It's essential to take
out a good travel
insurance policy. Bank
and credit cards (particularly
American Express) often
have certain levels of
medical or other
insurance included if
you use them to pay for
your trip. This can be
quite comprehensive,
anticipating anything
from lost or stolen
baggage to missed
connections. If you have
a good "all risks" home
insurance policy it may
well cover your
possessions against loss
or theft even when
overseas, and many
private medical schemes
also cover you when
abroad - make sure you
know the procedure and
the helpline number.
If you plan to do
some hiking, skiing or
other adventurous
sport - not a very
likely prospect in China
- you'll probably have
to pay an extra premium;
check carefully that any
insurance policy you are
considering will cover
you in case of an
accident, and includes a
24-hour emergency
contact number .
When choosing any policy,
also establish the level
of excess , the
initial amount of any
claim that you have to
pay. In all cases of
loss or theft of
goods, you need to
contact the local
police to have a
report made out so that
your insurer can process
the claim. For
medical claims ,
you'll need to provide
supporting bills, though
more comprehensive
policies will arrange
for payment for
treatment on the spot.
Medical emergencies
aside, very few insurers
will pay out at the time
of a major expense or
loss; you will usually
be reimbursed only after
going home. Keep
photocopies of
everything you send to
the insurer and note any
time period within which
you must lodge claims.
British and Irish
cover
In
Britain and
Ireland , travel
insurance schemes (from
around £60 for one month
to China, £100 for three
months) are sold by
almost every travel
agent or bank, and by
specialist insurance
companies. You'll find
different rates and
maximum periods of
insurance apply for
students and depending
on your age, but
policies issued by the
companies listed in the
box on previous page are
all good value. Some
also offer a Frequent
Traveller policy which
gives twelve months'
worldwide cover for
around £80, though there
are time restrictions of,
for instance, a month to
any one trip.
US and Canadian cover
Before buying an
insurance policy, check
that you're not already
covered.
Canadian
provincial health plans
typically provide some
overseas medical
coverage, although they
are unlikely to pick up
the full tab in the
event of a mishap.
Students may find
that their student
health coverage extends
during the vacations and
for one term beyond the
date of last enrolment.
Homeowners' or
renters' insurance
often covers theft or
loss of documents, money
and valuables while
overseas.
After exhausting
these possibilities, you
might want to contact a
specialist travel
insurance company; your
travel agent can usually
recommend one.
Premiums for
travel to China start at
around $65 for a two-week
trip, rising to $180 for
three months. Note that
most North American
travel policies apply
only to items lost,
stolen or damaged while
in the custody of an
identifiable,
responsible third party
- hotel porter, airline,
luggage consignment,
etc. Even in these cases
you will have to contact
the local police within
a certain time limit to
have a complete report
made out so that your
insurer can process the
claim.
Australian
and New Zealand cover
Travel insurance is
available from travel
agents or direct from
insurance companies.
Policies are broadly
comparable in premium
and coverage: expect to
pay around A$150 for one
month, A$260 for two
months and up to A$350
for three months.
