Travel insurance: Book cover early
Early holiday bookers insurance warning
Wednesday, 09 Jan 2008 09:57
Brits booking summer holidays early are being warned to buy travel insurance early to protect themselves.
January is traditionally the busiest time of the year for travel agents as up 15 million holidaymakers look for early cheap deals for their summer holidays, but for many travel insurance is left until the last moment.
While 34 per cent book holidays in January, some 20 per cent of people take no travel insurance, a poll by esure Travel Insurance reveals.
Furthermore 48 per cent of holidaymakers are not checking for potential severe weather warnings prior to leaving and 47 per cent do not look out for Foreign Office warnings – despite the demand for holidays in more exotic destinations increasing.
Jacky Brown, head of travel insurance at esure, said: "Most people love to jump on the bandwagon of the January sales season. A holiday deal may look great from the outset, but come holiday time - you could be caught out by flying out to your destination, such as Mexico, during the hurricane season.
"Delays and even flight cancellations in such extreme weather are inevitable therefore it's vital to make sure you have travel insurance to make sure you're covered."
Meanwhile Perry Wilson, at travel insurer InsureandGo, has warned holidaymakers not to rely on a European Health Insurance (EHIC) card over insurance.
"When you break a leg when you go abroad, you may well be covered under the EHIC for the basic medical emergency, but you will not be covered for rescue off the ski slopes and ambulances.
"The problem is that when you have a broken leg, you're not going to be allowed on the plane unless you've arranged with the airline to either have a second seat or go business class."
He added: "So even something like a broken leg, or a broken ankle, can cost you thousands of pounds."
Mr Wilson went on to explain why travel insurance was important.
"People have to get away from this feeling about travel insurance being about your flight being cancelled," he said.
"It's not about that. That is a part of it, but the biggest part of it is medical: accidental damage to yourself and also personal liability if you cause damage to somebody else."