Why so cheap?

A commonly asked question when people compare our prices to high street names and travel agents is "Why are your prices so cheap?"

Well, it's not because our levels of cover are any less, in fact they are often higher. We can keep our prices low because we don't have any massive overheads and we specialise on offering good value for money, no-nonsense insurance.

Here are some more commonly asked questions about our travel insurance policies.

Who are you?
Applying On-line
Choosing Policies
Travelling last minute
Levels of Cover
Extending Cover
What are Valuables defined as?
Payment & Refunds
Working Abroad
Claims
Accidents & Illness
Medical Conditions
Making a Complaint
Contacting Us

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Who are you?

Q. Who is Travel Insurance Direct?
A. Travel Insurance Direct is the trading name of Travel Insurance Agencies Limited. We are an independent travel insurance intermediary, who act as issuing agents for The Underwriters. Travel Insurance Agencies Limited are members of the British Insurance Brokers Association and are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Q. Who are the Underwriters?
A. The underwriters (the company who insures you) are UK Underwriting Limited, on behalf of Primary Insurance Company Limited, an EU regulated insurance company established in Ireland and licensed by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. Registered in The Republic of Ireland, registration number E0340407, Registered Office First Floor, Fitzwilton House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Indemnity Insurance Limited. Registered in England with Company House, registration number 02445040, Registered Office Churchill Court, Westmoreland, Bromley, Kent, BR1 1DP.
Travel Insurance Agencies Ltd, Crispin Speers & Partners Limited, UK Underwriting Limited and Indemnity Insurance Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

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Applying On-line

Q. Is it safe to apply on-line?
A. When you make an application through our web site, your details are encrypted using industry standard technologies designed to make transmitting data secure.

If you have difficulty using the form, have any questions, or you prefer not to use our on-line application form, you may still make your application by phone on 0845 450 0610 - which is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Q. What happens to my personal information when you receive it?
A. Once we have received and processed your application, usually the same day, your credit card details are deleted from our records thereby adding to the security. We will never pass on any of your personal information to third parties and abide by the Data Protection Act 1998.

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Cover

Q. I am travelling on a one-way ticket, visiting several countries on the way. Are you able to cover me?
A. We are able to issue cover for you, but the period of the insurance shall terminate on expiry of the policy period, or no later than 24 hours after you leave immigration control of your final destination.

Q. Can I take part in any sporting or hazardous activities whilst abroad and still be covered?
A. Yes, there is a range of activities covered by our policies, mainly when participated in on an incidental basis. These include trekking, scuba diving and white water rafting. Please see the individual policy pages for details of these activities.

Q. What does "an incidental basis" mean?
A. An incidental basis basically means a casual basis. We will not be able to cover for most activities when they are as a part of a specific activity holiday. For instance, if you were going on a week long scuba diving holiday we would not be able to cover you for that activity, though if you were on a family holiday and decided to go scuba diving 2 or 3 times in that week then you would be covered.

Stopover

Q. I have a connecting flight / stop over outside my area of travel, am I covered?
(For example, I am travelling to Australia for 6 months via USA, and wish to spend a few days in Los Angeles on the way out.)
A. Yes, as long as you don't stay outside your area of travel for more than 25% of the total length of your trip to a maximum of 60 days.

Q. One of my family is ill and I may have to cancel our holiday. Will I be covered?
A. You are required to declare all medical conditions of yourself, those on the insurance policy and those people whose condition may give rise to a claim. (such as a sick parent).

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Policies

Q. Which policy would best suit me?
A. There are two main types of travel policies;
a. Single Trip
b. Multi-Trip.
If you travel abroad more than twice a year, you may find our Annual MultiTrip policy more cost-effective. It offers you unlimited trips per year with options for 24, 31, 45, or 60 days per trip for one annual premium. You travel as and when you please - you don't need to let us know each time you travel. Winter sports enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that 24 days cover for skiing or snowboarding can be included in the price.

Q. How do I know which duration of cover is right for me?
A. When calculating the duration of cover that you need you must include the day that you depart and the day you return. We can only cover people who are departing from the UK or Eire and returning to their country of departure. In most cases however, we can normally extend policies for people who decide to stay abroad for longer than they originally intended. (See Extending Your Policy)

We suggest that if you are uncertain about the length of time you are going to be away, book less rather than more as we are unable to refund any unused portions of your insurance and extensions are available while you are abroad.

Q. I am a UK / Eire resident and I am already abroad. Am I able to book insurance?
A. Unfortunately, no. We are only able to offer travel cover for persons who are in the UK or Eire at the time of booking.

Q. I am not a UK national, but I have been living in the UK / Republic of Ireland for a short period. Am I able to apply for the insurance?
A. We can insure people who have had a UK / Republic of Ireland address for 6 months or more immediately prior to taking out insurance and agree to be repatriated to the UK / Eire in the event of an emergency.

Also see Cover.

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Last Minute Travel

Q. I have left the travel insurance until the last minute. Can you cover me?
A. No problem. Many of our customers arrange cover from the departure lounge of the airport. It takes just 2 minutes to arrange on the phone, and you are covered subject to clearance of payment.

Q. I don't have enough time to receive my insurance documents.
A. The easiest way for you to receive sufficient information to travel with is to purchase your travel insurance on this web site. You will receive an electronic cover note by e-mail which will have all the emergency contact numbers and claims information. If you are booking by phone, we can arrange to send you the relevant policy information by fax or e-mail. You can obtain all the benefits of the insurance without the original copy. We need to issue you with a validation number and you also need the telephone number of the medical emergency service.

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Extending Your Policy

Q. If I decide to stay abroad for longer than I planned can I extend my policy?
A. Yes, a policy can usually be extended if you decide to stay beyond your original return date provided the policy has not elapsed. You will need to provide us with your existing policy details together with the date you plan to return. In most cases we can approve the extension straight away, but if you have made a previous claim on the existing insurance or there has been a change in your medical condition, then we would refer the application to the underwriters. In such cases, please allow at least 6 working days for a decision to be made.

Someone can extend a policy on your behalf if phoning from abroad is awkward for you. Please make sure that they have your Validation Certificate Number and know if there are any pre-existing medical conditions or if any claims have been made on your insurance.

To apply for an extension, please call +44 (0)1603 699129.

Q. I have allowed my policy to expire while abroad, am I still able to extend the policy?
A. Unfortunately, we are only able to extend a policy which is still valid. Neither can we start new policies for people who are already abroad.

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Payment & Refunds

Q. What are my payment options?
A. We accept all major credit and debit cards including Switch and Solo. We cannot accept Diners or Visa Electron cards.

We can accept payment for Cheques and Postal Orders for telephone applications only. Cheques or Postal Orders should be made payable to Travel Insurance Agencies Limited. If you are unable to pay in these ways please contact us. Please call and speak to one of our advisers for further details. Please note that payment must be received in full before any policy can be issued.

Q. I wish to pay by cheque, do I have enough time to receive the cover?
A. We process the cheque immediately, and issue cover on the same day the cheque is received.

Q. Can I get a refund on the difference if I return early?
A. No. Single Trip insurance becomes invalid as soon as you return to the UK / Eire ( Multi-Trip policies have slightly different conditions). We suggest that if you are uncertain about the length of time you will be away, to book less rather than more as on most cases you will be able to extend the policy.

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Working

Q. Can I work while I'm abroad?
A. Yes, but please be aware you will only be covered for casual or incidental manual work abroad which is at ground level and not involving machinery.

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Valuables

Q. What are considered to be valuables?
A. This depends on the policy thus:
Travel Bond, Ski, Annual Multi Trip Policies:
Photographic Equipment, video and audio equipment of any kind, telescopes and binoculars, spectacles and sunglasses, jewellery, watches, furs, silks, leather goods, animal skins, precious stones and articles made of or containing gold.
Discovery Policy (not Discovery Light):
Photographic & Video Equipment

Please note that there is no personal possessions cover on the Discovery Light policy.

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Claims

Q. Who do I contact when making a claim?
A. If You need to make a claim please obtain a claim form no later than 28 days after the event:

For all policy numbers :
* Phoning the TPS Claims Helpline on +44 (0) 8707 744 150 (Fax: +44 (0) 8707 744 045
* Alternatively, if you are abroad you may e-mail TPS here.
* Request a claim form and give your name and Certificate Number and brief details of your claim.

When returning a claim form please include all relevant documentation. Send the original documents - not photocopies (keep copies for your records). Send your Validation Certificate, the policy wording and your original holiday booking invoice.

Q. I am away for a year. If I need to make a claim, what is the procedure?
A. The same as above.

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Accidents & Illness

Q. If I have an accident or injury while skiing, will I be airlifted from the mountain?
A. Your policy covers you for transportation by whatever means deemed appropriate to take you to a medical facility as a result of a covered claim.

Q. Am I covered while skiing off-piste?
A. Off piste skiing is covered as standard. However you must not deliberately put yourself in danger by ignoring local safety warnings or skiing in areas designated as unsafe by resort management or other relevant authorities.

Q. What should I do if I fall sick or have an accident whilst I am abroad?
A. You should contact Inter Group Assistance Services, your emergency provider, in the event of:
a. Being admitted to hospital.
b. Death, being involved in an accident.
c. Incurring medical expenses in excess of £500
d. Curtailing your travels for any reason.

Inter Group Assistance Services:
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 740 470
Fax: +44 (0) 1252 740 110

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Medical Conditions

Q. I have a medical condition, I'm unsure whether I wish to disclose it.
A. If you are unsure about what constitutes a medical condition then you should declare it. Failure to do so may invalidate part or all of your policy.

Q. One of my family is ill and I may have to cancel our holiday. Will I be covered?
A. You are required to declare all medical conditions of yourself, those on the insurance policy and those people whose condition may give rise to a claim. (Such as a sick parent). We cannot cover for any existing medical conditions.

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Making a Complaint

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
It is the intention to give You the best possible service but if You do have any questions or concerns about this Insurance or the handling of a claim You should in the first instance contact the Managing Director of the Administrators. The contact details are:
Travel Insurance Direct, Rowan House, Seymour House, 30 - 34 Muspole Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1DJ, Tel: +44 (0)1603 464 123 Fax: +44 (0) 1603 464 124, E-mail: support@insurance.uk.com Please ensure Your Master Policy Number is quoted in all correspondence to assist a quick and efficient response.

In the event You remain dissatisfied and wish to make a complaint, You can do so by contacting the following: The Claims Manager, UK Underwriting Ltd, 2 Gibraltar House, Bowcliffe Road, Leeds, LS10 1RJ.
If it is impossible to reach an agreement, You have the right to make an appeal to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This also applies if You are insured in a business capacity but have a group annual turnover of less than £1 million, or are a charity with an annual income of less than £1 million, or are a trustee of a trust with a net asset value of less than £1 million. You may contact the Financial Ombudsman Service at: Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, Docklands, London E14 9SR, Tel; 0845 080 1800. This does not affect Your statutory rights.

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