What to check before you buy

Ten minutes with the policy document is worth more than an hour comparing prices. Here is the order we would read it in for a Cambodia trip.

1. The evacuation limit

Listed separately from the medical limit, and the number that matters most here, for the reasons set out in the medical section.

2. The motorcycle clause

Even if you have no intention of riding. Plans change on the road, and this clause is where Cambodia claims most often fail.

3. The activity list

Your itinerary, checked activity by activity, by name.

4. The single-item baggage limit

The number that applies to your phone or camera, as distinct from the headline baggage figure.

5. Pre-existing conditions

Declared, and accepted in writing. This is the most common reason a large medical claim is refused anywhere in the world.

6. The dates

From leaving home to getting back, transit days included. A policy that starts when you land does not cover the flight.

One last thing, which costs nothing: save your policy number and the insurer’s 24-hour emergency line somewhere that is not the phone you might have stolen.