Travel insurance to UK

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Travel insurance to UK; Nearly fell of my chair at the prices
Topic Started: 23 Feb 2010, 08:01 PM (319 Views)
Gail.C	23 Feb 2010, 08:01 PM Post #1
A phenomenon Posts: 1,103 Group: Members Member #1,062 Joined: 30 December 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Port Melbourne	I've just done an online quote for travel insurance with QBE and it came to $618 for our month's trip to UK. I nearly fell off my chair!!!!! Is that the average price? We used to get this free back home when we banked with Lloyds. I'm not used to paying for it. Anyone know of any cheaper insurance. Cheers Gail



Bobbin	23 Feb 2010, 08:08 PM Post #2
Member Posts: 56 Group: Members Member #2,537 Joined: 14 November 2008 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Ivanhoe, Melbourne	I paid around $250 for an annual policy through STA Travel (just me). A 4 day trip to NZ was going to cost around $100 so I thought this was pretty good



koalakim	23 Feb 2010, 09:02 PM Post #3
Legend Posts: 4,422 Group: Members Member #889 Joined: 1 September 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Mornington	Hi single policies aren't too bad but for couples and families it goes up! We find all insurances are expensive here, it's to do with the lack of people to spread the risk. The best I've managed to find is with Columbus and it's $300 for two of us to the Uk and also stop-overs and side trip to Europe. Also bear in mind that the NHS is clamping down on services to expats and whilst you'll be covered under the aus/Uk agreement for emergencies you might find you might have difficulties in seeing soca etc without medical insurance.



koalakim	23 Feb 2010, 09:04 PM Post #4
Legend Posts: 4,422 Group: Members Member #889 Joined: 1 September 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Mornington	Sorry that should say docs!



tam_n_brett	23 Feb 2010, 09:34 PM Post #5
A phenomenon Posts: 1,061 Group: Members Member #902 Joined: 9 September 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Mood always got a smile :0) My Location Briar Hill, Melbourne	Would they have to know you were an expat? I wouldn't tell the doctors i'd ever left rightly or wrongly you are entitled to NHS and no doubt have paid loads of NI contributions over the years.



koalakim	23 Feb 2010, 09:48 PM Post #6
Legend Posts: 4,422 Group: Members Member #889 Joined: 1 September 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Mornington	Quite right and believe it or not if you were a non-expat coming from another country to live you'd get everything. I guess it's the same here, we come over and get into Medicare and yet if an Aussie has been out of the country more than 5 years they can't get it for a while! I guess the problem arises if you no longer have an address near your docs or depends on how thoroughly they check patient treatment against your tax and NI contribs. I don't know all the details but I know they were clamping down to save money etc so I just wanted to make people aware that it might not be as easy as it used to be.



tam_n_brett	23 Feb 2010, 10:01 PM Post #7
A phenomenon Posts: 1,061 Group: Members Member #902 Joined: 9 September 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Mood always got a smile :0) My Location Briar Hill, Melbourne	Have thought about this and when i sold my house i changed our details to moms address so i'd play dumb and just use that address if we needed to see a doctor. I would also make us all an app to see a dentist whilst in UK too !!! OOOooo i'm just naughty ;)



koalakim	24 Feb 2010, 06:28 AM Post #8
Legend Posts: 4,422 Group: Members Member #889 Joined: 1 September 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Mornington	We've got to do that now we've sold up! Good job we don't have to produce a medical card like we do here then :) Actually my NHS dentist said he would have treated me for my root canal and my crown on the NHS (got a friend to ring him up) but the problem was I left the booking to late and couldn't get an appointment as you have to call 6 months inadvance almost! At least I did pay in to the system for almost 30 years and I'm still paying some UK tax of course on my savings......well 20% of 0.5% interest ha ha ha.....



Gail.C	24 Feb 2010, 07:38 AM Post #9
A phenomenon Posts: 1,103 Group: Members Member #1,062 Joined: 30 December 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Port Melbourne	You're lucky to find an NHS dentist. There were none in my area. Bobbin - I looked up STA travel online and can cover the whole family for $250. Thanks for the tip.



OzSheila	24 Feb 2010, 05:23 PM Post #10
Member Posts: 60 Group: Members Member #571 Joined: 15 February 2006	Gail.C 23 Feb 2010, 08:01 PM I've just done an online quote for travel insurance with QBE and it came to $618 for our month's trip to UK. I nearly fell off my chair!!!!! Is that the average price? We used to get this free back home when we banked with Lloyds. I'm not used to paying for it. Anyone know of any cheaper insurance. Cheers Gail I've used www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au last two trips. HTH



BoekieOH	24 Feb 2010, 05:45 PM Post #11
Elite Member Posts: 665 Group: Members Member #1,257 Joined: 16 March 2007	We used Southern Cross Travel insurance www.scti.com.au. That turned out to be $150 for a family policy as that worked out cheaper than individual Good Luck



Maggie	24 Feb 2010, 11:05 PM Post #12
Elite Member Posts: 708 Group: Members Member #711 Joined: 11 May 2006 Migration Status Citizen My Location Cowes, Phillip Island, Victoria	We have an annual family policy that I organised through Webjet - might be with insurance direct, can't remember. It was around $240 for 3 of us. Way cheaper than doing it trip by trip and covers us in Australia too. Maggie



koalakim	25 Feb 2010, 07:36 AM Post #13
Legend Posts: 4,422 Group: Members Member #889 Joined: 1 September 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Mornington	How come everytime I log on to these websites for this cheap insurance it never gives me those prices? I tried all those suggested and they were way more than you've all been quoted unless travel insurance is finally coming down in price!



Petals	25 Feb 2010, 07:56 AM Post #14
A phenomenon Posts: 1,310 Group: Members Member #2,324 Joined: 22 June 2008 Migration Status Citizen My Location Somerville My Mood Contented	We just took ours out and we got it through Travel Insurance Direct which is backed by Allianz. Cost us $680.00 but would have been half that if we were not old f..... over sixty. We are going away for two and a half months.



RJBingham	25 Feb 2010, 12:43 PM Post #15
Member Posts: 41 Group: Members Member #2,568 Joined: 1 December 2008	Have a word with Downunder see what they can do. http://www.duinsure.com/sites/duinsure.nsf/homepages/homepage



Karo	25 Feb 2010, 08:29 PM Post #16
Addicted Member Posts: 460 Group: Members Member #1,916 Joined: 30 January 2008	I was in a meeting earlier this week with one of the top managers of NAB and they said they give free travel insurance with one of their credit cards, not sure of the terms and conditions though but may be worth looking in to. Just found this: "Overseas travel insurance cover comes to you if you use your NAB Gold Card to purchase at least 50%`of your travel arrangements (including those for your spouse and dependent children accompanying you) before your departure. Cover will apply for any number of trips you make in a year, but it is limited to 90 consecutive days for each trip. The insurance covers the usual uncertainties of travel (cancellations, travel accidents, medical, lost luggage or travel documents, etc.) and also includes kidnap-and-ransom and hijack-and-detention situations." If you are eligible for a card it may be worth taking one out just for your holiday, I know I would if it was saving me over $600, gulp. I am sure other banks will probably offer something similar so it may be worth looking. Gowalkabout do insurance but not sure if its for UK only, but their policies are around 150gbp for the family and lasts a year http://www.go-walkabout.co.uk



Karo	25 Feb 2010, 08:30 PM Post #17
Addicted Member Posts: 460 Group: Members Member #1,916 Joined: 30 January 2008	Petals 25 Feb 2010, 07:56 AM would have been half that if we were not old f..... over sixty. Ahh but Sue, you are only 21 at heart :Grin:



julia	27 Feb 2010, 08:54 PM Post #18
Jules Posts: 20 Group: Members Member #2,656 Joined: 18 January 2009 Migration Status Citizen My Location Wheelers Hill Vic My Mood Easy going	Hi guys I always use Medi Bank and they cover us as a family of four for about $200. I only do this when I go via the States as if any thing go's wrong there it will cost big bucks. Jules



T and family	1 Mar 2010, 01:14 PM Post #19
Addicted Member Posts: 142 Group: Members Member #1,931 Joined: 5 February 2008 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location gisborne, macedon ranges, victoria	we have used our free insurance which came with our credit card.. our daughter had a major accident and uk hospitals never asked a question or stopped us from having treatment ! we just put down our parents address as contact address and phone number. and our credit card covered the flights..



OzTennis	5 Mar 2010, 03:10 AM Post #20
Legend Posts: 2,569 Group: Members Member #81 Joined: 20 September 2004	Just for the sake of comparison, we recently got an annual multi-trip policy for a couple (excluding N America and extreme sports but including trips within the UK) for �120 in the UK via a search on moneysupermarket.com. One thing to look out for in an annual multi-trip policy is the maximum length of any one trip permitted - we have 91 days; you can get 30 and 45 days policies for much cheaper. This might be an important consideration for those who have to extend their stay due to unforeseen circumstances.



koalakim	5 Mar 2010, 08:11 AM Post #21
Legend Posts: 4,422 Group: Members Member #889 Joined: 1 September 2006 Migration Status Permanent Resident My Location Mornington	OzT please don't tell us that when we have to pay through the nose for it! Yes, you are right about the length of trip - I looked at Webjets the other day and personal trip was only 30 something days whereas business was a lot more. Another thing to compare is whether it includes North America - a lot of Worldwide ones says ex NA and is a bit cheaper. Some also asks where you will spend most of your time so if it is UK/Europe you can buy that one but then it allows so many days stop-over as well. Sooo confusing!



OzTennis	7 Mar 2010, 01:48 AM Post #22
Legend Posts: 2,569 Group: Members Member #81 Joined: 20 September 2004	koalakim 5 Mar 2010, 08:11 AM OzT please don't tell us that when we have to pay through the nose for it! Yes, you are right about the length of trip - I looked at Webjets the other day and personal trip was only 30 something days whereas business was a lot more. Another thing to compare is whether it includes North America - a lot of Worldwide ones says ex NA and is a bit cheaper. Some also asks where you will spend most of your time so if it is UK/Europe you can buy that one but then it allows so many days stop-over as well. Sooo confusing! Yeah, but a policy which covers the whole world and extreme sports won't be much cheaper in UK than figures I've seen quoted above for Oz policies which would probably be akin to that. A country with 3 times the population must be expected to be cheaper on things like this I guess. I wouldn't go lauding the praises of UK financial institutions too loudly though! :Grin:


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