Ebeneza or Christmas Fairy? Which one Could Your Travel Insurer Turn out to be This Christmas?

ROMFORD, England, December 15 - For those taking a cruise or travelling abroad this Christmas,
it could be a question on the minds of many, following last week's coverage
by ITV's 'Tonight' programme covering the plight of Manchester
great-grandmother Jean Edwards left stranded in Turkey after falling
seriously ill, with the travel insurer declining her medical claim. More
recently, we heard the of the grandfather of 11 William Findlay, who died
stranded in a Canary Islands hospital after being hit by a series of health
blows on a cruise and again, the company who insured his cruise refusing to
pick up the bill.

Whether the insurer pays out a valid claim without a fuss, or
whether they challenge cover, requesting further information, causing delay
and distress, is largely down to how thorough the sales process is when the
customer buys the policy in the first place. That is according to Chris
Blackman, Head of Product Development at AllClear Travel Insurance. "The
importance of making a complete and honest disclosure of medical facts cannot
be over stressed, even if that means a short visit to the GP before booking a
policy to ensure you have all the right medical terms". Chris continued:
"Selecting the best travel policy for you, is also an important decision but
all too often many just go for the cheapest , and pay little or no attention
to what they're buying, only to discover exclusions or medical disclosure
requirements when they need to make a claim."

In 2008 the Association of British Insurers introduced guidelines to
simplify buying insurance. These rules are meant to ensure that customers
are treated fairly over issues of non-disclosure and whilst they have led to
fewer complaints, reported experiences indicate there is more to be done and
the Law Commission says the law needs to be changed. So how can travellers
avoid the horrific situation of being taken ill abroad, with medical expenses
building daily and an insurer declining the claim?

"Go to a Specialist Medical Travel Insurance provider such as
AllClear Travel" says Chris. "They are dealing with people declaring all
kinds of different and complex medical conditions every day and they have the
expertise to ask the right questions of the traveller and assist in a full
disclosure being made. Customers may not understand exactly what medical
detail is relevant but our trained agents do and are able to explain the
process in the course of a short phone call."

The AllClear brand is already well known for covering the more
senior travellers and those with pre-existing medical conditions, where other
insurers say no as Chris concludes: Buying Travel Insurance wisely can mean
the difference between a piece of worthless paper or peace of mind. We would
prefer that everyone enjoys the latter.

For further press information please contact: Chris Blackman AllClear Insurance Services Ltd, +44(0)1962-870066, Chris.blackman at allclearinsurance.com; Call AllClear Travel Insurance on +44(0)845-250-5-250