ok peeps,i know several on here are well travelled,i have never bothered with travel insurance before but for my next escapade i fancy taking it out.
so....any recommendations and any to avoid?

We always buy an annual policy, way cheaper than any other type unless you are only away for a few days. Try the MSE website. quidco can save even more sometimes.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-travel-insurance

Edited to add that I reckon travel insurance is good value. Only used it once when one of the kids got an ear infection. The cost was well over £300 for the doc and the medicines. We had to fork out the excess, but it saved us loads of cash. And if anything nastier happened the bills get enormous (£3000 bill for helicopter collection off a mountainside? That is before the hospital stay to sort a damaged leg, and then flight home after the holiday finished. Seen that, and because the insurance company "forgot" to pay the bill the injured kids family got the bill, but was quickly sorted)

[Edited on 27/6/11 by cliftyhanger]

Deffo on the travel insurance.
We use Nationwide as we are customers - don't know how they compare but seems to cover most eventualities.
If you are hiring a car it's worth taking out your own policy to cover excess beyond the normal cover provided by the hirer.
The majors in Europe currently have something like a 500 Euro excess (ask me how I know - well actually don't - still sticks in my throat!)
As above ^^ Moneysaving expert is your friend for this.
Enjoy.
Cheers, Pewe

Don't use Columbus - it took me nearly 9 months to get a claim paid out, despite them having all the necessary details. Their help desk was next to useless...

I have always found Axa to be hard to beat: http://www.axa.co.uk/insurance/travel

I usually just get single trip cover for the family as I don't tend to travel abroad more than once a year.

Make sure you also get your EHIC cards: https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do

Hopefully you won't need any of the above but always very wise to have them. The costs if something goes wrong can be horrendous which is the last thing you need when you are already under stress.

Cheers,
Craig.

cheers for the replies peeps,got the euro health card already,i will ring my car insurance co and see what they have to offer

Car hire excess insurance recommended by moneysavingexpert included www.worldwideinsure.com and www.icarhireinsurance.co.uk
Haven't used them personally but worth a look?
Cheers, Pewe