Recently, I began to wonder whether multi-trip travel insurance would turn out to be cheaper than buying individual policies. That was a couple of days before an uninsured weekend spent hiking in the Alps, where a boulder bouncing down the mountainside missed my head by inches.
I should point out right away that buying travel insurance online is only an option for the healthy, young or middle-aged traveller. If you are over 65, have been prescribed any medicine in the past year (apart from contraceptives), or suffer from a chronic medical condition, you will usually need to talk to an insurer on the phone. Saga (Saga) and NatWest (Nat West) are two insurers who always insist on this.
If you don't envisage any complications, ask yourself a few questions before you start comparing quotes:
* Are you likely to go skiing, snowboarding or diving in the next year?
* Do you want special cover for your skis or golf clubs?
* What about business trips?
* Do you want a joint or family policy?
* How much are you prepared to pay out as a waiver in exchange for a cheaper policy?
* Should money and baggage be covered?
* Will you be going away for longer than three weeks at a time? (If so, consider a special backpackers' policy from STA Travel).
* Are you likely to stay in Europe, or go further afield? (Policies can be cheaper if you can rule out a visit to the US, where healthcare is expensive).
You may be asked to enter a name, email or home postcode before you can get a quote. Curiously, people living in certain parts of Britain apparently file more claims, and this is sometimes reflected in the calculation. You can always invent a fictional name or email in order to obtain the quote, but if you decide to buy that policy, you'll need to start over again.
While it's impossible to compare different policies because they all offer different levels of cover, the prices quoted are for worldwide insurance without winter sports cover or excess waivers.
Under £60
The cheapest of all was Journey wise at £49.35 - not the slickest of sites, but a member of the General Insurance Standards Council and perfectly adequate. Travelcoverdirect was slightly more expensive and did not mention whether it was a member of GISC. Travel Insurance Direct Travel Insurance Direct) is a GISC member, and quoted £58. The much bigger Online Travel Company (Online Travel Company) sells an annual policy for £59.95.
Over £60
Moneyextra (Moneyextra) compares quotes from a panel of different insurers and came up with a price of £62. Direct travel - my own choice because of its clarity and skiing coverage - quoted £70, while Eagle star was fast, simple and also cost £70. Columbusdirect was slightly more expensive but easy to use, while American express - which, like Eagle Star, may not work properly on every browser - was £99.
