Losing your passport can cost more than you thought
Replacing lost passports costs £389m
Thursday, 12 Jun 2008 15:26
Half a million British passports go missing every year at a cost of around £389 million, a study claims.
The cost of losing a passport goes beyond the expense of having it replaced, according to Halifax Travel Insurance.
The average holidaymaker losing their passport abroad has to extend their holiday by three days - costing an estimated £131 per person in extra accommodation and rescheduled flights, the insurer found.
Halifax Travel Insurance is warning holidaymakers to protect their passports in crowded tourist attractions – the most likely place for a passport to disappear – this summer as the cost and delay of replacing it can ruin a trip.
While 15 per cent said they lost or had their passport stolen in a crowded tourist area, 12 per cent said it went missing in the airport. In addition, 11 per cent of missing passports are reported stolen from the hotel and a further ten per cent of passports are physically taken from a tourist in a local street.
Paul Birkhead at Halifax Travel Insurance said: "Losing your passport abroad is a guaranteed nightmare and we always advise taking several photocopies of the back page with you, just in case something happens to it.
"This can help to speed the process up and avoid delays on the return leg of your trip, which is not only costly, but can cause serious hassle - especially if you're due back at work. Of course if you have a decent travel insurance policy then it is likely that much of the expense will be covered by your insurer."