Bring travel insurance before tea bags when travelling

MANY people are sure to be welcoming friends and family to France this summer, but you might want to check they have full travel insurance should things go wrong.

That is the message from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) as part of its Know Before You Go campaign, who say that instead of bringing tea bags out on holiday ensure you are properly insured.

Minister for consular affairs Jeremy Browne said: “With over five million Britons living abroad, people are increasingly making the most of opportunities to visit their loved ones across the world.

“However, it’s important to understand that staying in someone’s home does not make you exempt from encountering serious problems.

“Take the same steps before you go as you would for any other holiday, such as taking out travel insurance and doing some pre-trip research, to ensure you are prepared if something does go wrong.”

The FCO is urging people to prepare for a trip to visit loved ones in the same way as they would for any other holiday to limit serious problems occurring when overseas.

They say keeping the costs of a trip as low as possible is often a top priority when planning to visit friends and family who live abroad.

However, attempting to save money by not taking out travel insurance can be a false economy when faced with the high costs of medical treatment or the loss of valuable possessions.

Alongside travel insurance it is also important when travelling in EU countries to have a valid European Health Insurance Card, which is free to apply for and can help cover medical costs when temporarily travelling within the EU.