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Travel insurance: it’s not the most exciting part of a holiday. In the end though, you buy a policy just to be on the safe side. Don’t you?
Well, a massive 46% of Brits have taken the risk and travelled without insurance at some point, according to our latest research. And that’s not even the half of it! Men are the worst culprits, with 59% admitting they have travelled cover-free, while 40% of women have also taken the risk at some point.
Read on to find out who is most likely to travel uninsured and why it’s just not worth going on holiday without financial protection.
Carefree youths give cover a miss
A worrying one fifth of 18-24-year-olds (20%) admit to never buying travel insurance. But can you remember getting ready for your first holiday with your mates? Travel insurance probably wasn’t high on your list of priorities – be honest, it’s ok.
That said, it’s quite alarming that so many young people are heading abroad without a policy. Especially when it’s so cheap and easy to get cover nowadays. So, get into the habit now – or help your son or daughter get into the habit – and you’ll be grateful should anything go wrong.
Top tip: If you shop around, you can buy three-day policies online for as little as £4.85*. That’s not a lot to pay for peace of mind – and a lot cheaper than paying to replace lost possessions or to cover medical costs.
Medical costs abroad worry Brits the most
More than half of Brits (51%) take out insurance as they are worried about medical costs and injuries while away, but travel insurance stretches much further than this giving you protection should something unexpected happen while you are away.
What happens if your flight is delayed or cancelled, for example? Or maybe some thoughtful soul decides that your handbag would look better on them. Your insurance can help you there, too.
Even the dreaded loss of baggage can be covered by a comprehensive travel insurance policy.
Top tip: Make sure you know exactly what your policy covers you for and that your policy limits cover you adequately. We recommend at least the following:
- £1,500 baggage cover
- £250 to cover lost cash
- £3,000 cancellation cover – or enough to cover the total cost of your holiday
- Cover for scheduled airline failure and end supplier failure as desirable
- Delay cover (eg £20 an hour for first 12 hours).
High excess: is insurance worth it?
Some people seem to think it isn’t. In fact, 10% of those who admitted to travelling uninsured at some point said that high excess costs put them off buying a policy.
Yes, an excess (the amount you pay in the event of claim) you can’t afford to pay is no good, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a policy with a fee in your range.
There are plenty of insurers who offer affordable excess limits, and, by shopping around in advance of your trip, you should be able to find the right policy for you with ease.
Top tip: Use TravelSupermarket’s travel insurance comparison tool to compare deals so you can find the best one for you. We compare more than 50 providers to ensure you can weigh up all your options.
Fewer people take out cover close to home
It seems the closer we stay to home, the less likely we are to take out a policy, with our research revealing that 49% of people travelling to Dublin don’t take out travel insurance. Other European cities Berlin (36%), Brussels, Milan and Paris (all 32%) tell a similar story.
Many people mistakenly see the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) as a form of medical cover, and this could be a reason so many Brits forgo insurance on short-haul European breaks.
However, although EHICs can give Brits abroad access to free, or reduced-cost state medical care in reciprocating countries, it does not cover all types of procedures and medical costs. Plus, you won’t be covered for any other non-medical incidents, such as those mentioned above.
Top tip: Have your cake and eat it: make sure you’re covered by a comprehensive insurance policy as well as having a valid EHIC – better safe than sorry.
“An accident abroad could have cost me the equivalent of two holidays”
Still not convinced? If you’re one of the 10% of people who think insurance is not worth it, or the 7% who simply can’t be bothered to sort it, perhaps Anne’s story will change your mind.
During a skiing holiday in Canada earlier this year, Anne’s daughter Abby suffered a bad fall on the slopes, requiring mountain rescue and immediate medical attention.
After being sled off the mountain by the ski patrol, Abby was taken to the local private hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken leg after an initial assessment, X ray, and doctor’s consultation and diagnosis.
Anne told us that all of these things, including an admission fee to the hospital, a pair of crutches and, later, a leg brace and medication, had to be paid for upfront, with medical fees coming in at more than £600 in total.
“And that’s not even the most expensive part!” says Anne.
As the accident happened halfway through the holiday, Anne and her family continued on as best they could with Abby’s injury. Upon preparing to fly home, the medical team at the insurance company (Anne had faxed all the relevant medical reports over) advised that Abby would need extra leg room for her flight so that she would be as comfortable as possible for a near nine-hour flight (Calgary to London).
However, this meant taking a later flight, as the original was fully booked. So Anne’s husband and other daughter returned home as scheduled, while Abby and Anne stayed an extra night in Canada.
The family’s insurance covered a night’s stay in the airport hotel, two BA Club Class airfares back to Heathrow, an internal flight from London to Manchester and, finally, a taxi from Manchester back to North Wales, where the family live.
“Free champagne and the club class lounge were also nice perks”, says Anne. Well deserved, we think, considering the circumstances.
Without her insurance policy, Anne estimates that she and her family would have been £8,000 out of pocket – almost the price of two more family holidays!
Anne’s tip: Despite the obvious lesson here, that it pays to take out an insurance policy, Anne says that it’s wise to bear time zones in mind when contacting your insurer. She also advises that you keep all your receipts, persevere with your claim when you get back – it took around two months for Anne to get back the money they spent on Abby’s medical needs – and take a credit card with which you can cover your costs up front.
And finally, ensure that you have the best cover for you. As Anne and her family are keen skiers who take at least two winter sports trips a year, they had an annual policy that covered skiing.
If you’re looking to ski while on holiday, or partake in any action-packed activities for that matter, make sure you’re covered by your policy.
* Based on one adult aged 24 travelling to Majorca. Cover starts on July 16, 2016 and ends on July 19, 2016.
** These results are based on a sample of 2,006 nationally representative UK adults aged 18+ and were carried out in April
