Something to consider when visiting France is public liability insurance; commonly included with travel insurance. This is usually in the region of £1 million in coverage and the majority of property owners will expect you to have this.

Below are the most important factors to consider in regards to travel insurance.

1. Why do I need insurance when I have the European health card?

The European health card was introduced to replace the now dated E111 form. The scheme currently consists of 60 member countries, France being one of these. It is a common misconception to think that this card will cover you for all insurance and healthcare related instances whilst abroad. This is not the case as the scheme was set up to provide initial emergency treatment considered as life saving. Further treatment beyond the initial will be charged for. You may find for example that if you were to have an accident the cost of initial treatment may be covered but the ride in the ambulance and other additions may not. You could very quickly find yourself facing a large bill.

It is recommended that you apply for this card if you do not already have one as it will be asked for in the case of a medical emergency.

2. How frequently do you plan to travel?

The frequency of which you plan to travel is an important factor when choosing travel insurance as there are several different types of policy available designed with this in mind.

The basic and least expensive policy is called "single trip", this is, as the name suggests a one off policy to cover for a singular holiday of a short duration. If you plan to travel several times in a year you may find a multi-trip policy more cost effective. If you are a frequent traveler you may find an annual policy better suited to your circumstances, as this will allow you to travel many more times and for longer durations than a multi-trip policy. Finally if you are traveling as a group you will be able to apply for group or family travel insurance. An added benefit of some family policies is the inclusion of free cover for under 18's.

3. Be truthful

It is important when applying for your policy to be as honest as possible, failure to mention a medical condition (however minor it may seem) could result in your policy being voided when you need it most. Some may seek to reduce the cost of their premium by omitting a few factors they think unimportant. In the end it is worth paying that little extra to gain full coverage and more importantly peace of mind.

4. Planned activities

You should consider the things you plan to do whilst on holiday. If you simply wish to spend your time relaxing by the pool or on the beach you can opt for any standard holiday insurance policy.

If however you intend to go skiing or scuba diving (not generally covered on standard insurance policies) you should seek specialist insurance such as winter sports in the case of skiing. For those maybe thinking of backpacking you can seek a policy with the same name.

5. What is covered under my policy and what levels should I expect?

You can expect to find the following on your travel insurance policy; Medical expenses (in the event of personal injury or medical emergency), holiday cancellation cover (speaks for itself), loss or damage of baggage, theft insurance (usually a combination of possessions and cash), personal liability insurance (in the event of a claim being made against you) and varying extra's.

You should use the following levels of cover as a guide when searching through policies.

As a minimum your policy should cover you for; Medical expenses £2m, personal liability £1m, cancellation £3,000, baggage £1,500, cash £250, a 24 hour emergency line, cover for legal costs and finally financial ombudsman service membership in case you need to complain.

6. And Finally...

After reading the above guide you should now be armed with the facts to help you find the best policy to suit your needs. Who knows, you may even save yourself some money.

Before you head off confident of finding your perfect travel insurance policy, let me arm you with a few final pieces of information. Please remember not to look simply for the cheapest policy you can find as this is not always the best and may lack cover in key areas. Following in a similar vein; remember to check the excesses you will be expected to pay in the event of a claim (these will vary considerably). If you are under the influence of alcohol (heavily) when you have an accident you will most probably lose your cover. With regards to theft insurance; if you leave your valuables unprotected in plain sight they will also most probably not be covered. Use of a safe is recommended if one is available and all precautions should be taken to safeguard your valuables.

As a final note; why not consider using a comparison site to search through policies quickly and easily. Moneysupermarket.com is one such site and will allow the visitor to perform a free search through over 500 travel insurance policies.