Insurance is a vital component of any holiday, but it is a jungle and all too easy to overlook. Don’t make the mistake however of thinking that if a booking is made with your credit card then you will be covered for all aspects of the insurance you might need for you and your travel companions - you wouldn’t want to shoulder the cost of hospital care in the States or an emergency airlift back home. Insurance is no token gesture. Insurance companies have had their effect on the design of hotels, insisting on a whole raft of safety standards ranging from swimming pool markings to balcony balustrades at a certain height and width.

If you book a flight inclusive holiday through a tour operator in the UK or Europe, you will normally be offered an insurance option. These policies may vary quite radically in price, so you might want to make comparisons, but the right coverage should be assured with a tour operator’s policy so it might be worth the differential.

If you are putting together a DIY holiday you should arrange your own coverage. See our Travel Insurance Tips for the Caribbean.