The European market for travel assistance and insurance was worth €2.5bn (£1.8bn) in 2002, according to reports.
A survey of European travel distributors - which featured in several weekend reports - found that the UK was among the largest travel insurance markets.
However it found that the UK was also the slowest growing market at 3.6% growth each year.
The markets in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK showed an average growth rate of 4.9% between 1998 and 2002.
The fastest-growing market over this period was the smallest of those analysed - Spain - registering premium growth at an annual average of 14.8%
