How Did Brexit Affect Travel Insurance for U.S. Travelers?
Brexit had minimal impact on how travel insurance works for U.S. citizens visiting the United Kingdom and European Union. U.S. travelers do not need to purchase separate insurance policies when visiting the UK and then the EU, or vice versa. A single comprehensive policy will generally cover all destinations included in a single trip, regardless of the UK’s EU membership status.
That said, Brexit did mark the end of automatic alignment between UK and EU travel policies. As a result, travelers should pay close attention to entry requirements and healthcare systems when planning multi-country trips across the UK and Europe.
When Did Brexit Take Effect?
The UK officially exited the European Union on January 31, 2020, followed by a transition period that ended on December 31, 2020. Since January 1, 2021, the UK has fully operated outside of EU structures, including those affecting border control and travel policy.
How Has Travel Insurance Changed Post-Brexit?
While coverage for Americans traveling to the UK or EU remains broadly consistent, there are some administrative differences post-Brexit. For example, medical systems in the UK and EU now operate independently, so policies that rely on local healthcare access may differ between regions.
What Should UK Citizens Consider When Buying Travel Insurance?
Post-Brexit, UK travelers may no longer have reciprocal access to EU healthcare systems. A travel medical insurance plan is recommended for anyone visiting the EU, particularly for trips longer than a few days or involving high-cost destinations.
Several UK-based insurers now offer Brexit-specific protections such as “travel disruption coverage” that addresses delays or cancellations resulting from new border procedures or travel policy shifts.
Do UK Citizens Need a Visa to Visit the EU?
No, UK citizens can still visit most EU countries for tourism or business without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, travel beyond that window may require a visa, depending on the country and purpose of visit.
What Has Changed with UK Passports?
Since 2021, UK passport rules have changed for EU travel. British passports must now have:
At least 6 months of validity remaining on the day of travel
A date of issue less than 10 years before your planned return
These rules apply to travel within the EU and also to associated countries such as Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. They do not apply to travel to Ireland.
Travelers can use the UK government’s passport checker tool to ensure they meet these requirements.
Also note that the EU Pet Passport scheme no longer applies. UK residents traveling with pets to Europe must now follow new procedures. See the full guidance on gov.uk.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article reflects the current post-Brexit travel environment. Travelers should always consult official government websites and review their policy documents carefully. For personalized assistance, contact one of our licensed travel insurance agents.
Once you’ve made the first deposit, it’s time to find travel insurance for your Disney trip. When starting your plan search, you’ll be asked to provide your total trip cost for your Disney vacation – but what does that include?
Most likely, the first time you tally your “total” trip cost for a trip to Disney, you won’t get it right. When purchasing a travel insurance plan, you’ll only be able to cover pre-paid, non-refundable costs. What does that mean? First we need to look at what Disney DOES provide for reimbursement options.
Disney Trip Cost, Refundable Items & Change Limitations
According to a Disney reservation representative, here are the details of reimbursement for a Disney Vacation Package:
You have up to 30 days prior to arrival at Disney to cancel your trip.
Modifications to your trip (change hotel, change dates or meal plan) within 30 days of departure are subject to a $50 change fee.
Canceling your trip within the 30-day window of departure is subject to a $200 penalty.
If you cancel on or after your day of arrival, you forfeit the full amount of your trip.
What does this all mean? GET A SEPARATE TRAVEL INSURANCE PLAN! The cost of a trip to Disney is getting more and more expensive. (Seriously, they have increased their ticket prices again in 2019.) Why risk the possibility of losing the money you invested in your family vacation?
This information also sheds light on what may be considered “insurable” and what isn’t. Below we have listed the travel expenses you’ll most likely have when booking a trip to Disney. With each expense, we clarify how they fit may into your “pre-paid, non-refundable” trip cost to mark when quoting a travel insurance plan.
Disney Package Cost Calculation Should Include Total Amount
As noted above, there comes a point in time when you will no longer be able to get a refund for your Disney Vacation Package. Because of this, you should include the total amount when insuring your Disney vacation. It’s important to note that if you cancel your trip and are provided a refund with fees, your travel insurance may only cover the amount of the incurred fees. You are not able to receive reimbursement for refundable costs. However, if you cancel within the non-refundable period, you’ll be glad you have insured the total cost.
Flight Cost
Several travelers fly on airlines that provide refunds for ticket changes and no cancellation fees. However, if you are traveling on an airline with a non-refundable ticket or does include cancellation fees, you will want to add the flight costs to your travel insurance plan. If you are unsure which type of ticket you purchased, call your airline or review your reservation.
Rental Car Cost
Much like the airline industry, rental car companies have different policies for cancellation. If your rental car company does not provide refunds for pre-paid rentals or has a fee for canceling, you should include the expense in your travel insurance plan. If you aren’t paying until you pick up the car or the rental is refundable with no fees, you shouldn’t add it to your plan.
Additional Entertainment
Orlando is a fun place with so much more to offer than Disney World. Likewise, Anaheim can offer a lot to a family vacation off of the Disney property. Planning to attend any amusement parks, baseball games, or shows on your vacation? If any costs for activities are not included in your Disney Vacation Package, you should double-check whether you would receive a refund. If they are non-refundable and you have an invoice dated prior to your departure, you can add these costs to your total trip cost when buying a travel insurance plan for your Disney trip.
What If You Add to Your Disney Trip Cost After Purchasing a Plan?
After you purchase travel insurance, you may decide to upgrade your room or extend your vacation. Don’t worry! You can increase your total trip cost after you’ve purchased a plan. Sometimes it may increase the premium on the plan – but it can be handled expertly by one of our licensed travel insurance representatives!
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article serves as a general overview of benefits and should only be used for informational purposes. Refer to your individual certificate of insurance for specific coverages, exclusions and benefits. When in doubt, please contact one of our licensed agents for additional assistance.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Packing for a flight can be a challenge due to diminishing room in overhead bins and space in general. We’ve put together a list of tips for not only packing for a flight but also making sure your carry-ons are compact and lightweight. After all, who wants to pay for additional baggage fees when it’s avoidable? Learn how to pack efficiently while saving your precious travel budget.
Airlines have changed since their inception. Everything evolves, but the industry has gone from being a luxurious mode of transportation to flying Greyhound buses filled with sweatpants and headphones. I’m glad smoking was banned, but the ham sandwich dinner option (when there actually is an option) is far from the prime rib dinners of the late 60s. Sure, some airlines offer lavish quarters with lay-down seating, televisions and showers. Yet here we are, spending most of of the time in the middle seat watching a B movie through spotty Wi-Fi as the guy in the window seat asks to exit for the bathroom for the third time in 45 minutes. But then again, the flight only cost $212.00.
Because the cost is so low, we tend to suck it up. That’s the way we’ve convinced ourselves to be okay with minimal leg room and peanuts alongside four hours of confinement. But the minute airlines start dipping into our wallets unnecessarily, we become resentful. It’s difficult to justify paying for that spotty Wi-Fi, and travelers always prefer their bags fly free.
How can you charge a person for flying with stuff? Who could head across the country for two weeks, but not bring anything with them?
So how can airline passengers beat the system? How can travelers give a big “not my bag” gesture to the airlines? Pack smart, pack light, and leverage carry-ons. If you’re like most travelers, you have have no intentions of handing over more money to the airline once you’ve purchased your tickets.
How to Pack for a Flight
1. Buy a Small, Lightweight Carry-On Bag
Treat yourself. Get a fun color, something you’ll love, because this will be your only bag. Make sure the one you select meets TSA guidelines and fits easily in the overhead bin. Samsonite offers high quality luggage for all types of travelers.
2. Don’t Pack Extras
You don’t need that extra jacket; you have a jacket on. Yes, it will be warm enough. You still don’t think so? Then wear the other jacket and leave the lightweight one at home. No, I’m sorry, but if you’re looking to maximize space in your carry-on, you probably can’t bring both.
3. Pack for Half Your Trip
If you’re going for 7 days, pack for 4. Laundry service is typically still cheaper than forking over more money to the airlines.
4. Rubber Bands
You can roll clothes even tighter when you secure them in rubber bands or hair elastics to save even more space in your luggage. But if you plan on rolling your clothing, you should probably master that hotel iron too. For a more organized option, packing cubes can help make the most of your luggage space.
5. Skip the Toiletries
If you’re staying somewhere that doesn’t offer you shampoo, conditioner, soap and face wash, you should step up your travel game. Leave that room in the bag for something else.
6. No Books
Seriously, take a nap or watch a show on the spotty Wi-Fi. Times have changed so now you can easily download a book to your Kindle or tablet. This saves valuable space that bulky books would otherwise monopolize.
7. One Pair of Shoes
You’ll already be wearing one pair of shoes when boarding your flight. How many feet do you have? I know, it seems like a challenge. It’s up to you. For many travelers, it’s not the $35 fee they’re looking to avoid but the principle of being presented low-fares and then hit with non-essential add-ons.
You Decide
Our guide to packing for a flight may just be what your travel game needs. However, if you insist on bringing more than a carry-on on your trip, you may want to consider insuring your baggage to protect against delay, damage, or loss. Whatever you decide, see you in the air! We’ll be in the middle seat enjoying the free pretzel sticks until they take those away too.
Golden Getaways: Exploring Senior-Friendly Destinations
The golden years are some of the best to travel in, to be able to explore new places and discover new cultures. Whilst traveling is enjoyable at any age, not worrying about the stress of work and being able to travel with your grandchildren make some of the best vacations. Whether that be a trip of a lifetime touring the temples of Thailand or relaxing on the beaches of Greece.
Traveling can come with its own challenges, and at InsureMyTrip we’ve created an index that ranks 50 cities worldwide, considering what is important for senior travelers. An overall score for each city allows you to see what we believe is the best city for senior travelers. You can also see how cities rank for each category.
Rank
City / Country
Country
Overall
1
Istanbul,Turkey
Turkey
8.09
2
Athens,Greece
Greece
8.03
3
Rome,Italy
Italy
7.99
4
Bangkok,Thailand
Thailand
7.92
=5
Tallinn,Estonia
Estonia
7.68
=5
Vilnius,Lithuania
Lithuania
7.68
=7
Prague,Czech Republic
Czech Republic
7.61
=7
Riga,Latvia
Latvia
7.61
9
Berlin,Germany
Germany
7.53
10
Helsinki,Finland
Finland
7.50
11
Vienna,Austria
Austria
7.44
=12
Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
7.42
=12
Lisbon,Portugal
Portugal
7.42
=12
Ljubljana,Slovenia
Slovenia
7.42
=15
Madrid,Spain
Spain
7.41
=15
Tirana,Albania
Albania
7.41
17
Copenhagen,Denmark
Denmark
7.34
18
Zagreb,Croatia
Croatia
7.31
19
Shanghai,China
China
7.30
20
London,United Kingdom
United Kingdom
7.29
=21
Hong Kong,Hong Kong *
Hong Kong *
7.27
=21
Oslo,Norway
Norway
7.27
23
Stockholm,Sweden
Sweden
7.23
24
Budapest,Hungary
Hungary
7.21
25
Belgrade,Serbia
Serbia
7.20
26
Melbourne,Australia
Australia
7.19
=27
Warsaw,Poland
Poland
7.18
=27
Zurich,Switzerland
Switzerland
7.18
29
Doha,Qatar
Qatar
7.15
30
Singapore,Singapore
Singapore
7.14
31
Manama,Bahrain
Bahrain
7.10
32
Amsterdam,Netherlands
Netherlands
7.09
33
Seoul,South Korea
South Korea
7.04
34
Bucharest,Romania
Romania
7.02
35
Toronto,Canada
Canada
7.00
36
Minsk,Belarus
Belarus
6.98
37
Auckland,New Zealand
New Zealand
6.91
38
Sofia,Bulgaria
Bulgaria
6.83
39
Tokyo,Japan
Japan
6.78
40
Colombo,Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
6.77
41
Dublin,Ireland
Ireland
6.75
=42
Paris,France
France
6.73
=42
Sarajevo,Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
6.73
44
New York,United States
United States
6.69
45
Buenos Aires,Argentina
Argentina
6.66
46
Bratislava,Slovakia
Slovakia
6.59
47
Luxembourg,Luxembourg
Luxembourg
6.50
48
São Paulo,Brazil
Brazil
6.49
49
San José,Costa Rica
Costa Rica
6.44
50
Antwerp,Belgium
Belgium
6.03
Best City for Senior Travelers
The best city for senior travelers is Istanbul Turkey, with an overall score of 8.09, the average quality of things to do at 4.63/5 stars, and the city has just 2,523 people per km². Boasting Mediterranean beaches and ancient cities Turkey is a great place to visit for travelers wanting a bit of everything.
In second place is the ancient city of Athens, Greece with an overall score of 8.03 and over 180 senior tours on offer and an average population age of 45 this city is great for people looking for a more adventurous vacation. In third place is another ancient city, this time the capital of Italy, Rome, with an overall score of 7.99, the average quality of things to do at 4.65/5 stars.
The remaining cities in our top ten are Bangkok, Thailand (7.92), Tallinn, Estonia and Vilnius, Lithuania (7.68), Prague, Czech Republic and Riga, Latvia (7.61), Berlin, Germany (7.53) and Helsinki, Finland (7.5).
Best Cities for Seniors: Tourism
For some tourism is the most important factor when booking a vacation, whether that be requiring a lot of tours to fill the days or highly rated attractions. Sneaking into first place for the best rated attractions is Vilnius, Lithuania with 4.66/5 stars. Boasting a mix of highly rated museums and gardens, Vilnius has a broad range of attractions to enjoy.
Our cities with the highest number of tours are Athens, Greece with 181, Colombo, Sri Lanka with 121 and Rome, Italy with 107. All these tours are designed for people over seventy and can be short one-day tours or up to a weeklong.
Best Cities for Seniors: Wellbeing
Sometimes things don’t always go to plan when traveling, and if medical care is required it’s important to be in a country with a good healthcare system. From the cities analyzed Seoul, South Korea has the highest score on the Numbeo Healthcare Index with a score of 83. We would recommend always purchasing travel health insurance to avoid any unexpected costs when traveling abroad.
Another important element of wellbeing is how peaceful a country is, feeling safe and wandering around is an important factor in picking a vacation. According to the Global Peace Index, New Zealand is the most peaceful country on our list, with a score of 1.27.
Best Cities for Seniors: Mobility
The elevation of a city can be preferable to those who don’t want to walk up steep hills, from our data the city with the least hills is Amsterdam, Netherlands. The city lies 6.6ft below sea level, some of the inclines in the city are the bridges over the extensive canal system.
Public transport is also an important factor for those with less mobility as, when spanning a whole city, it can be a great way to get from attraction to attraction. Of the cities analyzed the one with the highest number of public transport users is Zurich, Sweden whose network uses a mix of trams, buses, boats and trains.
Best Cities for Seniors: Demographics
It can be important when traveling to blend in with those around you, to be a similar age, and not feel too crowded in a small space. Tokyo, Japan has the highest average population age at 49, meaning that the city is more likely to be designed for older travelers. The least crowded city on our list is Bratislava, Slovakia with 1,297 people per km2, making it a less stressful environment to be in.
Methodology
Each data point consists of the latest research available from reputable sources. The data was standardized using minmax normalization. The minmax normalization value is multiplied by 10 to create a score (between 0-10). A score of 10 is always the best result, while a score of 0 is the worst. Each city is then ranked on their overall average rating across all data points which includes both city-level data and three country-level data point.
InsureMyTrip segmented factors into four categories (Tourism, Well-being, Mobility and Demographics). In addition, we’ve provided an “Overall Rating” for each location. The categories were organized in order of the most important and relevant factors while travelling as a senior. As some seniors may struggle more with mobility issues, this gives these seniors an opportunity to target cities that are solely appropriate for this criterion. On the other hand, seniors may be anxious about their health while traveling, hence “Well-being” gives these seniors an opportunity to solely target high performing cities in this category. Alternatively, the “Overall Rating” gives seniors an encompassing view of which cities are the most appropriate across all relevant factors.
Sources
Quality of Things To Do
The average review for the top things to do in each city Google Travel
Choice of Senior Tours
The number of tours aimed at seniors in each city Tour Radar
Healthcare
An estimation of the overall quality of the health care system Health Care Index
Peacefulness
A measure of peacefulness using 23 indicators such as safety, crime, security and conflict Global Peace Index
Some credit card companies provide trip cancellation, travel medical, or rental car insurance as a “built-in” benefit. The coverage typically only applies if you use the same credit card to book your vacation or rental car and coverage may be limited. While this can seem like an economical way to secure travel insurance, travelers should be aware that coverage is often minimal, cannot be customized, and may not cover everything you need. Learn more about the difference between credit card travel insurance and comprehensive travel insurance.
Through Your Online Travel Agent or Reservation Website
Oftentimes when you work with a travel agent or book your trip through a reservation website online, you’ll see an option to add travel insurance during checkout. Although this may seem like a seamless way to add coverage to your trip, travelers should know exactly what they are paying for. In many cases, those booking travel are pleasantly surprised by the low cost of coverage and think they’re getting a great deal. Unfortunately, the one-size fits all coverage you receive when clicking the box for travel insurance cannot be customized and leaves you unprotected.
Through a Travel Insurance Provider Directly
Travelers can also choose to buy from one of many insurers directly through their website. While these sites can provide some information and recommendations, each provider only offers their own plans. What’s more is that there’s no way to compare similar plans from other companies if you’re only shopping on one site. Buying directly does not allow travelers to compare pricing and coverage levels. In some cases, direct provider plans leave gaps in the coverage but do not offer supplemental plans to accommodate specific customer needs.
Through a Travel Insurance Comparison Site
With travel insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip, travelers can look for plans from the industry’s top providers all in one place. Customers can also compare plans with varying coverage levels and price points to find the best value for their specific trips. Additionally, travelers shopping on InsureMyTrip have access to thousands of reviews written by fellow customers who actually purchased and used the plans. These reviews can be filtered by provider, specific plan, destination, and even whether or not a claim was filed. The impartial feedback from fellow travelers helps you make an informed decision and find the right plan. Furthermore, InsureMyTrip differs from other comparison sites in that our algorithm uses traveler and trip details to recommend the top-rated and most well-matched plans.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article serves as a general overview of benefits and should only be used for informational purposes. Refer to your individual certificate of insurance for specific coverages, exclusions and benefits. When in doubt, please contact one of our licensed agents for additional assistance.
If you’re shopping for travel insurance online using a comparison website, you might be wondering which site is right for you. Sometimes InsureMyTrip is compared to Squaremouth, but how similar are these two sites really?
Which Comparison Site is Best for You?
While the sites offer some similar functionality, InsureMyTrip features:
More years in business
Unbiased comparison of plans from only our trusted partners
Highly responsive and award-winning customer service, which includes licensed travel insurance agents and a one-of-a-kind Anytime Advocates® program that can provide claims assistance
Strong 3rd Party Ratings
InsureMyTrip puts customers first, and the quality of service and responsiveness of the company sets it apart from others comparison sites. After all, how helpful are customer reviews if a company doesn’t respond and resolve customer issues?
Both InsureMyTrip and Squaremouth have over 30k reviews on the 3rd party review site, ResellerRatings. Both companies have excellent overall scores above 4.5 stars.
While Squaremouth has a higher overall rating, InsureMyTrip is proud to rate higher in the specific categories of Customer Service, Reply Back Rate, and Resolution outreach.
(These ratings are based on data from user reviews and are accurate as of the time of publication. Be sure to check ResellerRatings.com for the current comparison between the two sites.)
While we don’t want travelers to run into any issues, we do want them to feel secure in knowing our Customer Care team is available for them six days a week. Our specialized Anytime Advocates® are in constant communication with the insurance providers and happy to help in the event you need to file a claim. This means you can rest assured that you will have our support before, during, and after your trip.
Accredited by the Better Business Bureau
InsureMyTrip is proud to be accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has received an A+ rating.
Squaremouth is also listed on the BBB listings with an A+ rating.
We Won’t Sell You a Plan You Don’t Need
While some comparison sites return results for the plans that will make them the most money, the licensed agents at InsureMyTrip only provide recommendations that meet the customer’s needs. To put it another way, InsureMyTrip won’t sell you a plan you don’t need – even if the “best” plan for them is “no plan at all.”
Squaremouth features several of their own comprehensive plans that often appear first when customers search for a plan. On the other hand, InsureMyTrip only shows comprehensive travel plans from our trusted providers.
While it’s true that InsureMyTrip does offer its own IMT Travel Accident Plan, this plan is used as an add-on for travelers looking to supplement gaps in accidental death and dismemberment coverage. Additionally, we will not recommend this plan over other providers’ plans.
This “customer first” approach is not just some arbitrary tagline. Rather, it’s a philosophy that has been part of the InsureMyTrip mission since its founding in June 2000.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article serves as a general overview of benefits and should only be used for informational purposes. Refer to your individual certificate of insurance for specific coverages, exclusions and benefits. Please contact one of our licensed agents for additional assistance if you have questions. Please note that InsureMyTrip is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Squaremouth or their products. The information presented in this article is true and accurate as of the time of publication.
