Holidays should be times where you are able to escape from the day-to-day routine and fully relax in a far-away country, and in an ideal world this is exactly what a holiday would entail. For some though, this isn’t the case, and this is why adequate travel insurance is a vital component to ensure you are not left footing the often very steep bill if anything goes wrong.

Although the level of Cheap Travel Insurance

cover varies widely, depending on personal circumstances and holiday requirements; almost all policies include medical and healthcare cover.

It is recommended that when travelling within the EU a policy covering up to £1m should be taken out, and when outside of the EU this figure increases to around £2m. This is because of the horrendously steep medical bills that some countries charge, or if for example you need to be airlifted from a remote location.

It’s important to note that if you wish to participate in almost any extreme sport then specialist health care should be sought, as many standard policies do not make provisions for this.

The second most important factor of travel insurance is possessions cover. Again, the level at which you will be reimbursed should you fall victim to any theft varies from policy to policy. Such cover generally has an "upper limit" to the amount that will be paid out for each type of item, similar to home contents cover – this can be clarified by your insurer.

In the event of any theft it’s vital to report it to the local police as soon as possible, almost always within 24 hours; failure to do so could invalidate the insurance.

Along with the above two factors, other travel policies generally include personal liability, personal accident and cancellation cover.

It’s important to remember that insurance companies will not pay out unless the have to, so this means that all of the rules and conditions laid out within the policy should be strictly adhered too.

Lastly, its important to note that although travel insurance will certainly help cover any financial losses, it won’t replace the photo’s lost on a stolen camera or ease the burden of a broken leg – so when travelling abroad a great deal comes down to common sense and personal diligence.