How do you make a travel insurance claim? What to do in a medical emergency abroad - pre-holiday tips

With another summer of strikes and extreme weather seemingly on the way, making sure you have the correct travel insurance looks set to be vital.

We have already seen industrial action hit flights in Italy this spring, while severe floods in the European country have also caught tourists out. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has issued weather-related advice to holidaymakers heading for Spain, warning that intense heat in the country could lead to forest fires.

Here in the UK, a strike by workers at the Passport Office has disrupted people’s ability to renew their travel documents, while ongoing rail strikes are also disrupting people’s ability to get to their destinations on time. NationalWorld has provided some top tips on what your rights are if your travel plans are thrown off course by delays or cancellations.

But while it’s all well and good having your consumer rights knowledge at the ready and a travel insurance policy in place when you head out on your travels, it’s another thing entirely to put them into practice.

So, if you find yourself needing to claim back on your travel insurance, what’s the best way to go about it? Here’s a quick guide.

What should you do with your travel insurance before your holiday?

In order to make sure you’re ready in case you need to make a travel insurance claim, there are four things you should do in advance of your holiday, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). Here’s what it recommends:

• Note your policy details

Before you travel, take a note of the key details of your travel insurance policy, including your policy number and the international phone number of your provider. That way, if you find yourself in a sticky situation, you can quickly access the information you need to get help.

You should also leave your policy details with your family or friends at home. That way, they can contact your provider if you fall into any difficulties but can’t make contact with them yourself. Make sure they know your basic information, including your birth date, address and policy number.

• Tell the people you’re holidaying with about your policy

Say you are taken ill in such a way that you’re unable to contact your insurer off your own bat, you may need your travel companions to step in to help out. So, it’s worth letting your friends, relatives or fellow tourists know how to get in touch with your policy provider - or, at the very least, the name of the provider and where you’ve stored the details on how to get in touch with them.

• Keep the health section on your smartphone up-to-date

Whether you are an Apple or an Android user, keeping details of any health conditions you have - as well as your travel insurance policy - updated on your phone could enable a fellow traveller or even a doctor to let your insurer know that you’ll be needing to make a claim.

• Get a GHIC

The Global Health Insurance Card replaced the European equivalent (EHIC) after Brexit. These cards are free and allow you to access state-provided medical care in Europe (making the ‘Global’ part of their name a misnomer) - although you will still need to pay for the care you receive (travel insurance will cover this).

By ensuring you have one, you will be able to receive any care you need without delay. So, it’s worth getting hold of one before you travel. To register for one, you should visit the NHS website.

How can you claim on travel insurance?

Say you get injured or your luggage is stolen while you are on holiday, it’s highly likely you will be going through some serious stress and will not be thinking straight. But, if you’re able to, it is vital you call your insurer as soon as possible after the incident (and as soon as it is safe to do so).

They can advise you on how to access healthcare and may be able to suggest hospitals or medical centres you can go to. Should you be incapacitated by your injuries, your friends, family, travel companions, or even the doctor who’s treating you will be able to contact your insurer (hence why it is key to share your insurance policy details or make them easily discoverable). The provider should then cover all of your reasonable costs - although you may have to pay whatever premium you selected when you bought your policy.

If you’ve been a victim of theft or some other crime, your insurer will also be able to handle the local authorities - something which could be handy if local police seem uninterested in your case. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the trade body for UK insurers, the emergency contact number supplied by your provider should be open for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Clearly, health problems can strike anywhere and strikes are taking place in the UK too. It means you may need to call your insurer before you’ve even jetted off, whether you’re having to cancel for medical or personal reasons or if cancellations have been forced upon you by industrial action. In these cases, you should still call your insurer on the number they have provided.