Travel agents have been accused of ripping off consumers by £250m a year, according to a report by Defaqto.
Airtours, Cosmos, First Choice, Lunn Poly and Travel Choice are among the high street names that come under fire for charging sky-high premiums.
The report found that travel agents charge six times as much for policies as those sold via brokers.
Defaqto published the hard-hitting report, Travel Insurance in the UK.
The report said that there have been "marked increases" in the cost of buying insurance. It claimed insurers are "tightening the noose" on travellers by making it difficult for them to make successful claims.
The report is set to fuel calls for the Treasury to bring travel agents within the remit of FSA regulation.
