Consider the worst case of an older person having their first heart attack while vacationing in the repatriation of U.S. not be possible, which could mean prolonged – and expensive – treatment in the intensive care unit of a private hospital. The hospital bill could easily reach hundreds of thousands pounds – that should be covered if you have a good travel insurance policy, subject to their terms and conditions.

Or imagine this – you walk into Bloomingdales in New York and visit his apartment in China. You knock over a big, expensive vase which falls down and breaks into pieces – and also breaks the tip of the buyer at his side. Your travel insurance policy should cover legal liability, accidental damage to third parties and property damage. The travel insurance policies vary, so be sure to read the policy document for the exact levels of coverage.

The young, courageous and healthy can feel that their immune systems are strong enough to control insects or diseases. It is easy to be © Blasa and feel invincible when you are sitting comfortably in your dream home the adventures to come. Nobody wants to imagine themselves or a family member is ill or injured and lying in a hospital bed in a foreign country. At least with a good policy insurance, you will have the assurance of knowing that help is at hand. Most importantly – not left to bear all medical expenses alone. No pun – But could be overwhelming.

You do not have to go bungee jumping or extreme sports to get hurt. Accidents can happen more easily as the shot, falling steps, participate in regular sports activities or accidents. Medical costs can be prohibitive. Repatriation costs to the UK could back to thousands. For example:

Transport by air ambulance, or a medical escort, from the United States could cost from about £ 10,000 to £ 30,000 to a flight home from Tenerife or Majorca emergency could set back anything from  £ 10-15,000!

When you buy travel insurance (through an agent or online) will be asked to complete a medical screening process for each person named in the policy. If they have not been asked to do this you must walk (or click) away! It is vital that you disclose any pre-existing medical conditions at the time of purchase your insurance travel otherwise any claim relating may be invalidated. If you are unsure, call and ask for clarification.

If you plan to travel within the EEC not be lulled into a false sense of security by thinking of the European Health Card (EHIC) will provide full coverage. Health Card Union should be seen as a complement to your travel insurance – not as a substitute. In major tourist areas in Europe chances are you'd like be taken to a private hospital – not a state hospital – which does not recognize the EHIC. This would leave you personally responsible for the account unless you have insurance travel.

As with any type of insurance policy exclusions and will not need to know what they are – so always read the fine print! Exclusions possibly including alcohol or drug-related incidents, terrorism, acts of nature, and participation in high-risk sports without special coverage. It must always be a cooling off period to cancel if you feel the insurance coverage is right for you.

Being armed with water purifiers, repellent insects, antibacterial wipes, and being careful with food and drinks consumed may not be enough. Stinging insects – especially mosquitoes – are one of the main causes of disease transmission in many countries. There are other nasties you can think – and the parasites (often in freshwater pools), jellyfish, and ticks that can be transferred to your clothing when out hiking or camping. You may need to use public toilets at some point during your trip and no hygiene standards are always the rules that we used to! Debilitating stomach bugs (New Delhi belly, Tourist trots, Montezuma's revenge, etc.) can be hired through of unsanitary food handling. E. coli and other anti-insect fun to hide in contaminated food and water.

The simple answer is that the decision to "pass" in the travel insurance could mean potential disaster – personally and financially. The cost of a policy is a small price to pay for peace of mind. No guarantee that nothing bad will happen, but it does mean that you can thumb your nose at fate – and the errors that might conspiracy to ruin the holiday fun!

Jean Andrews is a freelance writer living in the UK. She regularly contributes articles for TIA Ltd who offer travel insurance at great prices online.

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