Quarter of UK travellers may not have insurance

Research by Datamonitor has revealed that in 2009 as much as 11% of UK travellers did not have travel insurance, according to an article by Sarah Watson in the International Travel Insurance Journal (ITIJ).

Perhaps even more worryingly a survey by Protect Your Bubble, also reported by the ITIJ, stated that this figure may even be as high as 25%.

With several high profile cases of Britons being injured abroad, such as Tom Moss in Thailand, Carrie Dudbridge in Corfu and Ryan Elley in Ibiza, not having adequate cover it indeed seems that many travellers are ignoring the risks of travelling abroad. Many travellers are unaware that having a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) only entitles you to emergency medical care within the European Economic Area (EAA) and Switzerland, it will not cover the cost of repatriation, if necessary, often leading to family being forced to raise the money for an air ambulance to get their loved ones home, which could possibly run in to the tens of thousands of pounds from Europe alone.

Potentially this trend may be highlighted even more with the forthcoming winter sports season, as many people head for the slopes.

It is also worth noting that an EHIC card is only valid for 5 years, travellers are advised to check that their cards have not expired before they travel to Europe.

Travel Insurance also includes other elements besides medical cover such as protection against cancellation of the holiday, lost baggage and personal liability (in case you injure someone or damage something while abroad).

Voyager Travel Insurance Annual Multi-trip policies include 21 days winter sports cover as standard and it can be added to single-trip policies for a small additional premium.

For more information on Voyager Travel Insurance Click Here

Author: Adam