Make sure you read the small print on your travel insurance policy - that’s the plea from Health Minister David Ashford.

While the Isle of Man has a reciprocal agreement with the UK NHS over emergency treatment for each other’s residents, the government has repeatedly warned people to ensure they have travel insurance as the deal does not cover repatriation costs.

In the House of Keys last week, Mr Ashford acknowledged a point from Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) that many insurance policies require a traveller to stay in paid accommodation for a minimum number of days.

The minister said: ’As boring as the small print of travel insurance policies may be, it is important people do read them.

’It is not just sometimes paid accommodation, you can sometimes get cheaper premiums, but even if you are in paid accommodation it does not cover you for the first two days.

He added: ’It is not just important that people have travel insurance, but they ensure that the travel insurance itself is appropriate for whatever they are undertaking.’