance providers put a limit per item on the claim for valuable items, such as cameras and laptops. You might want to think about separate gadget cover if you carry a lot of expensive items.

Flight Delays - he airline is always the first port of call for compensation in the case of a delayed or cancelled flight. Policies will vary greatly around flight delays so check your policy carefully, especially if you have connecting flights or travel arrangements. If your airline doesn't compensate or cover you, then your policy should pay out if your flight is delayed for more than 12 hours. If this happens, get the airline to confirm the delay in writing and keep receipts of anything you've had to buy due to the delay.

Cancellations and curtailment - if your annual worldwide travel insurance policy includes cancellation cover, you'll be able to claim back money for your hotel and transport, if you have to cancel your holiday unexpectedly. Check individual policies for any exclusions.

Personal liability cover – every country has different laws, so accident, liability and legal cover could come in handy. Check individual policies to see if you're covered for these.

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