Poor hygiene and sanitation can ruin your holiday, especially if you’re considering a trip to a developing country. NHS Online confirms that more than 200 diseases are transmitted through food, but the risk is very low if it is prepared, cooked and stored properly.

A holiday to a remote developing country should be the adventure of a lifetime but without proper care, this type of travel can pose a problem to your health. According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), hygiene standards are often lower in the developing world than in the UK with a higher risk of catching an illness. Traveller’s diarrhoea is especially common in hot environments and diseases such as typhoid, cholera and hepatitis A can be easily contracted from contaminated food and water. Bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter and E.coli can cause gastroenteritis. To stay healthy, there are a few things we all need to remember:

Up to 50% of travellers are affected by some kind of ‘tummy trouble’ on their trips. If, in spite of your best efforts, you are still unfortunate enough to suffer, as a Flexicover policy-holder you will receive access to professional advice and emergency medical treatment 24 hours a day, everyday of the year.

A man with a rucksack breached security at Heathrow airport last week and ran towards a plane on the northern runway. Airport security and police reacted quickly to capture the uninvited guest.

The Times reported that he was challenged and arrested by officers before reaching the tarmac. Officers at the scene carried out a controlled explosion on the rucksack, which fortunately only contained clothes. A police source said that, while they did not yet know the man’s motive, they were confident that it was not related to terrorism.

The incident happened just 24 hours before the Queen was due to open the airport’s new Terminal 5 and is the second time in recent weeks that Heathrow security has been breached. The northern runway was partially closed but later reopened, by which time close to 40 flights were disrupted causing delays and cancellations.

As this incident was not related to terrorism, most passengers would be able to make a claim for flight delays or cancellations from their travel insurers where appropriate.

Many travel insurance policies do not provide any cover in the event of an act of terrorism but with Flexicover travel insurance, you can travel safe in the knowledge that, on top of our extensive benefits, you will be covered for Personal Accident and Medical Expenses, ensuring you receive emergency medical treatment and repatriation if the worst were to happen.

As the first snows of 2008 start to fall across Europe and the US, skiers will soon be tempted to rush out and get some action on the piste.

That’s just the moment accidents can happen, warns Greg Lawson, Group Broking Director of leading online travel insurance provider, flexicover.net, as he offers some timely advice to help skiers stay safe on the slopes.

“Whilst exciting and enjoyable, winter sports can also be dangerous but with a bit of awareness and preparation, skiers and snowboarders can have a safe holiday in the snow so here are our Top Tips” he says.

From Thursday 5 October 2007 the cost of obtaining or renewing an adult passport has jumped from £51 to £66. Fees for child passports have a similar increase from £34 to £45.

It is very important to have a valid passport for any overseas journey you may be planning. Countries such as the USA may also require some nationals to be in possession of a passport that has a validity of 6 months beyond the proposed return date. Please do check before you travel.

The Identity and Passport Service advise that a standard postal application is likely to take up to 3 weeks to process. For those who need a passport within a week a guaranteed Fast Track service is available by appointment.