Insurance

The Post Office Travel Insurance

March 11, 2024

If you planning an upcoming vacation, business trip, or journey abroad? You must add travel insurance to your plans because planning for unforeseen circumstances is very important.

Post Office Travel Insurance is a top provider of trip protection in the UK. With different plan levels and add-ons to select from, they aim to offer affordable coverage for common travel troubles.

But how does their pricing, customer service, and claims process compare to alternatives? This post will explain who Post Office travel insurance suits best.

Post Office Travel Insurance

As their name suggests, Post Office Travel Insurance policies are offered by the UK’s Post Office company – most recognized for postal services but also for providing various financial products. They market both single and annual trip travel cover to UK residents headed overseas.

Benefits touted include worldwide protection (excluding Cuba, Iran, North Korea, etc.), a range of policy options, add-ons like cruise and gadget cover and ease of both purchasing and later claims processes. Reviews also praise their strong customer service standards.

But are Post Office policies really all they’re cracked up to be? Let’s weigh some notable pros and cons travellers highlight from first-hand experiences.

Coverage Offered

Post Office delivers a range of core travel coverage benefits across a few main plans types:

Essentials Plan – Emergency medical and dental expenses while traveling, hospital benefit payments, canceled trip coverage due to specific scenarios

Standard Plan – Adds trip interruption and delays, legal expenses abroad, loss of income, winter sports rental protection

Premier Plan – Further includes golf equipment rental, business equipment rental, cruise cabin confinement

Add-Ons – Upgrades like excess waiver, 100 day upgrade, and extended trip duration upgrade

Some key exclusions are pre-existing conditions without purchasing additional rider coverage, most participation in professional athletics, and using mopeds or motorcycles.

Overall a fairly inclusive range of trip protection for common mishaps travelers encounter worldwide.

Cost Breakdown of Post Office Plans

Exact Post Office travel insurance pricing varies significantly based on:

Age of travelers
Trip destination
Duration
Total prepaid trip cost

That said, estimated costs are:

Essentials – Starts around £15 per person
Standard – Approximately £35 per person
Premier – Roughly £65+ per traveler

Savings opportunities include:

Children insured free with parent’s plan purchase
Up to 25% discount for over 65 seniors
£10 discount per traveler for groups of 4+ people

Overall, Post Office remains very affordable especially for European destinations compared to big name US providers.

Claims Process Details

If an incident occurs during travels that leads you to file a claim, Post Office makes the process fairly smooth:

Online claim form submission with supporting documents
Payment and communications delivered within 14 days for routine claims
Ability to escalate claim to Post Office management for review if initial denial

The two week turnaround represents a faster payout than industry averages. And should a claim be denied, having management reassess shows Post Office takes customer satisfaction seriously.

Customer Service Experience

In terms of supporting travelers, Post Office earns good marks catering to customer needs:

Customer service available by phone, web chat, email
Extended hours from 8am-8pm for trip insurance help
Ability to speak directly with representatives for claim inquiries
Overall professional responses and average case resolution time of less than 72 hours

Travelers needing assistance receive quick, thorough answers from Post Office’s travel insurance team.

Comprehensive Protection for Different Travel Needs

Analysis from Forbes emphasizes Post Office Travel Insurance providing extensive, customizable coverage no matter where or how you’re vacationing including:

Overseas emergency medical costs: Up to £10 million
Cancellation or curtailment due to unforeseen events
Delayed or lost baggage – £2,500 limit
Personal liability coverage up to £2 million
24/7 emergency helpline access

You can also add extra protections based on your specific trip type (cruise, winter sports etc). Such flexibility to fine-tune policies is a plus for many.

Policy Discounts and Perks for Certain Travelers

Over 65s: Unlike some other insurers, Post Office actually offers lifetime coverage with no upper age limit on seniors for single trip policies. This reassures older adventurers.
Students: Verified full-time students enjoy 15% savings off published premiums. Budget-friendly for backpackers.
Kids Go Free: Children under 16 get free protection when travelling with fee-paying parents. Helpful for family getaways.

Such concessions make it an affordable choice for different demographics headed abroad.

Downsides and Exclusions To Note

However, Post Office Travel Insurance does still come with some limitations explored below.

Pre-Existing Health Conditions May Not Be Covered

Like most providers, their policies do not cover claims arising from pre-existing illnesses and associated medications/treatments unless specially declared and approved beforehand at additional premium cost.

This causes major issues for travelers with chronic diseases suddenly needing overseas medical care. Always clarify before assuming you have full health cover.

High Age Loading Costs on Annual Policies

While over 65s get lifetime coverage on single trip plans, Post Office Travel Insurance annual policies do charge steep age loading fees making it cost-prohibitive the older you get.

For instance, customers report premiums for yearly multi-trip cover nearly doubling once they cross 70. Factor this in.

Excess Waivers Come at Added Price

The compulsory policy excess you must pay out-of-pocket before cover kicks in starts from £50 for Economy cover, £35 for Standard and £25 for Premier options.

Waiving excesses entirely requires paying even higher premiums – an unnecessary burden some see as “almost penalizing customers”.

Often More Restrictions Than Expected

Reviews also highlight how Post Office Travel Insurance policies can have more exclusions than initially apparent. This only becomes clear when unfavorably adjusting claims later.

For example, gadget cover may be invalid if valuables are “left unattended”. So scrutinize the fine print diligently beforehand.

Is Post Office Travel Insurance Recommended?

To conclude, Post Office Travel Insurance offers reasonably-priced protection for different travel needs with the key advantages of:

Comprehensive worldwide cover
Tiered policy types
Lifetime coverage for seniors
15% student discounts

However, their policies aren’t flawless – especially around pre-existing health conditions, age loading costs and hidden exclusions.

Ultimately, we suggest Post Office Travel Insurance most for:

Young, healthy adventurers wanting extensive safeguards on a budget
Older travelers still enjoying life beyond 65
Typical holidaymakers wanting mid-range cover

But we’d advise cautious consideration if you have existing medical issues or want easier excesses and claim processes relative to premiums paid.

Conclusion

while not the most robust for adventurous treks globally, Post Office travel insurance affords dependable protection for short European excursions without breaking the bank.

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