A good comprehensive travel insurance policy will give you thorough cover when travelling, but just because you have it doesn’t always mean you’re completely covered for every eventuality. So, how do you make sure your policy covers what you need? Here are five tips.

1. Get it early

If you’re waiting until the last minute to get a policy you may be missing out on one of the most important benefits of comprehensive travel insurance: coverage against trip cancellation or delays! If you buy a policy as soon as your travel plans are confirmed, you can be confident of getting your money back if your flight is cancelled - whether it’s due to natural disasters such as typhoons or earthquakes at your destination, or even an outbreak of contagious disease. It also covers you for trip disruption or postponement in case of sickness or accidents, or events affecting the airline or airport. You can also get your money back if your trip is cancelled due to insolvency of the airline or travel agency.

None of these benefits apply if you cut it too close, however, so you’re better off shopping around early. You’ll also have the luxury of time so you're better able to compare rates and benefits to find which is best.

2. Get covered for the entire length of your trip

Too many people only get a policy for the time they are overseas, thus missing out on cover for travel mishaps that occur around the time of the flights - including flight delays, lost or damaged luggage, and the like. It’s better to make sure that your policy includes the entire duration of your travel, including flights to and from your destination, as well as flights in between.

3. Read your policy carefully

As with any agreement, it’s always best to read the fine print. Benefits and coverage vary from policy to policy and differ from insurer to insurer. Even if you’ve bought the exact same type of comprehensive travel insurance from the same provider, always make sure you read the fine print to make sure you have everything you need. This is simply because not only do policies change, so do you!

4. Make sure you declare your medical conditions

Many people think this can be counterproductive and may disqualify them from claims they could otherwise make, but the truth is, honesty is always the best policy. Many policies cover some pre-existing medical conditions, so declaring them may actually ensure you get the kind of help you need should you fall ill.

5. Be prudent

Just because you have comprehensive travel insurance doesn’t give you carte blanche to throw caution to the wind. Just make sure your policy includes cover for everything you plan to do – including extreme activities. Always check your coverage for exclusions.