Peter Gerrard, Insurance Expert
With many schools now having broken up, the mass holiday exodus is about to begin. From travel insurance to cancelling the milk, we provide that all important checklist to ensure you don't forget anything or find that your holiday costs more than you bargained for.
1. Book travel insurance
It's essential but so many people risk disaster by travelling without insurance. It's easy to forget, particularly if you book a last minute holiday or are going away in the UK, but you can buy travel insurance online up to the day before your departure date. It's also inexpensive - a family of four could get a European annual multi-trip policy for as little as £35.50 from Flexicover Direct. This deal is only available through moneysupermarket.com. Alternatively, a single trip policy for a two week holiday in Spain would cost £13.68 from Flexicover Direct and Top Dog. Again, the Flexicover policy is a moneysupermarket.com exclusive.
So if you haven't already got cover, visit our travel insurance channel now and compare more than 450 policies. When comparing quotes it's important to look at the level of cover being offered as well as the price. It may be worth paying a few pounds more for a policy that offers greater cancellation or lost baggage cover.
2. European Health Insurance Cards if travelling in the EU
If you're travelling within the EU don't forget your EHIC (previously E111). If you're a UK resident you are entitled to medical treatment that becomes necessary, at a reduced cost or sometimes free, when temporarily visiting a European Union country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and most travel insurance policies will waive your excess for any medical claims if you hold a EHIC. This should be used as well as travel insurance, not in place of. Click here to find out more.
3. Cancel milkman and newspapers
Not only will your milk go off and you'll be wasting money on something you don't use, it will show you're not home, which is a perfect invitation to burglars.
4. Check all windows and doors are locked
If you don't lock up properly and your home is broken into, your house insurance claim could be invalid. Similarly, if you have an alarm, don't forget to switch it on - if you've declared that you have one to your insurer, you will be expected to use it.
5. Lock up expensive garden furniture.
BBQ's and garden furniture should be locked up in a shed or garage before going away. If anything is stolen that was not locked away an insurance claim may be rejected.
6. Check car insurance
If you're taking the car away, check you're fully covered in the country you're heading to. Some insurers downgrade policies from fully comprehensive in the UK to third party abroad.
Also, check whether your breakdown cover protects you if you're abroad and if it doesn't upgrade it to one that does - relaying your car back from France won't be cheap. Our breakdown comparison tool compares more than 50 policies.
7. Contact your bank and credit card provider
If you are planning on using a credit or debit card abroad contact your provider and let them know where you are travelling to and how long you'll be away for. While it's not obligatory to inform your card provider when you are going abroad, a growing number are opting not to authorise unusual foreign transactions in case they are fraudulent. With overseas card fraud on the increase, this is a growing concern for banks so to save the embarrassment of having your card rejected, it's well worth making a phone call before you travel.
8. Do you need vaccinations?
Some countries require you to be vaccinated against certain diseases before travelling. If you don't have these and you become ill, a subsequent travel insurance claim may be rejected.
9. Check travel documents
Are all the family's passports valid? Do you need a Visa to gain entry to the country you're travelling to? It's worth also making a few photocopies of your passport and Visa, leave one at home with someone you trust.
10. Money, money, money
Don't buy your money at the airport as exchange rates are poor. A number of providers such Online FX and ICE offer online services where you can order your currency over the internet and have it delivered to home or work, or arrange to collect it from a bureau de change. If you do this you will get a much better rate of exchange - online providers also tend to offer better exchange rates than high street banks and travel agents. For more information on companies that offer an online service, visit our travel money section.
11. Book airport parking in advance
Long stay gate prices can be as high as £200 a week at the major airports. However, if you book before you go, you can cut the cost of parking significantly. For example, you can get a week's parking at Gatwick for £54 from Simply Parking or FHR. Visit our airport parking pages to identify the best deals at the airport you'll be flying out of.
12. Check with your airline for baggage allowance
Although most airports have lifted the ban on how many pieces of hand luggage you can take on board, there is still a size limit of 56cm x 45cm x 25cm per bag. Most airlines have their own operational policies governing the number of items of hand baggage which may be taken in to the aircraft cabin, so check before you go. Also, it's worth double checking the weight limit of suitcases.
Some low cost airlines charge per item for all baggage you take. Check online before you go as it may be cheaper to book and pay for baggage over their site rather than waiting until you get to the airport.
You should also check what the weight limit is as this can vary depending on the airline and excess baggage costs can be high - Ryanair, for example, allows 15kg per passenger and if your case is over the weight limit you could be charged an extra £12 per kilo.
The flight comparison tool on travelsupermarket.com includes all costs in the 'top booking tips section' of each search result.
And remember, you still can't take liquids in your hand luggage if they exceed 100ml. All liquids in your hand luggage must be transferred into a clear plastic bag.
13. Contact your mobile operator
Get in touch with your network and find out how much calls will cost while you're away or if you can change on to their international tariff for cheaper calls. If you're travelling in a few countries it may be worth getting a global SIM card or a local SIM if you're planning on spending a long time in one area.
For more information visit our international roaming section.
14. Don't forget the travel plug adapter
15. Make sure pets are cared for
Book them into kennels or a cattery or get someone you trust to look after them.
Have your say: Do you have any additional tips for people heading off on holiday, or maybe you've learnt the hard way that not taking travel insurance or forgetting to close a window can be a costly mistake? Visit our forum and share your views with other members.
Disclaimer: Please note that any rates or deals mentioned in this article were available at the time of writing.
Relevant Links
