Holidays

Kim Winter of Holiday Which? deals with some of your questions about getting away from it all.

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David from Richmond in Yorkshire is having trouble getting insurance. He's 70, his wife is 73 and he's just had a heart bypass operation. What can they do?

If you have a pre-existing medical problem, you must declare it to your insurers.

If you take out insurance and don't tell them about it, it's invalid. But there are some companies that are more helpful with illnesses like this.

John and his wife from Kettering are retired and want to spend four or five months a year in Spain. But they find most insurance companies will provide cover only for 90 days.

There are companies which do long-stay insurance for backpackers, round-the-world trips etc. Halifax is one of them - I asked them for a quote in this case and they told me about £200 each.

Our two daughter live in France and as we often visit them we have annual travel insurance, says Alan Kirkwood from Ipswich. It's getting increasingly expensive as we get older - is there any need for this or are they just taking advantage?

Alan Kirkwood: Are insurers taking advantage?

I'm afraid that according to the insurance companies' bean-counters, the older you get the more of a risk you're likely to be.

It's fairly standard among insurers to start increasing premiums from the age of 65. When Holiday Which? Last looked at this, we found some which are prepared to extend it up to the age of 69 or even 75. It tends to be for annual insurance policies only - for single trip policies, insurers tend to be more flexible.

Companies which are prepared to extend the age are not always High Street names. You have to shop around - try companies like James Hampden, Travel Protection Group, Under the Sun and Flexicover Direct.

A number of people have had problems with timeshares, in particular sky-high maintenance charges that they weren't made aware of when they bought. How can this be avoided?

The issue of maintenance charges is becoming a big one as the industry matures. The best thing to do is to ask to see actual maintenance charges, because often they're kept artificially low as a marketing tool when you're buying.

Also talk to current owners and find out how effective the owners' committee is, how much say it actually has in running the resort and overseeing the maintenance and the accounts.

Andy and Jan Cousins from Hertfordshire have a daughter going to Bolivia for a month. What should she do about currency?

The dollar is king in Latin America, so dollars, travellers cheques and plastic. Security will be a big issue - there are lots of problems with pickpockets and theft. Cash is a bad idea, and make sure you have proper insurance.

Travellers cheques in dollars are probably most secure. In big cities you can get cash out on a credit card but beware of interest charges.

Mollie Bartlett from Moulton Chapel in Lincolnshire says a cheap fly-drive deal can become expensive when you add on extras like state tax, collision damage waiver etc. What's the best way to book and pay for a hire car?

The cheapest way is to buy an all-inclusive rate through a broker in this country before you go. Pay up front and there'll be no extra charges when you get there.

Mr Lilley asks about the E111 form. If it covers us for medical treatment in EU countries, why have travel insurance?

The E111 does not cover things like repatriation. If you needed an air ambulance back from Spain, it would cost in the region of £12,000, so that's one good reason.

It also covers things like lost baggage, liability insurance and so on. So it's not just the health side, you need it for all the other parts.

If you have a holiday disaster - you lose your passport and money - who should you contact?

The British consul will do some checks and they can issue you with an emergency passport and they can also contact your relatives back home to maybe send you out more money. Try to keep details and copies of your passport separate from your main documents.

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The opinions expressed are Kim's, not those of the programme. The answers are not intended to be definitive and should be used for guidance only. Always seek advice for your own particular situation.