
With the Brexit deadline almost upon us and the current coronavirus pandemic, choosing the right Travel Insurance have never been more essential. The wrong choice now could have disastrous repercussions if you have to claim whilst abroad.
Once you have read this review of Benenden Insurance and compared polices using our unique search facility, you will have all the information you need to make an informed choice.
Based in Bristol, Benenden are a group of similar organisations providing a range of different products that share the same powerful ethos. The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited is a mutual company, founded in 1905. The group provide a range of healthcare services to a membership of nearly a million people. Choose from three levels of cover to fit your holiday needs.
Travel Insurance is a part of their business and is arranged and administered by Insure and Go Insurance Services Ltd. Insure and Go are a wholly owned subsidiary of MAPFRE Asistencia. The policies are also underwritten by MAPFRE Asistencia.
Click on the website link to go directly to the insurance providers website. Visit Benenden Insurance's Website and Get a Quotation direct
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Children are classed as those aged under 18 years of age and in full-time education or living with their parents.
Benenden have two separate quotations depending on your age. One for travellers aged 65 and under and one for travellers aged 66 and above with no upper age limit.
This is the same in respect of the annual multi-trip policy.
The benenden policy allows you to take out a single trip policy for up to 12 months (365 days). This is the same for any age.
The annual policy does have resrictions. Whilst you can take as many trips as you like during the policy year, each trip can last no longer than 31 days in respect of bronze and silver cover and 45 days for gold cover.
If you are aged 70 years and above, the trip duration is restricted to 31 days per trip.
Benenden provide cover for up to 10 days for winter sports during the term of your policy for Bronze cover, or 24 days if you have arranged Silver or Gold cover.
The Winter sport section covers Bobsleighing*, cat skiing, cross country skiing, downhill skiing*, freestyle skiing*, glacier walking or trekking (under 2000m), glacier walking or trekking (over 2000m but under 6000m)*, heli-skiing*, ice climbing under 100m (fully supervised)*, ice fishing, ice hockey*, luge on snow/ice*, monoskiing, off piste skiing/snowboarding (except in areas considered to be unsafe by resort management), recreational ski or snowboard racing, skeletons*, ski acrobatics*, ski bob racing*, ski racing or training (non-professional)*, ski stunting*, ski touring (with a guide), ski/snowboard fun parks*, skiing, snow mobiling*, snowboarding and tobogganing.
Both policies can be taken out by a single person, couples and families, including children. The quotation system allows quotes for two adults and up to up eight children. However the policy states it will allow up to six children to travel free of charge per adult. Any more than that and they would have to pay an adult rate.
The policy also allows up to groups of ten persons who are not related to insure themselves under one policy, provided all members of the group are travelling together. There are no premium discounts for groups.
Everyone on an annual multi-trip policy is entitled to travel independently, but children under 18 who travel alone must be dropped off and collected by a responsible adult aged 18 or over.
Benenden state you must obtain an EHIC card prior to travelling to a country who is a member of the European Union. If you need to claim for medical costs and they are reduced as a result of the card, the excess under the medical expenses section will be waived.
If travelling to Australia or New Zealand you must ensure you enrol with MEDICARE or the equivalent in that country.
The policy lists over 90 acceptable sporting and leisure activities which are automatcially covered. Pursuits like trekking up to 6000 metres and jet skiing (see policy for a complete list). Whilst there is no additional premium to pay as standard, some of the activities do exclude personal liability and accident cover.
Whilst the standard list is comprehensive, you can opt to include additional sports and leisure activities. There are a further 50 pursuits that can be included with payment of an additional premium, things like Scuba diving down to 50 metres, shark diving in a cage or sky diving to name just three. Personal Liability and accident is excluded and in some cases there is an increased excess.
The policy excludes claims for you drinking too much alcohol, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency.
Benenden do not expect you to avoid alcohol on your trips or holidays, but will not cover any claims arising because you have drunk so much alcohol that your judgement is seriously affected and you need to make a claim as a result (e.g. any medical claim where in the opinion of the treating doctor, excessive alcohol consumption has caused the illness or injury).
The bronze, silver and gold policies automatically cover Scheduled Airline failure cover. The gold policy also covers end supplier insolvency as well. This section does not cover losses in respect of flights associated with a package holiday.
The Bronze policy does not provide cover for any medical problems. The silver and gold policy also exclude pre-existing medical conditions, except that you are able to obtain a quote online by answering their medical screening questions.
You still have the option to contact them by phone to discuss your requirements.
The policy only covers complications of pregnancy and provides a list of what constitutes a complication (please read the policy for more details)
The policy excludes manual labour as standard (manual labour is described as work that is physical) However this does not included bar and restaurant staff, musicians, singers and fruit pickers (who do not use machinery)
There is however an option to include cover for manual labour. One of the activities listed under the additional sports and leisure activties section is manual labour (at ground level, no machinery), subject to payment of an additional premium.
If you are unable to provide proof of ownership or purchase, Benenden reserve the right to apply a 10% deduction to any item with a value over £100. This would be in addition to any deductions for age, wear and tear etc.
Terrorism is not specifically mentioned in the policy, however it does state they will not pay claims, where any person acts for political, religious or ideological reasons and the event leading to the claim happens before you leave the UK.
Cover against natural disasters can be added as an optional extra. This section covers the additional costs of delayed departure, missed departure and additional or replacement accommodation as result of a natural disaster or catastrophe.
You must have lived in the UK or Channel Islands for at least six of the last twelve months before you purchased a policy.
That's Insurance have spent some time mystery shopping on benenden-travel-insurance-review's website. The policy wording, website, customer service/buying process have been carefully reviewed and each section awarded a user friendly score, which you can see below.
Policy wording - Marks are awarded for Layout, Readability ,Terminology, Communication and Appropriate information.
Website - Marks are awarded for Layout/Navigation, Access to important information e.g. policy wordings, Clear Explanation/Comparison of policies, including limitations, Frequently asked questions.
Customer Service – Marks are awarded for the Buying process, Customer Service, Clear Quotations, Access to important information/Comparison of quotes.
The scores have been calculated as an overall percentage and shown on the three gauges. You can see how Benenden compares to the industry average. The higher the percentage the better the company performs in each area.
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Listed below are some Sample Quotes offered by Benenden Insurance
Top Picks
Insurance Provider
Excess
Primary Cover
Guide Price
Single Trip
Worldwide (Excluding USA & Canada)
Couple
Age: 65 - 70
Trip Days: 14
50
Medical Expenses 15,000,000
Cancellation 5,000
Missed Departure 1,000
Delayed Departure 400
Baggage 2,000
Personal Accident 50,000
Personal Liability 2,000,000
Legal Expenses 50,000
Single Trip
Worldwide
Individual
Age: 65 - 70
Trip Days: 21
60
Medical Expenses 10,000,000
Cancellation 3,000
Missed Departure 500
Delayed Departure 300
Baggage 1,500
Personal Accident 20,000
Personal Liability 2,000,000
Legal Expenses 15,000
Annual
Worldwide (Excluding USA & Canada)
Family
Age: 40 - 49
Trip Days: 365
60
Medical Expenses 10,000,000
Cancellation 3,000
Missed Departure 500
Delayed Departure 300
Baggage 1,500
Personal Accident 20,000
Personal Liability 2,000,000
Legal Expenses 15,000
Annual
Worldwide (Excluding USA & Canada)
Couple
Age: 65 - 70
Trip Days: 365
60
Medical Expenses 10,000,000
Cancellation 3,000
Missed Departure 500
Delayed Departure 300
Baggage 1,500
Personal Accident 20,000
Personal Liability 2,000,000
Legal Expenses 15,000