Step 1
Start with your existing blankets
Read the guarantees associated with your payment card, your health supplement, your home insurance and bookings already made. Note who is covered, for what time and under what conditions. A guarantee may depend on the means used to pay for all or part of the trip.
Step 2
Distinguish insurance and assistance
Insurance is awarded on contract and on presentation of proof; assistance organizes or coordinates a service provided for in the contract. Check the procedure before making any advance payments, contacts available from abroad and situations that require prior agreement.
Step 3
Compare the really useful guarantees
Look at medical expenses, repatriation, cancellation, interruption of stay, luggage, civil liability and activities performed. Compare the limits, deductibles, exclusions and accepted reasons rather than the only trade name of the formula.
Step 4
Prepare your payment methods
Check with your bank for fees, ceilings, use areas and validation procedures. Take a second solution stored separately. A few species can be useful depending on the destination, without constituting a single reserve or too large.
Step 5
Check each conversion
Before validating a payment or withdrawal, read the currency, amount and fee presented. If you are offered a conversion, compare it to the local currency payment and your bank terms. Keep receipts until the record is checked.
Step 6
Build a simple action plan
Record the contract number, assistance and opposition contacts, and the declaration procedure. Keep protected copies in two separate spaces. In case of an incident, contact the competent body promptly and request a precise list of the evidence to be kept.
Step 7
Putting into practice: An activity added to the stay
Ask if the contract covers exactly the activity, the regions and the duration. Note assistance, advance fee, ceilings and exclusions; keep the accessible contact without the main phone.
Putting comparison into practice
Ask a specific question about a specific service
Suppose your program combines non-modifiable booking, accompanied activity and rental. Ask for a written answer on each situation, rather than a simple "covered".
Educational example of preparation, without commercial offer or testimony. Adapt the situations to your journey and to the answers of the competent interlocutors.
On a small screen, scroll the table horizontally to read the three columns. On the keyboard, use the arrows after selecting the array.
| Situation to be considered | What it involves | Information to be obtained |
|---|---|---|
| Amended reservation | A date must be changed before departure. | Provide the relevant reason, exclusions and documents under the contract. |
| Planned activity | A service has its own characteristics and its supervision. | Name the exact activity and request the corresponding contractual terms. |
| Payment or deposit | The claimant seeks a specific means of settlement. | Confirm accepted card, availability required and contact person in case of problem. |
How to use answers
Keep the answer with the contract to which it relates. Guarantees, the organization of assistance and the requirements of the seller must be verified separately, without deducting one from the other.
Take the time of a last check
Before you validate, read the names, dates, locations, schedules and details of the services included. Do this check calmly on the final summary. An error identified before payment is usually much simpler to correct than after confirmation.
Always review the final conditions displayed by the claimant before paying and keep a copy of the summary. They only describe the reserved offer, the options for modification and the responsibilities of each party.
To be checked before departure
Official sources
These pages allow to update information that can evolve. Consult with the authorities of your destination and the bodies competent for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers before deciding
Does the credit card still include travel insurance?
No. The guarantees depend on the contract, the card, the people covered and often the payment made with this card. Ask your bank for the package leaflet and check the conditions before departure.
What difference between insurance and assistance?
Insurance provides compensation according to the contract; assistance organises defined services, such as orientation or repatriation. Both may have exclusions and require prior agreement.
How many ways to pay take away?
Two solutions kept separately offer useful continuity in the event of loss, blocking or breakdown. Check the ceilings and charges with each issuer.
Should we pay in euros or in local currency?
Compare the total amount and rate presented with the bank's fees. A conversion proposed on site can add a cost; only validate after reading the currency and final amount.