Barclays Travel Pack

[GSPG]

I really don’t know why.

We have this insurance and have used the part to do with roadside assistance, and all worked okay.

 

But when it comes to travel, we have been taking out annual insurance with other companies.

 

I think the ‘problem’ is, we complete these policies and know exactly what’s in them. It’s all current and up todate. We feel comfortable.

 

The Barclays insurance carries 5 star Defacto rating (is that good?), so should we trust this Barclays insurance over all others and stop wasting £150 a year taking out other policies?

[rosevew]

On 12/22/2023 at 10:37 PM, GSPG said:

I really don’t know why.

We have this insurance and have used the part to do with roadside assistance, and all worked okay.

 

But when it comes to travel, we have been taking out annual insurance with other companies.

 

I think the ‘problem’ is, we complete these policies and know exactly what’s in them. It’s all current and up todate. We feel comfortable.

 

The Barclays insurance carries 5 star Defacto rating (is that good?), so should we trust this Barclays insurance over all others and stop wasting £150 a year taking out other policies?

Barclays policy doesn't cover intinerary changes though. We've got it and think that's the biggest negative for us. However, I wouldn't take out another policy as well. At present we are deciding whether to cancel the travel pack as cruise insurance plus breakdown cover is cheaper but then again, Barclays is set up and no hassle!

[GSPG]

On 12/26/2023 at 11:18 AM, rosevew said:

Barclays policy doesn't cover intinerary changes though. We've got it and think that's the biggest negative for us. However, I wouldn't take out another policy as well. At present we are deciding whether to cancel the travel pack as cruise insurance plus breakdown cover is cheaper but then again, Barclays is set up and no hassle!

Thank you.

Yes, we are undecided. It’s like if one policy doesn’t cover you for something, the other might do! That ‘s why I might keep it, in case one fails in some way with all the small print or just one is better than the other in certain circumstances.

 

[Ladyshopper23]

We have the Barclays Travel Pack, and have just had to make a claim (should have been on a 2 week cruise over New Year but had to cancel due to emergency hospital admission and surgery). Very easy process, and quick pay out (once my husband filled out all the forms, he initially missed one!). All they needed was the cruise cancellation invoice and my hospital discharge letter. Also claimed for the hotel the night before as it was a non-refundable rate, and an excursion we'd booked (not via the ship) that wasn't refundable. All paid out for in 4 days.

I did take out another annual policy just for missed ports. However, I didn't disclose any medical conditions at all, so it wouldn't have been valid for any of that kind of stuff, and I did it just in my name rather than a joint policy. It cost me £27 for the year (probably because I disclosed no medical conditions!) and I got £11 cashback going through a cashback site, so basically £16 for the year.

It would give me £100 per missed port, and I would have been able to claim on it had we actually gone on our New Years cruise, as one of the ports was indeed cancelled.

Having now had experience of actually claiming through Barclays Travel Pack, I can't recommend it enough. It's a shame that they now add a charge for some pre-existing conditions (they used to be free, but this changed last year) but even so, at £12.50 a month plus a charge of £110 for both our conditions, it's an absolute bargain (prior to this we were paying a minimum of £450 a year for an annual policy). It's going up to £14.50 a month in February, but still great value.

I did also use the breakdown cover shortly after taking out the policy - car wouldn't start and they came out and replaced the battery (which luckily didn't cost me anything as the previous owner had bought it through the RAC and it was still under warranty).

[Ladyshopper23]

Just another positive to Barclays Travel Pack. I phoned today to update my pre-existing conditions as per my illness that required surgery in December. However, because I'd already done a pre-existing conditions certificate in August and paid the extra for these, that lasts for a year. Anything else you're diagnosed with during that year is automatically covered by that certificate, so I don't need to declare it until I renew in August.

 

The lady I spoke to offered to put a note on my file that I'd called in to disclose it (probably because I double checked as couldn't quite believe it!), but reassured me that I'm covered. I actually think that's really good, as I know people with annual policies who've had problems with this, when something crops up during the year, they've phoned to declare it, and been charged extra, or been told it can't be covered.

[Harters]

1 hour ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

people with annual policies who've had problems with this, when something crops up during the year, they've phoned to declare it, and been charged extra, or been told it can't be covered.

Certainly been something of an issue with us with All Clear. It is already expensive for both of us (at around a total of £1300) and the addition of a couple of small new "existing conditions" have added a few quid each time we've phoned. The big surprise was just how much the addition of six days cover for the USA and Caribbean, for a transatlantic cruise, would add. We knew there would be a significant increase but never thought it would double the £1300. 

[Ladyshopper23]

1 hour ago, Harters said:

Certainly been something of an issue with us with All Clear. It is already expensive for both of us (at around a total of £1300) and the addition of a couple of small new "existing conditions" have added a few quid each time we've phoned. The big surprise was just how much the addition of six days cover for the USA and Caribbean, for a transatlantic cruise, would add. We knew there would be a significant increase but never thought it would double the £1300. 

Have you considered one of the banks? We bank with Barclays anyway, hence why we got the travel pack, but I phoned up the insurance company first to get a quote of how much extra it would be (at the time, Barclays didn't charge for pre-existing conditions, but unfortunately this has now changed. Still very reasonable though).
 

I've read of other people phoning up Nationwide for the same reason, then on finding it very reasonable opening an account to get the insurance.

 

It would certainly be worth considering given how much your annual policy is costing you. It's worldwide insurance and covers cruising, so at £14.50 a month (Barclays) plus the £110 we paid on top for pre-existing conditions, it's extremely reasonable.

[Harters]

1 hour ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

Have you considered one of the banks?

Yes. We bank with NatWest and used to get free basic travel insurance through them (plus cost for pre-existing issues). Then they pulled the plug and simply declined to insure us any longer (nothing had chnaged about our medical condition). We've had insurance with Staysure before moving to All Clear as a better bet than Staysure, after shopping around with the companies recommended on the Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert website.. This next cruise will, almost certainly, be our last trip involving the States so, when we come to renew, it should be back to a more manageable cost. 

Edited February 8 by Harters