EU holidaymakers shun travel insurance

by David Masters

Story link: EU holidaymakers shun travel insurance

Nearly one in ten Brits taking a well-earned break abroad this summer plan to save money by travelling without insurance, Saga Travel Insurance has discovered.

A Saga-commissioned poll found 8% of Brits are planning a holiday overseas without travel insurance.

The majority of these will be travelling within the EU, and will rely on the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) instead of traditional travel insurance cover.

Saga warned that travelling without full insurance cover leaves holidaymakers “vulnerable” if they “experience issues with lost baggage or cancellations or need repatriating back to the UK”.

Andrew Goodsell, Saga Group chief executive, said: “A good travel insurance policy will ensure you are not only covered for medical expenses, but will also provide repatriation back to the UK and cancellation cover should your holiday be cut short.”

In related news, Saga announced a 13% increase in the number of travel insurance policies purchased in June 2009 compared with June 2008.