Buying travel insurance? Check the small print

Motley fool report that "customers - particularly those of a thrill-seeking disposition - need to scan the small print with a gimlet eye before signing a travel insurance policy, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said today."

Most exclude high-risk sports so "If you're planning to go white-water rafting down the Colorado River or something, your bog-standard travel policy won't cover you."

I wonder if banana boats, parascending, water skiing etc are also not covered?

The article also warned that travel insurance is also essential for short breaks:

"I'd say it's very important, even for a couple of days. It doesn't take more than a couple of minutes for you to lose your bags."

Recent trouble with lost baggage at Heathrow airport has highlighted the issue of travel insurance...There has been a 22 per cent increase in lost baggage across Europe, according to figures from the Association of European Airlines."

A short break is just as likely to fall foul of flight delays but agaain read the small print, you are usually only covered if the delay has been for a specified minimum number of hours, eight hours or more may be the minimum!

Association of British Insurers (ABI)Spokesperson Malcolm Tarling continued: "Most bog-standard policies will cover cancellation but the cause of the cancellation will be specified in the policy; typically your illness, or an illness of someone travelling with you, or a close family member." NB They will probably ask for proof and pre-existing conditions are unlikly to be covered.

Totaltravel in the news

Internet travel news reports that "TOTALTRAVEL.COM.AU has been voted the best travel website in Australia for the second year in a row by Australian NetGuide magazine.

Australian NetGuide awarded TotalTravel.com.au the best the Best Travel/Tourism Site award in its annual NetGuide Australian Web Awards for 2006.
The results appear in the April edition of Australian NetGuide magazine.

Other category award winners include Google (Best Search Site), Seek (Best Classifieds Site) and ABC News Online (Best Media Site)."