Blog Post

Travel Insurance

Ian Holmes • 12 August 2019

Don't Leave Home Without it

When you are planning a trip away the last thing you expect is for something to go wrong. However buying travel insurance can end up saving you thousands on medical bills and help protect you against lost luggage and cancelled flights – but how many Brits are choosing to go without it when they jet off abroad?

Quick overview
21% of Brits admitted to travelling without travel insurance in 2017. Brits pay an average of £31 for a single trip policy and £60 for an annual multi-trip policy. £385 million was paid out by travel insurers in 2017. Over 510,000 individuals and families claimed on travel insurance in 2017. The average medical claim amounted to over £1,300 in 2017. One Brit travelling abroad recently amounted a medical bill of £760,000 while visiting America. On an average UK salary of £27,500 this would take 25 years to repay 21% Of Brits travelled uninsured in 2017, down from 25% in 2016.

Who is buying travel insurance and who isn’t?
With over 70 million trips taken abroad by Brits in 2017, there’s plenty of need for travel insurance – but who is buying it and who is risking going without?

21% of Brits travel without travel insurance This is 4% lower than in 2017. 18-24 year olds are the most likely to travel unisured, with 40% going without 25-34 year olds are close behind with 38% travelling without insurance. Both of these groups have risen from 31% in 2016. Meanwhile just 25% of 35-44 year olds and 23% of 45-54 year olds travel without insurance. The most cautious age group is those aged 55+, where just 14% of travellers go without travel insurance

Why are people risking going without?
Medical bills can easily amount to thousands of pounds, especially in countries without universal health care such as the US – so why are some Brits deciding to go without travel insurance?

21% of Brits admitted to travelling without travel insurance in the last 12 months. 37% of Brits felt like they did not need it. 28% Of Brits said travelling without travel insurance was a risk they were willing to take.

How much does travel insurance cost?
The amount your travel insurance will cost is dependant on many factors including the location of your trip, the length of time you are going away for, your personal circumstance (such as age and medical history) and the type of holiday you are going on. The average single trip policy costs under £31.

Travel insurance payout
In 2017, there was a travel insurance claim every minute – but what was being claimed for?

510,000 individuals and families claimed on travel insurance in 2017
£385 million was paid out by travel insurers in 2017
The majority of claims were made for medical expenses, totalling £210 million
The average medical expense claim was £1,300
159,000 Brits required medical treatment in 2017
While 174,000 Brits claimed for cancelled holidays, 15,000 more than in 2016
The total payout for cancelled holidays was £145 million
£17 million was paid out to 86,000 people for lost baggage and money whilst travelling

Big travel insurance payouts
The average claim for medical expenses is £1,300 – an increase of 40% since 2011. Despite the average claim being £1,300, it is not uncommon to rack up thousands in medical expenses when travelling abroad.

The USA attracts more than 3.8 million UK visitors a year – and with a notoriously expensive healthcare system, it might come as no surprise that some of the biggest claims are by Brits visiting America. We explored some of the biggest claims from Brits in recent years to give you an idea of just how important travel insurance can be.

The biggest claim on our list is for £760,000 by a tourist visiting the USA who required treatment for a stroke and an air ambulance back to the UK. In March 2019 a Brit who travelled to Mexico had their £300,000 medical claim denied after failing to disclose an inhaler prescription.
The third largest claim is for over £250,000 by a traveller visiting the US who fell of a bicycle and required medical treatment for a brain haemorrhage and broken shoulder.

by Ian Holmes 1 May 2023
And is it worth taking out?
by Ian Holmes 1 May 2023
And how does it work?
3 January 2023
Who needs an Energy Performance Certificate?
28 October 2022
Buy to Let Latest Findings
by Ian Holmes 4 June 2021
4th JUNE 2021: TRAVEL TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM EXPLAINED
by Ian Holmes 15 January 2021
Announcement - Delay of one month to the Whiplash Reforms
by Ian Holmes 13 January 2021
How to look after your boiler in the current freezing weather and prevent problems
Replacement Vehicle Insurance
by Ian Holmes 10 November 2019
If your car is stolen or your van is involved in an accident that means it is un-drivable, you may find it hard to carry out your daily tasks at home or at work. Although you may get a courtesy vehicle through your motor insurance policy while repairs are underway, this might not be suitable to carry out all of your usual activities. You may also find that a courtesy vehicle isn’t available at all if your vehicle has been stolen or if it is written off. Our replacement vehicle insurance provides a hire vehicle for you should your own be involved in an accident, theft or other incident that means it is undrivable. Cover is available for up to 4 weeks and for different types of vehicle, giving you peace of mind that your normal routine can continue despite the loss of your vehicle.
by Ian Holmes 19 October 2019
Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance, commonly known as GAP insurance, is designed to work alongside your comprehensive motor policy. If your vehicle is involved in an incident which sees it written off, GAP insurance will cover the difference in value between the original purchase price and the depreciated value at the time of the incident. It’s a well known fact that vehicles depreciate in value the moment they are driven off the forecourt. If you are involved in an accident or if your vehicle is stolen you would need to make a claim on your main insurance policy. If the vehicle is written off, the insurer will pay the market value of the vehicle at the time of the incident. If it’s 4 years since you purchased the vehicle, this could mean receiving around 45-55% of the original purchase price. If you originally purchased the vehicle on a finance agreement you could end up in the tricky situation of owing more than the vehicle is worth. GAP insurance will cover the difference in value between the original purchase price and the depreciated value at the time of the incident. GAP insurance will cover the difference between the motor insurance settlement and either the invoice price of the vehicle or the early finance settlement figure, giving you peace of mind that should your vehicle be written off you won’t be left out of pocket. IS GAP INSURANCE SUITABLE FOR ME? We have different products to suit individual needs. COMBINED GAP This is suitable if you have purchased your vehicle within the last 365 days from a VAT registered Motor Trader and paid in full through cash, cheque, BACS transfer, loan, bankers draft or through a finance agreement. Options are available with cover periods of up to 4 years for cars, vans, and motor homes, up to a maximum value of £125k, and up to 3 years for taxis with a maximum value of £70k. CONTRACT HIRE GAP This is suitable if you are leasing a car or van with no option to purchase the vehicle. The vehicle must have been obtained within the last 365 days. Options are available with cover periods of up to 5 years for cars and vans up to a monthly rental value of £1,000. This product will cover the difference between the motor insurance settlement figure and the early finance settlement figure. Fot more detail. Take a look at our dedicated page regarding GAP cover.
by Ian Holmes 7 September 2019
Keeping our keys to hand is vital to the smooth running of daily life. So what happens if they are lost, damaged or stolen? Have you considered the inconvenience and the costs involved if something should happen to your keys? Our KeyBack cover provides peace of mind that should you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, our dedicated team are there to provide 24-hour assistance. We have access to a network of engineers and will organise and cover the costs of locksmiths and replacement keys. We will even organise onward transport or car hire for up to 3 days if the loss of your key means you can’t use your vehicle. Who is covered? You & any immediate member of your family, including named drivers for motor key cover. If you purchase this for a company all current employees authorised to use the relevant vehicle or authority to hold property keys will be covered. Why people claim on Key Insurance: Lost keys account for most claims (71%), then followed by broken keys (25%). Then there is a small amount of stolen keys (4%). The beauty of key insurance is it's low cost and ability to take the stress out of a stressful situation. Why not visit our website at www.protectyourthings.co.uk to look at key insurance in more detail and our other products whilst you're there.
Show More
Share by: