Benenden Travel Insurance Review

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.