Summer is upon us, with 58 million Britons a year heading for sunnier overseas holidays, a good deal of them do not bother to take travel insurance. Market research has shown that most consumers feel that home insurance and other types of insurance are sufficient. They seldom are. This article highlights things to bear in mind when on the search for suitable travel insurance.

A lot of holidaymakers take part in hazardous activities like bungee jumping or horse riding. Before you embark on any hazardous activity check the wording of your travel policy, many insurers will not provide such cover on standard policies. For insurers that do provide cover for such activities, it is unlikely they will cover liability and personal accident, which should be provided by the company hosting the activity.

Cancellation is one of the biggest risks when preparing for a holiday and always comes up in claims against travel insurers. It is vital that you start the policy a few weeks before you actually depart for your holiday, otherwise a claim would not be possible. Holidaymakers can sometimes be absent minded or just plain unfortunate on their break, thieves and pickpockets make it their business to scour the streets and popular destinations for travellers. If you are unfortunate enough to be a victim of a theft, report it to the police who will be able to provide a statement to show your insurer when you make the claim.

By leaving your research to the last minute, you can sometimes pick the wrong policy, one that does not meet your holiday requirements. Before you buy a policy consider how many times you are likely to travel in a year. If you do take more than one holiday a year it is prudent to buy an annual multi-trip policy. Although the total cost is higher, spread across the number of days you actually spend on holiday, an annual multi-trip is far cheaper.

As with any insurance contract, lying is not recommended at all which is why disclosing pre-existing medical conditions is a must. The contract between you and the insurer is based on 'utmost good faith'. This means you have a duty to disclose anything that may affect the granting of a policy, any exclusions or its price. For example, If you fail to tell the insurer that you had major surgery and go on and take part in a hazardous activity like mountaineering or bungee jumping, you may well find your medical claim is not valid if you fall ill.

If a medical problem does flare up or a new one crops up, it is vital to get the correct paperwork in order for medical claims. For medical claims in Europe, make sure you have a European Health Insurance Card. The card qualifies travellers for the same medical treatment as local residents.

Your policy will tell you what steps your insurer requires you to take in a medical emergency. Follow them to the letter and ensure that any doctor or hospital knows that you have travel insurance with medical cover.