As the summer holiday season begins in earnest, 26 million Brits (49%) will not buy travel insurance when they book their holiday, and do not have annual travel insurance that renews automatically.
A quarter (24%) of Brits will go on to buy insurance shortly before their holiday, meaning a cancellation before then will not be covered. A total of 2% leave their insurance to the last minute, making a purchase at the airport, while 23% risk everything with no travel insurance at all.
Aviva’s research also shows a lack of understanding among UK holidaymakers about what travel insurance covers:
12% believe they will be covered if their pet dies the day before they go on holiday.
6% believe they will be covered if they oversleep and miss their flight.
4% believe they are covered if they spend too long shopping and drinking at the airport and miss their flight.
However, these are all situations which are generally not covered.
Travel insurance is essential for a holiday, whether in the UK or abroad, and buying at the time of booking means that people can get their money back if they need to cancel for reasons covered by their policy, such as a close relative unexpectedly falling ill.
Holidaymakers who do not buy travel insurance can face hefty bills if they are unfortunate enough to need emergency medical treatment while on holiday abroad. According to Aviva’s newly published UK Claims Report, medical emergency was the most common reason for Aviva customers to claim on their travel insurance last year (33% of claims), followed by cancellation cover for specific circumstances (28%) and claims for lost or stolen personal items or baggage (13%).
The report also highlights some significant claims paid in 2017, including £182,000 for a stroke claim in the USA and £191,000 for a pneumonia claim in Malaysia.
Adam Beckett, product and propositions director, Aviva UK General Insurance: Brits are getting prepared for their well-deserved summer holiday by making sure they have all they need for their get-away, but our research shows that buying travel insurance isn’t always top of the list. With almost half of people not getting insurance when they book their holiday, they risk not being able to get their money back if they need to cancel. And with the average Brit spending £1,500 on holidays this year, that’s a lot of money to potentially lose. Travel insurance provides important protection before you go away, say if you, or a close relative, falls ill. It’s also there for medical emergencies while abroad which can be very costly, or if your belongings are lost or stolen. It’s important to get the right protection for your needs so you can relax on holiday knowing you are fully covered.
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