One fifth of holidaymakers don't take out travel insurance

One in five British holidaymakers don’t bother taking out travel insurance when they go abroad, think that they are protected under another insurance policy such as health, or simply do not know if they are covered, new research shows.

According to a poll by Hiscox, 18% of people assume that their travel agent or airline would compensate them for flight cancellation, but this can depend on the circumstances of the disruption, the insurer said.

Furthermore 21% thought that a travel industry body would cover them for flight cancellation, but this also depended on a number of factors including how the flight was booked and if the airline is based in the EU.

One in four people assume they are covered by a travel policy from their bank account although these policies may not include financial protection if the accommodation provider goes bust.

Meanwhile, one in 10 people polled said they don’t know whether they would be covered for a medical emergency when on holiday.

A third of extreme sports holidaymakers only sometimes check, or never check, whether their travel insurance will cover them for the activity they are undertaking such as bungee jumping or white water rafting – activities which are not always covered as standard, according to the survey of 2,200 people.

Hiscox insurance expert Colin Wallace Hiscox said: “Taking the time to think through your travel plans and what type of cover you need can help take the stress out of travel.”