By Simon Read
There's a cracking feast of Rugby Union coming up over the next two months as the 2010 Six Nation Championship starts up on Saturday 6 February.
Last year's Grand Slam by Ireland has left England, Scotland and Wales fans hoping it will be their turn this year - and all are in with a shout.
Thousands to travel to Six Nations matches
Tens of thousands of them are expected to travel for crucial matches in France, Italy and Ireland over the next two months. But in the excitement of arranging a trip, it's easy to forget to arrange travel insurance. It's not a legal requirement, but travelling without adequate cover could result in a trip costing a lot more than you plan.
It's easy to think that not much can happen if you're just staying overnight.
But let's face it, travellers are just as likely to lose luggage or have possessions stolen on a weekend trip as a two-week holiday.
And don't be tempted to simply tick the box for the travel cover offered by a travel agent. The deals are much more expensive than they need to be and just spending a few minutes online could yield enough savings to pay for more than a few rounds of drinks when you're abroad.
Single-trip Vs annual-trip
The first decision when buying travel insurance is to decide whether to buy a single-trip policy or an annual deal. The simple rule of thumb is that if you're going on two or more trips in 12 months then an annual deal is likely to work out better value.
England fans travelling to their Valentine's Day clash with Italy, and the match with France on 13 March, should think about annual policies. The same goes for Scottish fans going to Italy on 27 February and Ireland on 20 March.
But Welsh fans only face a trip abroad to Ireland on 13 March, so could simply organise one-off cover.
If you are considering buying an annual policy, ensure that you will be covered for any later trips. If you're going on a winter sports holiday, for instance, then you should check the policy covers you for the full time you will be away and for the type of winter sports you plan to do. Some policies may restrict cover to 14 days, for instance, while others may cover skiing but not snowboarding.
Why bother with travel insurance at all?
There are two main reasons to ensure you have adequate travel insurance.
The first is to protect your stuff. It's extremely easy to have cash, cards, cameras or phones stolen when you're in a foreign city and in busy crowds, such as rugby stadiums where pickpockets and thieves target unsuspecting fans in the general melee to get into a ground.
And if you do become a victim, you'll need to report the theft to the local police and get a police report - you'll need it when you claim on your travel insurance policy. To be safe, don't carry too many valuables with you. Many policies may limit cover to around £300 for a single item or £1,500 in total.
The second reason for travel cover is medical. If you get injured abroad you could end up with a sizeable bill.
It's true that you won't pay for basic medical treatment in Europe as long as you have a European Health Insurance Card. However, it only provides for basic cover and not the cost of an air ambulance or repatriation back home, for instance, which could cost you thousands of euros. In other words, spend out a few quid now and it could save you a packet later.
