Barclays Travel Insurance Review

The Barclays travel insurance policy booklet classifies a child as those persons under the age of 16 or under the age of 23, and in full time education.

• The Barclays single trip policy has no upper age limit.
• The Barclays annual travel policy is limited to those under the age of 85.

The single trip policy allows a maximum duration of 185 days.

The annual multi trip policy allows unlimited trips throughout the policy year, providing each trip is no more than 31 days in total.

If you are under the age of 65, you do have the option (subject to payment of an additional premium to extend the length of each trip from 31 days, to 45, 60, or 90.

You can also lower the maximum number of days to 24 and this will have the effect of reducing the premium.

You are able to include cover for winterports under both single and annual policies, providing you are under the age of 65. In respect of annual policies the maximum number of days skiing is restricted to 21 days.

The policy provides up to £1,000 for ski equipment (single article limit £250). Ski hire £500, Ski Pack £400, Piste Closure £30 per day up to £300 and Avalanche delay up to £500.

The cost for a 35 year old travelling to Austria for seven days, including cover for wintersports would be £34.74.

The policy provides a small list of acceptable wintersport activities, these are

• On piste skiing or snowboarding on piste
• Off-piste skiing or snowboarding where
  accompanied by a qualified guide or
  instructor
• Cross country skiing on recognised routes
  and with a guide
• Ski racing arranged by ski schools for their
  pupils
• Sledging

Anything else is not covered, but you can call them, to confirm if cover would be provided.

A policy can be taken out by one individual, a couple (civil partners or partners) who have been living together for more than six months, a single parent or two parent family and up to 6 children belonging to you (including legally adopted or fostered children)

Dependent children are only insured when travelling with an adult that is also covered under the same policy.

Barclays do not allow more than one individual to be covered under the same policy.

If you are travelling to the EU, EEA or Switzerland, Barclays strongly advise you to apply for a European Health Insurance Card, so that you can take advantage of reciprocal schemes from those countries and ultimately reduce medical expense claims.

The situation in Australia is similar, accept you should enrol in the MEDICARE program once you have obtained medical treatment.

The Barclays travel policy covers 33 activities as standard, for which you are automatically covered. The policy lists a further 31 pursuits, wihch you are also covered for, provided they are professionally organised and supervised and you wear appropriate safety equipment and take the relevant safety precautions.

The policy also lists activities specifically excluded. Check the policy for a full breakdown.

The Barclays policy excludes cover for any form of alcohol abuse, including alcohol withdrawal, or drinking too much, where it is reasonably foreseeable that such consumption could result in a serious impairment of your faculties and/or judgement, resulting in a claim.

Barclays do not expect you to avoid alcohol altogether, but do expect you to be sensible and not drink so much that your judgement is seriously affected and you need to make a claim as a result

Barclays will pay the cost of a replacement flight, in the event that the scheduled airline becomes insolvent. It only covered those flights booked in the UK and through a bonded travel agent or direct with the scheduled airline.

All medical conditions must be declared to Barclays. Medical conditions can be declared online as you are going through the quotation process, making it possible to get accurate quotes for the majority of medical conditions, without the need to phone Barclays direct.

Read our handy guide on Taking Medication Abroad.

There is no cover under the Barclays policy if you travel whilst pregnant and the pregnancy has exceeded the 28 weeks period.

The Barclays Travel policy does cover manual work, provided it is at ground level and does not involve machinery.

Barclays state in the policy that they reserve the right to refuse to reimburse you for any expenses for which you cannot provide receipts or bills. If also states that keeping receipts will help substantiate any claim.

If you are accidentally caught up in a terrorist attack whilst visiting a foreign country, the policy will cover you for any medical and repatriation costs. Also if the Foreign Office has advised against travel due to a terrorist incident, the sections cancellation and abandonment of your holiday are also covered.

The policy does provide cover for substitute accommodation and transport costs as a result of, insolvency, and natural disasters, however this cover only applies to those customers who have not booked as part of a package holiday.

This policy is only available to those permanently resident in the United Kingdom