[seanxair]

Does anyone have any idea of what is or not likely to be covered with travel insurance, particulary bank provided?

I have a Travel Pack with Barclays which I believed is all we need as a family i.e. no need to double up with one from my wife's bank.

However now in a bit of a pickle with non travel due C-19.

Everything sorted amicably about 6 weeks ago with gite owners in France who have retained our deposit and rolled over the booking to next year. This gave them the chance to let internally and have income without depending on last minute confirmations or most likely cancellations.

Eurotunnel will only allow a rebook within 12 months of the date we booked which was March so therefore bog all use for an August holiday. My wife paid this on her debit card.

The hotel for one night in Abbeville on the way down will only allow a rebook within 3 months which is even less use. My wife paid this on her M&S credit card who aren't interested as the hotel have offered other dates albeit useless.

Is my bank insurance likely to be any use? Have tried ringing but they aren't taking calls unless you are due to travel in the next 7 days.

If all else fails I will try to find a French charity that can have the booking for Abbeville. They can give it to some unfortunate homeless person for the night

[Jim Jones]

That last para may rebound on you if they’ve got your credit card details.

Locally Roomz have taken in street homeless during lockdown which has definitely saved lives. . Most are fine, but a few things have been ‘liberated’.

[seanxair]

That last para may rebound on you if they’ve got your credit card details.

Card will be cancelled on the day.

[riverrock]

My experience with Nationwide's current account linked travel insurance is that unless you can show that the hotel (etc) aren't offering any sort of refund or rebooking, they won't pay out. If that offer any rebooking option you are out of luck.
You can try claiming, then going through complaints, arbitration than court. But it might be years before you are heard.

[seanxair]

I think I need to play on the rebooking options being unsuitable and as they are in term time we can't legally take the children out of school.

[Flyingfemme]

I’ve always found bank travel insurance to be worthless. They will use every excuse to wriggle out.

[seanxair]

Managed to have a conversation with Eurotunnel today and should have a voucher which will cover us for next year's holiday.

Just Abbeville hotel to sort now.

Can anyone recommend a decent travel insurance for the future?

[riverrock]

None will cover Covid now as its a known issue.

[Bill Haddow]

Can anyone recommend a decent travel insurance for the future?

Insurance policies are a bit like parachutes - you don't know if its any good until you try to use it, and by then its too late to buy another.

In terms of loss / theft of belongings, they're usually a sort of insurer of last resort; if they find out that the missing items are covered under your household policy (and they'll look, believe me) they'll back charge that insurer and you'll only find out when your household policy comes up for renewal. Happened to a mate, quite funny because he'd been crowing about how well he'd done out of his travel insurance claim for missing luggage (which turned up in the fullness of time anyway) only to get a boot in the haw-maws months later.

Bill H

[Flyingfemme]

Back in 2001 my parents booked a holiday to Canada. My mother told me proudly that she had free travel insurance with her Lloyds bank account. They were both in their sixties. I told her to get some proper insurance quick-smart and give them her entire medical history, which she did. A few days into the holiday my mother had a fall and broke her hip. The Canadians rushed her into hospital, private room and emergency hip replacement. By the time I was contacted it was the following day and she was recovering well - the date was 9/11. Lloyds told them they would cover nothing because she had rheumatoid arthritis............the real policy covered everything, including hotel for my Dad and club class flights home when they were finally able to travel. Don’t trust the banks!

[johnm]

My wife and I have year round cover under our household policy from NFU and the cheapest bank accounts with the fewest perks we can find...

[Miscellaneous]

...and the cheapest bank accounts with the fewest perks we can find...

That would be zero cost for zero perks, then.

[johnm]

...and the cheapest bank accounts with the fewest perks we can find...

That would be zero cost for zero perks, then.

Well not quite as we don't actually look beyond Natwest where we've banked for over 40 years, just too idle to change banks really

[Miscellaneous]

@johnm seems to me that the claim you don't look beyond Natwest is as inaccurate as your claim you look for the cheapest you can find.

[johnm]

@Miscellaneous I don't look everyday or even every week, but I do look at their options from time to time to see which one might be better. Currently I'm on one which charges me £2 a month and pays me £4, it used to pay more so It'll be time for a revisit soon Thanks for the prompt!