Consumers are urged to take the time to consider their travel insurance needs well before they depart on holiday this summer.
The advice comes as the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman releases details of complaints received concerning travel insurance .
The advice is that consumers need to consider whether their policy will suit their needs and how certain claims were dealt with by insurers. Some of the complaints received in the FSPO highlight that the consumer believed they had cover under their travel insurance policy for certain events or circumstances, only to discover that they did not, and their claim was refused.
The FSPO advises that with travel insurance policies, it is very important to be aware that cancellations arising from medical conditions that existed before the policy was taken out, may not be covered. In addition, some people may not be aware of the potential impact of medical investigations, or even blood tests, that are not disclosed at the time the policy is purchased. The FSPO has published details of 20 sample cases on it’s website at www.fspo.ie covering issues such as missing flights, cancelled flights and items stolen from an overhead locker during a flight
