Thursday 26 February 2015

Travellers – beware when booking!

TRAVEL specialists are warning holidaymakers to watch out for six “sins” to avoid when booking their get-away. 

The tips come from holiday claims lawyers at BL Claims Solicitors, who say couples and families can often be so excited when booking their summer breaks that they forget to pay attention to vital details.

Lauren Haas, a solicitor at BL Claims Solicitors, www.blclaims.co.uk, has identified the sins that holidaymakers should try to avoid:

Not checking the details of travel insurance – We all know we need travel insurance – but are you sure you’ve picked one that covers you properly? Check your policy actually covers the country you are visiting – for example, Turkey and Egypt are not in the European Union., so you’ll need extended cover. Check what you plan to do, too: ballooning, diving or quad-biking trips may require extra insurance.

Having out-of-date documents – Ensure your passport is up-to-date and that you have all the visas you need. Don't just rely on your tour operator or booking agent telling you all is well. If you are not allowed to fly and you have out-of-date documents, it is very difficult to bring any claim for compensation.

Not being wise to scams – If you are booking a holiday home over the internet, be aware that some sites simply act as agents for the actual owners and are not liable for any fraud or anything that goes wrong. In some cases, people have fallen victim to fraudsters by booking a holiday home that simply doesn’t exist. Watch out for requests for payment to be sent by Western Union or similar companies, as they are commonly used by con artists. It may be worth taking out insurance to guard against fraud.

Not having a backup – While abroad, it pays to keep a copy of your passport and travel documentation in your hotel or holiday villa. If you are pickpocketed, it is much easier to deal with the aftermath.

Picking the wrong card – You might want to consider paying any amounts over £100 by credit card. They offer an extra layer of protection and rights over a debit card or cash payment.

Not thinking ahead – While many excursion providers abroad are legitimate, if you are booking an excursion with a local company and pay in cash, then the rights and protections you have are not going to be equivalent to booking the excursion with a UK tour operator. Book ahead if you can.



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Picture Credit: By Feliciano Guimarães from Guimarães, Portugal (Anonymous walking shadows  Uploaded by tm) via Wikimedia Commons

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