By: Bryte Insurance’ Head of Travel Anrieth Symon

It’s school holidays for many South Africans and peak summer holiday season in some of our favourite northern hemisphere holiday destinations, notably the UK, USA and European favourites like Italy and France. Escaping the South African winter (albeit for a few days or weeks) and enjoying a dream family vacation cannot be more tempting. But international travel is complex at the best of times. So, for those of us who are fortunate to take advantage of this break, here are the top 4 tips, courtesy of Bryte, to help you maximise enjoyment and minimise the hassle:

1.       Coming unstuck

Unexpected costs and unwanted surprises are always a risk when you’re criss-crossing the globe. This time last year, global travel was fairly chaotic. Airports and airlines were navigating their share of the COVID lockdown chaos with cancelled flights, congestion and delays a common occurrence. Thankfully, global travel has been far more predictable in recent times but that’s not to say that things can’t suddenly go awry.

A cancelled/delayed flight may have serious knock-on effects: travellers could miss connecting flights or lose out on accommodation they have already paid for. These situations are stressful enough and when you add extra costs and the inconvenience of reorganising schedules, travel insurance can make the greatest difference, turning that frown upside down. It’s important however to select your insurance cover as soon as possible to ensure you are protected if cancellations occur before your departure date.

The family that travels together…

A good travel insurance policy should cover the whole family. Be sure to list the names of each traveller when purchasing cover to ensure that everyone (including children from the age of 3 months old) benefit from cover.

2.       Break a leg, break the bank

The 2022 Bryte Travel Index – a compelling benchmark in terms of South African travel preferences and claims trends - shows just how costly medical expense claims can be when seeking treatment overseas. While many may never need any medical care, those that do can end up spending hundreds of thousands of rands. A trip to the emergency department, brief hospitalisation or even urgent dental care could mean landing yourself in a lifetime of debt. So, for quality emergency care that doesn’t break your bank, ensure you have a comprehensive travel insurance plan.

3.       One man’s treasure…

Travelling with kids often involves packing (expensive) gadgets and gizmos to keep them (and yourself) entertained. Losing that iPads or portable gaming device can throw a real spanner in the works. So too can losing your expensive cameras, laptops and worse – your entire suitcase.

Some basic measures to protect your personal items can go a long way.

• Never pack valuables in your check-in luggage. The same goes for items you will urgently need, such as medication. As the Bryte Travel Index confirms, loss of valuable items or damage to luggage is a small but ever-present risk.
• Take note of how your travel insurance applies to lost or stolen items. There may be a per item limit – i.e., your insurance pays a maximum rand value per item lost or damaged. It is therefore strongly advisable to consider personal items insurance for valuables such as phones, jewellery or that designer handbag.
• Stroll the riviera minus your finest. It may be tempting to pack your finest jewellery to wear on the French Riviera or to a New York Broadway premier. But perhaps it would be more prudent to keep those items safely stored at home.

4.       SPF 100 - Summer fun protection factor

In recent weeks, the mystery of the lost Titan submersible – and catastrophic discovery - gripped the world’s attention. While most of us breathe a sigh of relief, assured we won’t meet such an unfortunate fate (seeing we aren’t able to fork out R4.5 million to venture the depths of the ocean), more modest extreme pursuits, such as riding jet skis, water skiing or scuba diving is not without risk.

Before you slap on the sunscreen or your wetsuit, consider these:

• ‍What’s covered? Your travel insurance policy will likely cover many of the activities you’ll encounter on a standard summer holiday. But be sure to check what exactly is insured and the conditions that apply (ask your broker or contact your travel agent if you are in any doubt). For instance, a travel policy could cover scuba diving, but it could limit the depth you’re permitted to dive.‍
• Obey local regulations: Your fellow tourists may be driving scooters or operating water skis after sampling local wines – but that doesn’t mean you should too. You can put your life and those of others at risk. Also, your insurance policy won’t cover you if you break the law.