3 out of 4 consumers choose the cheapest insurance quote

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When it comes to choosing an insurance policy, be it for travel, your home or car, 75% of us will opt for the cheapest quote, regardless of whether it offers adequate levels of cover for our needs.

Money talks, it would seem, and thrifty Britain would rather save a few quid than splash the cash on a more costly insurance policy, even if it does offer better levels of cover should you need to make a claim. However insurance experts warn that this is a dangerous business and could leave consumers open to problems as opting for a cheaper policy could leave them without sufficient cover should they run into trouble.

The use of price comparison websites to find the best deals on insurance has risen dramatically over the last few years and this may have something to do with the growing trend for choosing the cheapest insurance deal on the market. The recent survey found that 75% of people blindly opt for the cheapest offer flagged up on price comparison websites, without considering whether or not the policy covers their needs.

The same survey also found that 14% of people fail to make a claim on their insurance policy, 22% of which say that a high excess means it’s not worth them making a claim.

The advice from insurance experts is to not be seduced by low cost policies, as these will more often than not offer the lowest form of cover, which could lead to problems should you need to make a claim.

A complete guide to travel insurance is released in time for the summer holidays

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The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has released a comprehensive guide to travel insurance to help travellers find the right policy to suit their holiday needs.

The consumer guide to travel insurance offers an easy to use guide for those who may feel fazed by the mind boggling array of travel insurance policies available both online and on the high street.

With so many options available many travellers use price comparison websites to find the cheapest policy, however the ABI warn against simply opting for the least expensive travel insurance policy as they advise that the cheapest policies are likely to offer the lowest level of protection.

Another top tip from the ABI with regards to travel insurance is to always make your insurance company aware of any pre existing medical conditions you have. If you fail to declare this, and you require medical treatment for the ailment while abroad, your insurance policy may not cover you.

One of the other best pieces of advice the ABI are offering consumers is to not do anything they wouldn’t normally do at home such as putting themselves in a dangerous position, or not looking after their possessions.

Check out the newly released consumer guide to travel insurance to ensure you’re fully covered and safe on your upcoming summer holiday.

Half of holidaymakers now purchase travel insurance over the internet

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Over half of all holidaymakers questioned as part of a survey conducted by World First Travel Insurance were found to have bought their travel cover over the internet.

The travel insurance specialists at World First had noted a sharp increase in the number of insurance policies they were selling online, and so decided to conduct a survey to see if this trend was peculiar to their company, or to the travel industry as a whole. The study was conducted on behalf of World First by independent research company, PFA Research.

The poll questioned 600 holidaymakers all of whom were previous customers of World First Travel Insurance and found that 63% of those who took part in the survey said they tended to look for, and buy, travel insurance over the internet.

Out of those questioned as part of the survey, 51% said they would buy their travel cover direct from their chosen insurance provider online, while just 12% said they used a travel insurance price comparison website. After online travel insurance policies, the second most popular method of buying holiday cover is via the telephone.

Do you always buy your travel insurance online? Would you always go direct to your chosen insurance provider, or shop around using an insurance price comparison website? Let us know your thoughts on the survey findings.

Advice on gap year travel insurance

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According to one industry expert, finding the right gap year travel insurance policy can be a “minefield” with over a 1,000 different variations on insurance cover available for such trips. Given this, the advice being issued is to check out your policy thoroughly before embarking on your trip, so you understand exactly what is covered, and crucially what isn’t covered, before you leave home soil.

The independent insurance research company, Defaqto, found that 81% of gap year travel insurance policies offered on average £1,000 worth of cover for belongings. However only 11% offered single item cover of £350 or more, so if you’re planning to take your expensive camera on holiday, or laptop, you’d be well advised to check your policy covers your most expensive item.

Travel insurance experts all agree that getting adequate gap year travel insurance lies in the finer details, so make sure you read all of the small print before signing up. If something doesn’t make sense, always ring your insurer to seek clarification, and never assume anything.

Another top tip for perfect gap year travel insurance is to clarify what exactly your policy covers, and what it doesn’t. If there are certain activities which are not covered for example, it’s best to be aware of this before leaving for your gap year adventure.

New travel insurance cover launched by AXA

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AXA Insurance has launched a new direct insurance policy which will offer comprehensive flexible cover for Brits planning their summer break.

The leading insurance company believes that British holidaymakers are at real risk of travelling abroad without adequate insurance, with AXA estimating that as many as nine out of ten travellers may be heading abroad with inadequate insurance cover, or worse, no cover at all.

It’s estimated that 7 million UK holidaymakers will book their summer holidays over the coming month, and so AXA have chosen to launch their new travel insurance policy now to coincide with the busiest time of the year for holiday bookings.

AXA believe that a combination of consumer ignorance, and the inability of the insurance industry to offer relevant products has led to the problem of holidaymakers travelling to foreign destinations without adequate travel insurance.

According to a poll run by AXA, 19% holidaymakers now say they are more likely to consider travel insurance. High profile incidents such as the ash cloud problem, swine flu, and airline strikes have promoted travel insurance to become a priority for travellers, something which the insurance industry welcomes.

The new travel insurance policy from AXA is only available directly through the company, and offers 3 levels of cover from single trips, to annual multi-trips, plus individual age and health rated cover, and also the added bonus of new travel disruption insurance. Please visit AXA for more information on their new travel insurance cover.

Failing to take out travel insurance could be a false economy

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According to a recent survey, a high number of Brits are ditching the sunny summer holiday abroad in favour of a staycation as the budget cuts have left people with less money to splash on holidays. However a large proportion of those who are venturing aboard say they are considering cutting back on travel insurance as a way to save money, something which experts warn could be a false economy should they encounter difficulties during their trip.

AA Insurance found that 21% of British people have decided against leaving the UK for their annual holiday this year with 40% of those reporting that they simply can’t afford it, or that the downturn has forced them to reconsider their plans for a foreign holiday.

47% of those questioned as part of the survey said that the economic situation had affected their travel plans and that they will be looking at their budget more closely while deciding where to take their holiday this year. One way many of these travellers say they may try to save money is by not taking out holiday insurance.

However experts are warning that this could be a false economy as the cost of medical bills in a foreign country, even within the European Union, could set Brits back by thousands if they are not covered.

With many price comparison website offering holidaymakers the chance to compare the cost of travel insurance cover with a wide range of providers, it’s never been easier to find a great deal on holiday insurance, so there’s no excuse for holidaying without adequate cover.

Drinking on a ski holiday could invalidate your travel insurance

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It’s been reported that holidaymakers who take to the slopes after one too many could be in danger of invalidating their travel insurance.

A recent study conducted by the Post Office questioned 1,000 skiers about their drinking habits while on a winter sports holiday. They found that 22% admitted to drinking heavily while on a winter snow holiday, and 39% admitted to hitting the slopes the day after a heavy session with a hangover.

Brits abroad on winter ski holidays drink 10 units of alcohol on an average during an evening out, the survey found. Because one unit of alcohol takes approximately 1 hour to burn off, many skiers and snowboarders could still be affected by the alcohol when they take to the slopes the following day.

According to one insurance company, if a medical professional deems alcohol is a significant factor in an accident on the slopes, this could invalidate your travel insurance.

If alcohol is considered to have been a cause in a winter sports holiday, you could be left to pick up the full cost of your medical expenses. However two thirds of those questioned said they were unaware that excessive drinking can invalidate a travel insurance policy if it’s considered a factor in the accident.

Post Office wins Best Travel Insurance Provider for 5th year running

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The Post Office has been named the Best Travel Insurance Provider for the fifth consecutive year at the prestigious British Travel Awards.

The British Travel Awards are voted for by consumers and are highly regarded with the travel industry as they set an extremely high benchmark for quality.

As well as walking away with the gong for best travel insurance, the Post Office were also crowned the Best foreign Exchange Provider at the annual BTA’s this year, marking the fourth consecutive year they’ve won this award.

A spokesperson for the Post Office said the company is extremely pleased that their customers have continued to believe in them and use their services following what has been a very difficult year for the travel industry.

The Post Office issues almost 1 million travel insurance policies every year. The Post Office have also introduced a new tiered travel insurance option which allows customers to choose a level of cover to suit their needs according needs and also financial situation by offering 3 different price brackets for travel insurance.

The Post office also boasts a good track record when it comes to its claims procedures with all travel insurance claims being dealt with and settled, generally within five days.

The importance of getting travel insurance to cover pre-existing conditions highlighted

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A grandmother from Liverpool has been left stranded in a Mexico hospital with spiralling medical costs after suffering medical problems linked to a pre-existing medical condition.

67-year-old Val King had taken out travel insurance with HSBC, however this insurance did not cover her for her pre-existing medical condition of angina. After failing to take out an alternative policy to cover this issue, Mrs King and her family are now facing a bill of thousands of pounds to cover the cost of an air ambulance home and medical treatment while abroad.

HSBC say they advised Mrs King of the exclusion on her insurance policy, and recommended she get in touch with the British Heart Foundation for advice on the best travel insurance policy to cover her heart condition.

However Mrs King didn’t take out an alternative policy, and after falling ill with her angina condition while on an American cruise with her husband, she’s now facing the prospect of being flown by air ambulance at the cost of £62,000.

As well as the hefty price of specialist transport back to the UK, the King family also have a hospital bill of $126,000 which is rising by $3,500 daily.

This unfortunate incident certainly highlights the importance of ensuring you have adequate travel insurance, which is tailored to cover any pre-existing medical conditions or specific requirements you may have, before embarking on a trip abroad.

1 in 5 UK holidaymakers fail to take out travel insurance

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The travel association ABTA recently revealed that almost 1 in 5 British holidaymakers fail to take out any form of travel insurance before embarking on a trip abroad.

The study also revealed some worrying misconceptions about travel cover, with 1 in 6 people, 16% of those questioned, wrongly believing that the government would pick up the cost of any medical assistance needed while abroad. This figure is even higher with travellers in the younger age bracket with 26% of those aged between 15-26 years believing that the Foreign Office would pay for emergency medical treatment needed while abroad, which is completely false.

However the number of consumers who don’t take out cover while holidaying in the UK is even higher, standing at 55%.

The reason many Brits abroad fail to take out travel cover is that 17% don’t consider it to be important. As well as covering medical expenses, some travel insurance also protects against cancellations in the case of redundancy which is especially important in the current economic climate insurance experts warn.

The results of the survey were revealed at ABTA’s convention at Malta. The findings of the study also showed that 12% of UK travellers have made a claim on their travel insurance policy in the last 5 years, 3% of those said their claim was for more than £500.