Travel insurance - for UK/EU residents

**maria41** · #1 21st April 2006

Following my previous thread on WorldNomads, I've spent some time calling a lot of travel insurance companies and here are my findings:

1/ WorldNomads.com: – AS OF June 2006 Cover only 125cc for UK residents (They changed their underwriters in the UK)
2/ MedjetAssistance.com: only for US and CAD citizens/residents

3/ Clubdirect.com: bikes restricted to 125cc

4/ Trailfinders.com: cover motorcycling with no restriction, only add 50% to the quoted premium from their website to include motorcycling- Example £509pp for 10months worldwide excluding. CAD/US

5/ worldwideinsure.com: Cover motorcycling. Restriction: no compensation payment in case of disability as a result of a bike accident but will cover medical costs resulting from an accident on the bike.
Quote: £400 pp for 10 months worldwide excl. US/CAD

6/ hbinsurance.com: no restrictions. Quote: Nearly £500 for 6 months worldwide excl. US/CAD (max cover seems to be 6 months. Not sure it can be
extended)

7/ navigatortravel.co.uk: Gold and diamonds policies include motorcycling. Add 25% to the quoted price for >35yr old. Riders must wear helmet at any time and must hold licence- I was quoted £280 (I'm >35!) for 10 months worldwide excl. US/CAD and excluding luggage/passport/cash insurance (that gives you a 15% discount).

8/ Campbellirvine.com: cover motorcycling as activity for an extra 50% of the quoted price. No restrictions on bikes.

9/ Travelinsurance.co.uk: restricted to <500cc

10/ STATravel.co.uk. Their "Premier" Policy includes motorcycle touring. They confirmed on the phone that there is no restriction regarding engine size etc... Again quote was £309pp for 10 months for South America 2007

Cheers,

Maria

**Punkbiker** · #2 21st April 2006

I got mine from Carol Nash (08002985588) for £78. One years worldwide cover to include motorcycling on any size bike. Cover includes helmet, leathers, panniers and tent.

**maria41** · #3 24th April 2006

Hi Punkbiker, good tip for short trips. I just spoke with one of their advisers.

Indeed they do Travel Insurance! Here are my findings:

Annual multitrip for a couple, Europe= £102
Annual multirip for a couple, worldwide=£152
Same if 1 bike two up or two on two bikes.

Annual multitrip includes severals trips of up to 31 days on a go.

They did not quote me for 10 months of travelling. The girl I spoke with said that they would not provide cover for such a long trip. 31 days seems to be their limit.

Insurance provides cover for medical costs up to £10m.

If anyone else has more info......

**colesyboy** · #4 24th April 2006

Thats a comprehensive post - it does seem to be difficult to get an insurance company to cover travel insurance on:

Big bikes
Touring for up to 10 months
Complete medical cover
Baggage cover

Normal motorcycle insurance people really are pretty bad also at any trip lasting months, not days.

It's a real mission. I thought that world nomads would be the way to go, but alas I'm not off to NZ or Oz on my next trip,

Cheers,

Brian

**maria41** · #5 24th April 2006

Brian, it is worth giving WorldNomads a call.
I was told they provide cover if you intend to go via Oz/NZ (unless you are a NZ/OZ/US or CAD resident/citizen) and that some prove of "intend" would be required.

However, on another thread on "WorldNomads" (that I started previously) a chap was told that they do no require prove, only declaring that you will cover OZ or NZ....
Maybe it depend who you talk to!

So in theory you *could* "cheat".... I wouldn't try that sort of thing though.
Insurance companies are like the Tax man, they have no sense of humour!

**scdan3** · #6 24th April 2006

seeing as i am that chap mentioned above...

I wrote to WN to ensure that I was covered. (i do intend to go to NZ and OZ.. but not for a long while into the trip. I also have no proof that i want to go - thats the whole point of this motorcycling adventuring thing.) I also offered to supply a contact address (family) for OZ (as i have it, and do want their insurance). the reply i recieved is pasted below.

I hope this helps. Seems relatively flexible and reasonable to me (esp for an insurance comp!), although i appreciate sod all use if you are not planning on going there.

dan

their reply>>"
Hi Dan

Thanks for your email.

You do not need solid travel plans to Australia or New Zealand to take out cover
with us; so long as you 'intend' to visit these countries then that's good
enough for us! We do not ask for proof of your intent at any stage. You can
insure with us for as long as you need (just be aware we wouldn't cover you
while you're in the UK though).

Kind regards
World Nomads

"<<

**colesyboy** · #7 7th May 2006

Has boiled down to these 3, thanks for the help and advice here, has saved much time.

Have to admit in liking a uk operation rather than oz or kiwi, just from a paperwork and money transfer perspective (ie: getting a payout if something goes awry)

Cheers,

Brian

**henryuk** · #8 15th June 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by maria41

Brian, it is worth giving WorldNomads a call.
I was told they provide cover if you intend to go via Oz/NZ (unless you are a NZ/OZ/US or CAD resident/citizen) and that some prove of "intend" would be required.

However, on another thread on "WorldNomads" (that I started previously) a chap was told that they do no require prove, only declaring that you will cover OZ or NZ....

I got my cover from World Nomads, no restriction on the engine size and they didn't even ask me if I was going via Oz or NZ and I am a UK resident......

**Fritz** · #9 19th June 2006

We used Carol Nash for our 6 month trip, wasn't a restriction on 31 days then, but maybe things have changed or might be worth re-confirming with them ? Not cheap, but good cover.

**dotcaf** · #10 28th June 2006

Another to consider and quite cheap are Marks & Spencer! Read about them on another forum board and used them in Europe recently. Phoned them up and checked the bigger bike bit...

Charles

**IanC** · #11 8th August 2006

Just been quoted £193 for STATravel's Premier policy, for 5 months, US/CA/SA - Seems too cheap to me! But it does cover unlimited medical, inc. air evacuation/ambulance, and 1200cc a bike, inc. USA.

Anyone have any experience of these, or any points I should look out for?

**MarkLG** · #12 8th August 2006

If your in the UK it may be worth trying the AA. Their standard worldwide policy is about £53 per year for unlimited trips of upto 45 days duration. There is the option to extend cover for longer trips for an additional premium, so it may be worth giving them a ring for a quote.

**Whisky** · #13 19th September 2006

Thanks for all your help Maria!

I am a British citizen. I've gone for Marks and Spencer.

They've given me 5 month single trip worldwide exc USA. It's called the 'backpacker GOLD' policy. There is no excess and it includes repatriation.
That cost £104
I had to pay an extra £46 for an endorsement to include motorcycle touring (bike over 50cc).

Total of £150 for 5 month policy

Check it out!

Roll on Iran!

**password** · #14 20th September 2006

Hi Guys, if you are under 36 years of age you may want to try the following firm.

Just sorted my travel insurance for an upcoming 6 month European tour inc the former Yugoslavia with insure-and-go .com they quoted me their “Gold Backpacker” policy with only an additional £35 for adding a motorcycle of up to 1000cc. Total price £110, also there is zero excess on this cover so you don’t have to swallow the first 100 or 200 pounds out of your own pocket.

I spoke to a nice woman called Rae who was very helpful.

Cheers - Greg

**TokyoCph** · #15 23rd September 2006

Just got off the phone with STA, World Nomads and Navigator. STA was UK citizens only (I'm Swedish), World Nomads no longer cover "any motorsports including motorcycling" after changing underwriter as Maria mentioned. Navigator was very informative and friendly and I went with them, 150 pounds for 4 months worldwide including excess waiver.