Travel Insurance. To buy or not to buy?

I am not sure if this is the correct forum to raise this thread but no doubt someone will say if it's not.
Because of my age (72) I practically have to take out a mortgage to pay for travel insurance. I have always had travel insurance but it adds considerably to the total cost of the holiday. ie almost a third of the cost of my last years tour of the continent. One of my riding mates refuses to take out travel insurance whilst riding in the EU countries saying that his European Health Insurance Card (the old E111) covers him health-wise whilst Carole Nash covers him bike wise I hope he's right as I am also with C-N and have the health card.
I intend touring Italy and Austria again this year and would like your opinions on the insurance issue. To buy or not to buy, that is the question.

The E111 no longer exists, its been replaced by the EHIC, see: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandgui...lers/index.htm

But if you confirm with your insurers that the bike is covered abroad (policies differ, it wont necessarily be insured overseas) then yes, i reckon the bog standard E111 equivalent should be fine for Euro land. Additional cover is only really a bonus if you are travelling to countries such as the US where a spell in A&E can be £big and you are required to pay it straight away.

[Lissa]

Pete and I took out holiday insurance this year with Insure and Go.

£26.18 for the two of us for 10 days, then an extra £29.40 to cover us for biking.

£55.58 for the two of us for total peace of mind didn't seem too bad, and while all EU members ARE covered for medical treatment, in some countries you have to pay up front and then claim the money back, and I believe you are not covered for being returned to the UK if you are too injured to travel yourself.

I've also noticed off the peg travel insurance packs in Tescos for not a lot of cash mebbe worth shelling out a few quid on one of those to be on the safe side.

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by Durbs

I've also noticed off the peg travel insurance packs in Tescos for not a lot of cash mebbe worth shelling out a few quid on one of those to be on the safe side.

The problem with those is, you are not covered for riding a bike. Most holiday insurance doesn't cover you for anything bigger than 50cc's

Actually, nope, scrap the Tesco's idea, just seen Lissa's post and noticed she had to pay extra as she was biking so i'm betting that these off-the-peg things have an exclusion clause for stuff like biking, rock climbing, shark diving and other activities that result in certain doom.

[embee]

I've been using the Post Office for a few years now, and every renewal I double check that I'm covered on the bike. It has the usual exclusions of racing etc, but you're OK on your own bike (no size restriction) for touring.

I can't recall what the age limits are, go to their on-line site here and you can download the actual policy document to check all the small print, as you can on most (all?) insurance sites.

Alternatively if age is the issue, check with Saga (or even Age Concern/Help the Aged I think do some good policies)

I spent some time in Austria and due to food poisoning did need to use their Health Service. I got a bill for the ambulance (£18 which I was more than happy to pay), but the rest of the treatment was covered by the E111 as it was then (EHIC now). If I'd eaten my dinner off the floor in the hospital I wouldn't have got the food poisoning, absolutely spotless and efficient.

My cousin broke his leg in France, and with only the E111 he was expecting a big bill for the "board and lodgings" part of the 7 day stay in hospital while the leg was fixed. He did indeed get a bill, about £50.

One of the things to bear in mind is the question of third party or public liability if you cause accidental damage or injury to someone else not as part of the bike usage. Really is a good idea to have cover if at all possible.

You want to save yerself a few bob mate and get a nice holiday booked with SAGA instead!

have only ever used the E111 and now the new card for personal insurance within the EU

bike insurance will re-patriate me but not the bike when not in the UK although it will get me home and back to collect at their expense

house contents insurance covers personal items and some money if anything lost or mislaid

Check your Credit Card provider as well as they may have an option. I have one that has 'free' travel insurance (part of their annual fee). Mine is with Natwest and it covers riders that have held a bike license for more than 3 years.