Royal Bank of Scotland

The Royal Bank of Scotland run travel insurance through their Select Silver account, and they offer a wide range of benefits that make it easy for travellers to enjoy their journeys. The cover plan covers the majority of eventualities that travellers find themselves involved in while aboard, and there are also extension packages to cover extras that people may feel they need to take care of.

One thing that should be noted about the company is that they offer a 24-hour emergency assistance helpline. This telephone service is not available while the customer is in the UK, but the company uses it for customers who are abroad to provide quick and expert advice on any emergency issues the traveller may have. It is staffed by friendly and courteous representatives, and has medical professionals attached to it also, so you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that professionals are giving advice. As part of this service there is also the added benefit of a message line. The message line allows you to pass on a message to a relative or loved one through The Royal Bank of Scotland. Up to two messages can be sent through this service.

Other perks include a cash advance facility. If a customer is unable to secure funding while abroad and has difficulties finding any money at all, the Royal Bank of Scotland is happy to provide up to £500 as emergency cash funding. The company does require any user of this facility to provide them with a guarantee of repayment. The company will inform the customer of the nature of this guarantee when the situation arises.

All Select Silver account holders who are under 70 years of age are eligible for the policy. If you are aged over 70 you can apply for extensions to the policy and receive cover, but this is at the discretion of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Covered

Baggage cover is generous, with the Royal Bank of Scotland covering up to £1,500 for lost or damaged baggage.

The cover becomes more specific as you delve deeper into the details, with single valuable possessions subject to cover of up to £500. A single possession can be covered up to £300. If you are travelling out from the UK and you lose an essential personal item this can prove to be very distressing. The company will cover this eventuality to some extent, offering up to £100 for each personal item if the travel provider does not return it to you within four hours. There are exclusions in place for this particular aspect of cover. For example, if you leave your valuables in the car, you cannot expect to receive cover for this.

The company will also not cover items that are naturally fragile, such as china or glass.

Cancellation is another aspect of traveling that can be problematic. There are many reasons why your journey may have to be cancelled. You could have a death in the family, for example, and have to stay at home to deal with matters. Or you could find that you have been called for jury service, and you cannot avoid it. The cancellation cover is used for events like these, and the cover can be as much as £5,000. There are some very stringent requirements in place for this particular aspect of cover.

Exclusions for this aspect of cover are very clear. For example, if you have to cancel travel due to your own personal financial circumstances the company will not cover you for this. They will also not cover you if your government has stated that you should not travel due to your citizenship. This often happens when you arrange a flight to somewhere that is subsequently deemed unsafe by your government, and then you are unable to fly there.

In addition, if you have a pre-existing medical condition and you have not told the company about this then they will not be prepared to compensate you if it affects your travel so much you are forced to cancel.

Emergency medical expenses are covered, and you can even expect up to £10,000,000 in cover for emergency medical expenses. However, it is absolutely vital that you inform the company of any medical conditions that you may have before you take up the cover. If you have not declared any medical conditions and then the company discovers this, you are personally liable.

Exclusions are very clear here also. The company will not cover any cost of treatment that their own medical advisers deem to be non-emergency. This means that anything they think you could have waited to deal with at home will be treated as non-emergency.

If you are involved in any hazardous activities or sports and you have not told the company about them first before going on your journey, you can expect to have no cover.

If you were involved in any non-emergency treatment, such as an x-ray for example, this would not entitle you to any emergency medical claims.

Personal money claims are possible. It is always advisable to carry a small amount of cash around with you on holiday, but sometimes people carry significant amounts. If you lose or have stolen any personal money while on your journey, the company will offer compensation of up to £500. It is important that customers realise that any claims must be reported to the local police within 24 hours of discovery. So if you have your wallet stolen, you have to tell the local police force immediately, or there is a good chance you won't gain any compensation for it.

One exclusion is very clear. If you cannot prove that you had the money in your possession at the time of loss then you cannot expect to receive any financial cover for the eventuality.

The Royal Bank of Scotland has always had a reputation for integrity and high quality products. With great customer service and a dedicated 24-hour helpline, the company really shows that they are about the customer experience. Other aspects, like the message line service, show that the safety and comfort of their customers is of paramount concern to them.