Travel Q&A

Travelling without insurance

Booking a trip can be expensive, even before the additional cost of travel insurance. YOURLifeChoices subscriber, Pauline would love to take a trip and thinks she would be better off not buying for travel insurance.

Q. Pauline
I have found a great deal on flights and accommodation to visit family and friends in the States but quotes I’m getting for travel insurance are almost the same as the holiday would cost.  I know I’m no spring chicken and have a few ailments but surely if I travel without insurance someone will make sure I’m OK if anything happens?

A. Pauline, the cost of travel insurance does increase as you get older or have any existing medical conditions, as does the likelihood of something going wrong when you travel, increasing any travel insurance company’s liability.  We would strongly advise against travelling without insurance. If you opt to travel without insurance, you will solely be responsible for any medical bills, legal expenses, travel expenses and third party costs which would be associated with an incident happening while overseas.  These can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars if you’re unlucky enough to have an accident and can result in you being refused treatment or stranded overseas.

Even smaller incidents such as lost luggage or missed travel connections can have a disastrous affect on your holiday plans and budget. When choosing travel insurance, make sure it suits your needs so you’re not paying for something you don’t need, or need something you’re not paying for!  YOURLifeChoices travel insurance checklist should help you get the right cover.

Make sure you get the right cover – travel insurance should at least cover the following:
· any medical expenses which arise from injury or illness
· personal liability expenses
· theft or loss of goods or luggage
· disrupted travel plans such as missed or cancelled flights

Don’t stretch the truth – be totally honest when you buy a policy, make a claim or should your circumstances change.  Insurance companies will investigate what you tell them and even the simplest untruth can render your policy nil and void.

Choose the right policy. If you rarely travel then choose a policy that covers you for the period you are travelling.  For those who travel more frequently, an annual policy may be a cheaper option.  Before you purchase a policy find out the following:
· How much it will cost?
· Is there an excess and can this be reduced? Some policies will offer lower premiums for a higher excess.
· Exactly what is included and more importantly, what isn’t. Some high-value items may need to be separately insured, or better still, left at home.
· Individual item thresholds.  You may only be insured for a fraction of the cost of each item you take with you.
· Contact numbers for your insurer while travelling.
· What paperwork you need to carry with you.
· How do you make a claim and what do you need to support it?

Make sure you know what your policy offers.  If you’re unsure of a clause or policy wording, seek clarification in writing.  Clauses can be confusing and while you may think you know what constitutes an act of God or a natural disaster, your insurance company’s definition may differ.

Once you’ve worked out what you need, you can purchase your travel insurance safe in the knowledge that you’re getting the right cover for you.  Want to purchase travel insurance?  In association with Mondial, YOURLifeChoices is pleased to offer its subscribers the opportunity to purchase the Canstar Cannex award winning Worldcare travel insurance.

Seniors car rental & rules in U.K

YOURLifeChoices subscriber, Peggy, is wondering if her 81 year old husband, who holds a current drivers license will be able to drive in the U.K because of his age.

Q. Peggy
We come from Britain and have lived here for 35 years.  We would like to make a trip to U.K. and my husband is 81 - is there a restriction on the driving age in England.  He drives everywhere in Australia and is in good health. Will there be a problem in England for him to drive on his Australian license?

A. We have checked with our friend Warren Wilson, Marketing Manager of Avis, who tells us in England there is no upper age restriction as long as the license is an unrestricted one.

The other good news is the discounts available for YOURLifeChoices visitors on Avis cars.

Freighter travel

YOURLifeChoices subscriber, John, is keen to travel to Japan in a slightly unusual fashion and would like to know more about how to get there by freighter?

Q. John
I’m not so keen on flying but would love to visit Japan. Are there any freighters which go there which carry passengers?

A. There is a company here in Australia, Freighter Travel, which specialises in such travel and has a wide variety of ships and voyages. For more information, click YOURLifeChoices simple short cut.

Your travel questions answered

Travel is one of the best ways to take time out, relax and see a bit of the world. YOURLifeChoices, with the help of travel expert, Perry Morcombe, answers your travel questions.

Q. Tom’s last minute Gallipoli travel
I have just had a small windfall and would like to use it to travel to Gallipoli for the dawn service.  At this late stage will I still be able to get any packages there?  Are there any last minute deals?  Or if this year is too late, when should I consider booking for next year?

A. There will still be places on Gallipoli tours for the Dawn Service, but it may be difficult finding flights at this late date that still have seats available. Depending on how flexible you are with your flight dates, you may be able to get over there in time. I suggest you contact your travel agent as soon as possible. If you’d prefer to travel next year, it is always wise to book as early as possible, to make sure you get the Earlybird Deals.

Q. Pam’s Kimerleys query
We would like to spend some time travelling the around the Kimberleys but there are so many options our heads are buzzing.  Can you suggest two or three tour companies we should concentrate on?

A. The Kimberleys is an amazing region of Australia, and not visited by the majority of Australians, due to its remoteness. Once again, several tour operators specialise in this region, including APT, Scenic Tours, Evergreen Tours and Travel Marvel. Another option is “small ship cruising”, along the coast, generally between Darwin and Broome, which include land visits to the Kimberleys.

Q. John’s NZ dream trip
I would love to visit NZ but am wary of travelling on my own. Can you advise which operators offer escorted tours to NZ?

A. There are a range of tour operators who organise escorted tours to New Zealand, including Scenic Tours, Evergreen Tours, APT, Travel Marvel, AAT Kings and Grand Pacific Tours. These tours are “escorted” from the time you arrive in New Zealand and clear Customs to when you arrive back at the New Zealand airport. Some “seniors friendly” travel agencies organise tours that are escorted right from Australia back to Australia; for example, Seniors Holiday Travel operates two departures a year with Grand Pacific Tours, that are escorted from Brisbane right back to Brisbane.

Q. Bert’s cruising choice
I have always liked the idea of cruising but am wary of spending that amount of money for something that may not suit me.  Are there any affordable cruises around Australia that would allow me to test the waters?

A. This is an issue that many “non-cruisers” are worried about, which is why both P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises have arranged short “mini-cruises” of two or three nights duration, that allow you to “put your toe in the water”, and see if YOU would enjoy what cruising has to offer. For example, P&O has twenty separate cruises between two and six nights long, between 1st July 2010 and 30th June 2011, departing from Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle or Auckland, so there’s plenty of choice try give it a try, and find out why over 366,000 Australians cruised last year. 

Perry Morcombe owns Seniors Holiday Travel and with his team, are happy to help meet your travel needs.  For more information, visit Seniors Holiday Travel.

Seniors rental & rules in U.K

About Senior subscriber, Peggy, is wondering if her 81 year old husband, who holds a current drivers license will be able to drive in the U.K because of his age.

Q. Dear YOURLifeChoices
We come from Britain and have lived here for 35 years.  We would like to make a trip to U.K. and my husband is 81 - is there a restriction on the driving age in England.  He drives everywhere in Australia and is in good health.

Will there be a problem in England for him to drive on his Australian license?

We would appreciate hearing from you.
Peggy

A. Hi Peggy

We have checked with our friend Warren Wilson, Marketing Manager of Avis, who tells us in England there is no upper age restriction as long as the license is an unrestricted one.
The other good news is the discounts available for YOURLifeChoices visitors on Avis cars.
Happy travelling!
Kaye

Travel assistance for elderly parents

YOURLifeChoices subscriber, Mara, is keen to book a trip for her parents to visit New Zealand. Due to their advancing years, they need some extra assistance.

Q. Mara
I would like to send my mother and mother-in-law on a trip to New Zealand, probably the South Island. They are 84 & 86 years old respectively, and are of fully sound minds but cannot walk long distances. Is it possible to put them on a plane in Sydney, have them met at a New Zealand airport, driven to a hotel and then taken on a fully escorted bus tour of about four-five days, then back to the airport?

If so, can you please give me an idea of the itinerary and the total cost?

A.
We asked NZ specialists, Grand Pacific Tours to answer this question. They offer fully inclusive, escorted tours of New Zealand, although they don’t have any of a four-five day duration.  The shortest they have is ten days.

Passengers are required to complete a booking form which outlines the assistance provided by the company.  To find out more about the tour and associated pricing, check out the itinerary.

Travel insurance within Australia

Travel insurance within Australia may seem like an expensive luxury but YOURLifeChoices subscriber, Mabel, is right to make sure she’s fully covered.

Q. Mabel
When travelling in Australia I have never purchased travel insurance.  Am I foolish not to consider this?

A.
When you need travel insurance is always a tricky one.  As a rule, most policies will not cover medical expenses as these are generally covered under public health provisions.  However, you should consider what would happen if you need to be transported to hospital – do you have ambulance cover?

Domestic policies will cover for additional expenses incurred while in hospital, accidental death, personal liability, expenses incurred due to a delay or cancellation and loss of luggage and personal effects.  Some of these things you may have covered under additional policies such as life insurance or home contents so it is worthwhile considering just what you need.

As an added peace of mind, purchasing travel insurance may be a godsend when faced with unforeseen nasties.

Seniors group travel

Travel shouldn’t stop just because you’re older or have no-one with whom to travel. AboutSeniors subscriber, Ray, is keen to find some travel ideas for his 73-year old single friend.

Q.
I have a question re single seniors. My friend who is 73 has recently been widowed but would like to continue to travel locally and overseas.

Do you have any information re group travel for seniors only?

He is an experienced traveller but would like the opportunity to travel with other people in a similar situation.

A.
It’s important to keep up the things you love when you find yourself alone in life and there are a few travel groups around that can help your friend.  We would suggest getting in touch with Seniors Holiday Travel who arrange tours, within Australia and overseas, and also have a cruise club where they can link up people wishing to avoid single supplements by travelling together.

You can visit their website by clicking here.

We have also posted your details on our Meeting Place, where the very active AboutSeniors community may have some novel travel ideas for your friend

Interstate ambulance cover

YOURLifeChoices subscriber, Arch, is looking to take a trip within Australia but wants to know more about travel insurance and interstate ambulance cover.

Q. Arch
1. Could you advise on travel insurance for travel within Australia.
2. Is Ambulance cover available for NSW residents (age pensioners with private health cover) in Queensland and Northern Territory ?

A.
1. A good place to start with travel insurance is your health insurance provider, especially if you’re travelling within Australia.  They have full details of your any medical conditions and will give you a quote for the additional cover that your policy excludes.
2. The level of ambulance cover you depends on the policy issued by your health insurance provider.

For more information about private health insurance and what is generally covered, visit PrivateHealth.gov.au.

What to consider before travelling overseas

YOURLifeChoices subscriber, Ray, is planning a trip overseas with his wife and has many questions on how best to plan for their trip.

Rather than simply repeat Ray’s question, AboutSeniors has broken down the different components to give you a handy guide to planning an overseas trip.

Passports – before you travel check the visa requirements for the countries you plan to visit.  Many countries will require your passport to be valid for at least six months after you intend to travel

Finding cheap flights – unfortunately, most airlines operate from major airports such as Melbourne, Sydney and Perth and these are the departure points that will offer the cheapest flights.  If your wish to travel from Adelaide, Darwin etc, you will need to be prepared to pay a little more for your flights or travel to a major airport to get a cheaper deal.

Pension payments – if you receive a Centrelink pension, you will need to advise them before you undertake any travel. 

Travel insurance – certain countries, such as the UK, have reciprocal health care arrangements with Australia which will cover you for emergency treatment.  However, these will not cover extended hospital stays, additional travel costs associated with having to extend your stay or the cost of getting you back to Australia should you not be able to make your original flight.  It is imperative that you have adequate travel insurance.

Driving overseas – in most countries you will be able to drive under your own driving license however, some countries will require you to hold an international driving permit.  If you intend to drive while overseas, you should check the requirements of each country you intend to drive in.  You need also to be aware that certain countries drive on the opposite side of the road and will have different driving laws.  Check this out before you go.

Facilities – every nation has different facilities, i.e. washing and toilet facilities.  Depending on where you plan on travelling, it’s a good idea to check online travel guides for information on what facilities are the norm.  If in any doubt, ask the providers of the accommodation you plan on staying in.

Power – many countries have the same voltage as Australia but their power sockets will be different.  A travel adaptor is a useful addition to your travel kit.  The USA has a different voltage and therefore some electrical goods cannot be used while overseas.  In some countries you can hire equipment such as laptops and cameras.

Money – decide what will be your source of money before you go.  Most ATMs will be accessible overseas, providing your financial institution is part of an international banking organisation.  Check with your bank before you go how readily available their ATMs are in the country you are visiting, what charges are applicable when withdrawing money and what is the most cost effective way to access your money overseas.  Some countries now operate chip and pin for authorizing credit card purchases.  Confirm this with your bank before you go.  Prepaid debit cards are also a good way to access your money and travel on a budget.