How to get the right travel insurance and save money

You are ready for your dream holiday, but there is that one practicality left - insurance.

While there is no doubt that travel insurance is necessary, and not something with which you should do without,finding a policy which is not only cheap, but also offers the correct levels of protection for theactivities on your vacation can be both daunting and boring.

With countless pages of policy small print and get-out clauses for the insurer, it can seem almost impossibleto find what you want for a good price.

The majority of insurance policies do have reasonably comprehensive cover, and can often be purchasedincluding dangerous sports such as skiing. However, the complications arise when it comes to deductibles and health situations, such as pre-existing problems.

For example, what happens if you do need to go to hospital in a foriegn country? Will the insurance company pick up the bill, or will you have to claim and pay at the time. This will not be suitable for a lot of travellers on a lower budget, but is the way that most policies work. There are many gaps and get-outs intravel insurance policies, and you will need to spot them in advance, should a problem arise.

Most policies cover trip cancellation, robbery, lost baggage, medical, dental and accidental death coverage, butyou may also find emergency evacuation, insurance against delays, lost documentation and 24 hour travel assistance.

The key to finding the best deal is to shop around yourself - Don't simply buy your travel insurance fromyour travel agent. Here are a few reasons why:

• The coverage will not be as good.
• The policy will be less flexible.
• It may duplicate areas that you are already insured for.

It may seem like a better deal at the time to buy your insurance from your travel agent, but remember that theyare not specialised in this area, and will only be offering an out-of-the-box policy from some partner insurancecompany, which they will make money off.

As with most things, you are better off doing your research, and arranging it yourself.

When buying your policy from an insurance company:

• Get quotes from as many companies as you can.
• Read the small print. Does it cover your intended activities?
• Can you waive the pre existing condition exclusion.
• Find out what types of cancellation the insurer will not pay out for. Again, it comes to carefully readingthe policy details (I know it's boring, but it is necessary)
• Finally, if there is anything you need to know - Ask! There is no point in having the policy if you end up unable to claim.

Wishing you a fantastic trip, and an unused travel insurance policy!