Hi, Having just retired we've been planning some lengthy trips to the continent. We thought 7 or 8 weeks now (leaving late April). About the same late summer/autumn and then again in the new year. However, this isn't as easy as it sounds. Travel Insurance has to be arranged at £300, still limited to multiple trips of no more than 66 days at a time. Our pet insurance has to be changed as is normally limited to 90 days in any one year. Now I have to consider the house insurance. The policy states that unoccupied premises are not covered for more than 2 weeks. I have to ring them tomorrow to find out exactly what I need to do to get cover. Has anyone else had to overcome these little difficulties?
Long Trips
- Thread starter HomerS1
- Start date
The first year we went to the Continent was in 1981 and we've been every year since, gradually staying longer and longer. Now that I'm on my own I go at the end of October and stay until the beginning of March. I agree, insurance is a problem. I have the house insured with the Caravan Club and my absence from the premises is covered provided someone visits each week - which my daughter does, and also that I have water turned off and low heating turned on during cold weather - catered for with a frost stat. Fully comprehensive car insurance is quite difficult to find since many insurers will tell you that foreign travel is covered, whereas when it's looked into all they provide is the minimum cover. I've found that LV give me a policy for driving abroad which is fully comprehensive for very little extra money. For a lot of years I took out the Caravan Clubs Red Pennant annual policy which I extended for 66 days. That was good value since we used it during the summer, again in November/December, then in the following January/February. Now I take the Long Stay policy for 122 days which manages to cover my winter stay in Spain. Were I under the age of 80, I could take the 180 day policy.
House insurance is the biggest problem. Both the major caravan clubs have long term policies. At least one does a multi trip travel policy, but also single trips up to 122 days or 180 days.
Depending on where you live and hence which ferry route you use there are discounts to be had. For those of us living West and using Brittany Ferries the Travel club gets near to break even in first. Year for two round trips and into savings in subsequent years and/or more than two trips a year.
Pet insurance I cannot help you with but I am sure others will. Don't forget to factor in the savings you will make on fuel at home particularly in winter and with the lower food prices in places like Spain, particularly with the current exchange rates.
Depending on where you live and hence which ferry route you use there are discounts to be had. For those of us living West and using Brittany Ferries the Travel club gets near to break even in first. Year for two round trips and into savings in subsequent years and/or more than two trips a year.
Pet insurance I cannot help you with but I am sure others will. Don't forget to factor in the savings you will make on fuel at home particularly in winter and with the lower food prices in places like Spain, particularly with the current exchange rates.
Regarding house insurance, I'm fortunate in that my son comes to stay in the house for two weekends per month whilst we're away.
Health insurance is a bit of a bind, as we're usually out for at least six weeks, so we pay the extra £65 premium, as ours normally only covers for 31 days. We only discovered this clause after accidently travelling uninsured for 12 years!!!!!!!
Recovery insurance: I use ADAC, which gives me unlimited cover anywhere in the world.
Car insurance is usually 90 days, extended if required.
Dogs I can't help you with; I take ours, but they're too old to insure anyway!
Health insurance is a bit of a bind, as we're usually out for at least six weeks, so we pay the extra £65 premium, as ours normally only covers for 31 days. We only discovered this clause after accidently travelling uninsured for 12 years!!!!!!!
Recovery insurance: I use ADAC, which gives me unlimited cover anywhere in the world.
Car insurance is usually 90 days, extended if required.
Dogs I can't help you with; I take ours, but they're too old to insure anyway!
Good for you to be considering this move. Grab every opportunity for adventure because you never know what's round the corner!
But why worry so much about insurances? Within EU, reciprocal health cover is available for emergency treatment and my experience is that it's often better than in UK. Obviously you need legally required motor cover, but otherwise why worry too much about house/pet/etc cover? When did you last really need it?
Remember that Insurers make a profit, so, logically they pay out less than you pay in.
I know that many people feel uncomfortable without being surrounded by insurance policies but perhaps it's about time that we threw a bit of caution to the wind and started to live the adventure that life presents to us.
What a shame that our adventurous nature, that so much helped to shape our Nation, has become so stifled.
But why worry so much about insurances? Within EU, reciprocal health cover is available for emergency treatment and my experience is that it's often better than in UK. Obviously you need legally required motor cover, but otherwise why worry too much about house/pet/etc cover? When did you last really need it?
Remember that Insurers make a profit, so, logically they pay out less than you pay in.
I know that many people feel uncomfortable without being surrounded by insurance policies but perhaps it's about time that we threw a bit of caution to the wind and started to live the adventure that life presents to us.
What a shame that our adventurous nature, that so much helped to shape our Nation, has become so stifled.
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