UFO Info Week-End

On its own however this is not enough – you need insurance to be sure of adequate medical

On its own, however, this is not enough – you need insurance to be sure of adequate medical care both in the EU and further afield, and you need to protect your belongings.Generally speaking, for anyone travelling abroad more than once a year, an annual policy is more economic than buying a separate policy for each trip taken. Peter Gerrard, of analyst Insuresupermarket , suggests avoiding tour operators and the High Street banks when you’re buying cover.The best value providers vary according to where you’re travelling, whether you want to insure your entire family and how much cover you need. If you’re travelling in the European Union (EU), start with an E111 certificate, available free of charge from your local post office – it entitles you to free healthcare treatment throughout the EU. The Association of British Travel Agents or the Association of Independent Tour Operators can give you information about how to complain about a holiday, while the Air Transport Users Council is the organisation to contact for information on how to claim compensation for a problem with a flight such as a lengthy delay. Your local Citizens Advice office can also offer help.Also bear in mind that, thanks to a landmark ruling in the courts earlier this year, credit card lenders are now liable for losses you incur overseas – if they relate to something you paid for on your card, if you can’t get a refund elsewhere and if you push hard for your rights.Cut price travel insuranceDon’t leave home without decent travel insurance. So before you leave home, record a new answer phone message on your usual Sim, so that friends and family can get in touch.The only exception to the rule that buying a new Sim is always the cheapest option, says Ball, is if you’re travelling to the US and Canada, where high wholesale rates hit local networks too.

“In North America, T-Mobile offers the cheapest deals on a pay-as-you-go basis,” he says.COMPENSATION IF IT ALL GOES WRONGFinally, if anything goes wrong while you’re on holiday this summer, don’t be afraid to claim a refund from your travel company. “With a new Sim, you’ll pay between 20p and 40p a minute to phone home – and less to receive a call – compared with up to £1 a minute on your usual network.”Inserting a new Sim card – available from sites such as www.sim4travel , www.0044.co.uk and www.gosim – will mean your phone number changes. But the cost of making and receiving mobile phone calls while abroad is often extortionate. So much so that the European Commission now plans to crack down on “roaming” charges, the fees you pay when your phone uses an overseas network.Some networks are already cutting prices ahead of the EC action, but in the meantime, investigate other ways to save.

Anthony Ball, managing director of price comparison site One Compare, says the cheapest way to save money on call charges is to buy a different Sim card before you travel – either a card specifically for the country to which you are headed, or a worldwide card.”You will more than halve your bill this way,” Ball says. com, says: “Booking in advance is by far the best way, not only to get the best rates, but also to give you a chance to read all the terms and conditions.”LOWER CALL CHARGES WHEN PHONING HOME Most holidaymakers now take their mobile phones on vacation, if only so they can be contacted in case of emergency. Equally, don’t assume the car on offer from your holiday operator will be decent value.Instead, book in advance after you’ve used a site such as Travelsupermarket. com, which has access to a wide range of car rental firms, to compare prices.Chris Nixon, a manager at Travelsupermarket. “Many overseas retailers will now allow you to pay a bill in sterling, or the currency of your choice,” White explains.

“But they are entitled to put their own loading charge on top of the exchange rate and this can often be as high as 4 per cent – check before you pay this way.”BETTER VALUE CAR HIRECaptive audiences often end up paying through the nose, so don’t leave it until you arrive at your destination to arrange car hire if you need a vehicle while you’re on holiday. Its credit card is also excellent value for overseas spending, with no loading or transaction fees, though there is £1.50 fee for cash-machine withdrawals.Nick White, head of personal finance at price comparison service uSwitch, warns that one extra trap that could trip travellers up is dynamic currency conversion. There may also be separate fees to pay for taking cash out of an ATM, or for paying for goods and services on a card.Nationwide Building Society is the only UK current account provider not to make any of these charges wherever you use its debit card in the world. Marks & Spencer and the Post Office are invariably close to the top of best-buy tables, Taylor says.Moneyfacts suggests avoiding the high street banks and tour operators when you’re changing money.

Specialist exchange services may be better value, especially in areas where several bureaux de change are competing for business.SPENDING ONCE THEREMany people no longer take currency with them on holiday, relying, instead, on credit and debit cards to withdraw cash from ATMs and to pay bills. Paying on plastic, you don’t have to worry about exchange rates – everyone gets the wholesale rate charged by Visa or Mastercard, usually pretty good value – but there are other charges to watch out for carefully.In particular, check your provider’s loading fee, a charge of 2.75 per cent or more added on top of the exchange rate, which goes straight into its pocket. To search the market, calculate the total cost of the foreign currency you want to buy, and bear in mind that the same deal may not be available the following day.”While no single provider is always cheapest, two companies regularly perform well in Moneyfacts’ surveys. Don’t be afraid to haggle – many companies will drop prices in order to get your business.CHEAPER FOREIGN CURRENCYThe best deals on foreign exchange differ according to where you’re going and when you’re buying the cash.Lisa Taylor, of financial analyst Moneyfacts, says: “Don’t only think about commission charges – you also need to take into account exchange rates. Using Teletext, the TV-based information service, to identify who’s got what, you can play off different operators against each other. “If you can hold off until eight to 10 weeks before departure, or later still, then the bargains flood in,” he says. “But it means choice is limited, so it’s only for those with flexibility about when and where they want to travel.”For everyone else, booking as early as possible – ideally at least nine months in advance – is the best way to get a discount.Once you’ve identified the holiday you want, bear in mind that several tour operators may offer it.