Score a saving on travel insurance this Christmas

Score a saving on travel insurance this Christmas

Are you ‘wrapped’ for Christmas? With just weeks to go, it’s easy to get caught up in the spirit and stress of silly season.

With gifts, gatherings and getaways to plan, you’d be forgiven for being a tad overwhelmed and a little (or a lot) over budget.

And if you’re like plenty of other Kiwis, all that festive cheer may be putting some overdue pressure on your purse strings.

The truth is, no one wants to end up in the red after the celebrations are all over. And with the rising cost of travel, it can really pay to make a sneaky saving here and there. The following 10 tips from experts comparetravelinsurance.co.nz can help you save stacks on your travel insurance during the festive months…

1. Go direct: With a hectic to-do list, it may seem like the easiest way to secure travel insurance is through a travel agent or airline. But in doing so, you could get bitten by extra fees and pay up to 50% extra in commissions! In purchasing directly through an insurance provider you can jump the middle man and get a much better price in the process.

2. Festive freebies: At this time of year, every bargain is welcome and even more so if you’re heading away for the holidays. Sometimes scoring those savings is a matter of a little detective work. Keep an eye out for 10% off discounts and special deals online. Head to Facebook for promotional offers you may have otherwise missed.

3. Prepare to compare: With all those insurance providers and different policies available, picking the right travel insurance for your needs can be a minefield! Luckily, comparison sites take the hassle out of the process by clearly laying out the features and prices of the various policies available, side-by-side.

4. Frequent flier: If you’ve taken more trips this year than you can count, it may be worth looking into an annual travel insurance policy. Rather than just covering you for one trip, annual policies cover all your travels all year round (max per trip durations apply). This can work out to be far more cost-effective depending on how often you get away.

5. Destination consideration: The pricing of your policy can have a great deal to do with where you go. For instance, some insurers will list Japan under Asia while others may list it as ‘Worldwide’, which can affect the final price. As well, when traveling to the USA or many European counties, where medical care is expensive, you should consider taking out insurance with unlimited medical cover. For other destinations, a lower level of cover might be sufficient.

6. Cover to cover: Scoring a well-priced policy can be a matter of working out what type of cover you need.

For instance, a Basic policy (commonly referred to as medical only) can be a cheaper option if medical cover is all you’re concerned about. On the other hand if you have shelled out substantial money on prepaid flights and accommodation, or are travelling with expensive items, you may require a more comprehensive policy.

7. Trip logistics: Heading to a few overseas destinations? Some policies will be priced according to the furthest region or country you travel to and others according to where you spend the majority of your trip. This can often have big bearings on the cost of your cover and is worth considering when seeking out savings on your trip.

8. Group policies: If you’re travelling in a group (whether it be for work, school or leisure) you can often save by purchasing one group policy rather than one for each individual. Some group policies also boast sizable discounts based on the size of your party.

9. Loyalty rewards: If you have previously used a certain travel insurer you may be eligible for a generous discount. This can apply to your car and home insurance too.

10. Invest in your excess: Most insurers allow you to lower your premium by opting to pay a higher excess in the instance that you need to make a claim. An excess is the amount that you may need to pay in the event you make a claim.

Got back your Christmas cheer yet? You can beat the purse pinch and make merry this season with just a few handy helpers. For more super savings on your travel insurance this festive season head to comparetravelinsurance.co.nz.

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