EU to review Package Travel Directive
by Gill Montia
Story link: EU to review Package Travel Directive
The Consumer Commission of the European Union is launching a review of the financial protection available to travellers who book flights direct with an airline.
Currently, only those who have booked through a travel agent or taken out independent financial failure insurance are covered for the cost of a new flight if their carrier goes bust.
However, [...]
Insureandgo offer Hamster coverage
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Insureandgo offer Hamster coverage
Top Gear host Richard ‘The Hamster’ Hammond’s strugglings to get insurance for his skiing holiday have come to an end, as Insureandgo agree to offer him cover during his holiday.
Hammond, who has suffered multiple injuries (most notably an enormous and almost fatal crash in a jet-powered dragster), told Absolute Radio that when insurers ask him [...]
Delayed flight passengers now eligible for compensation
by Gill Montia
Story link: Delayed flight passengers now eligible for compensation
Air travellers whose flights arrive at their destinations three hours late or more are now eligible for compensation.
Yesterday, the European Court of Justice ruled that the damage sustained by air passengers in cases of long delay is comparable with that of cancellation.
The Court said: “There is no justification for treating passengers whose flight is delayed [...]
ProtectMyHoliday warns of Christmas airline risk
by Gill Montia
Story link: ProtectMyHoliday warns of Christmas airline risk
ProtectMyHoliday.com is warning travellers to be cautious about Christmas holiday arrangement as the travel industry continues to face large losses.
According to the travel failure specialist, the International Air Transport Association recently predicted that the global airline industry will make a cumulative loss of €11 billion this year, a steep increase on the €9 billion estimated [...]
Voyager revenue surges despite recession
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Voyager revenue surges despite recession
Travel insurance specialist Voyager has said that holidaymakers are increasingly turning to financial protection insurance, after a number of high profile budget airline collapses and other failures in the industry.
Over the last year 32 airlines have failed, according to Voyager, with more facing bankruptcy.
As a result of this, Voyager’s WEBroker travel insurance product has seen [...]
Moneysupermarket reports 5% rise in insurance revenues
by Gill Montia
Story link: Moneysupermarket reports 5% rise in insurance revenues
Moneysupermarket.com has reported that insurance revenues increased 5% in the third quarter of 2009, compared to a year earlier.
The result was also more than 15% ahead of the quarterly rate in the first six months of the year.
Motor insurance revenues returned to growth, having declined over the first half of 2009, and home and travel [...]
60% of travellers withhold medical information
by Richard Kilner
Story link: 60% of travellers withhold medical information
AllClear, the medical travel insurance specialist, has warned that 60% of travellers are invalidating their insurance by refusing to reveal pre-existing medical conditions.
Sometimes information is simply not volunteered as the traveller does not recognise its importance, but it is also the case that some travellers deliberately withhold relevant information from their insurer.
It is thought that [...]
One in ten fail to take out travel insurance
by Richard Kilner
Story link: One in ten fail to take out travel insurance
One in ten of travellers are not taking out travel insurance, according to new research commissioned by Check Safety First.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Harrington has called on the insurance industry to educate consumers about the importance of travel insurance, pointing out that the average medical claim is around £2,500, and clearly worth spending £20 to [...]
Travel insurance for over 50s with pre-existing conditions launched
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Travel insurance for over 50s with pre-existing conditions launched
Over 50s insurer staysure.co.uk has enhanced its offering with the creation of a new service aimed at improving the options of those with pre-existing medical conditions.
The firm has launched a comprehensive new product which covers a large number of minor pre-existing conditions free of charge.
Staysure.co.uk’s medical screening programme will also offer those with illnesses including [...]
Direct Travel Insurance offers ski insurance advice
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Direct Travel Insurance offers ski insurance advice
As winter approaches and the thoughts of some travellers drift towards booking skiing and snowboarding holidays, Direct Travel Insurance has advised travellers to consider carefully when browsing for insurance.
Given the combination of cold weather, high speeds and competitiveness the insurer advocates ensuring travellers are covered for Search and Mountain Rescue, as well as helicopter rescue.
In [...]
ATOL may be extended
by Richard Kilner
Story link: ATOL may be extended
Mark Tanzer, chief executive of ABTA, has announced plans to help prevent travellers being exposed to the possible financial collapse of their travel itinerary suppliers.
Comprehensive specifics of the plan have not yet been made public though it is speculated to augment the ATOL levy on package holidays.
ATOL (Air Tour Operators Licence) is run by the [...]
ABTA keen to extend ATOL to independent travellers
by Gill Montia
Story link: ABTA keen to extend ATOL to independent travellers
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) is furthering the interests of travellers who book holiday flights and accommodation directly with operators.
Under current provisions, Britons who create their own holidays stand to lose money if an operator goes bust, while those who use a travel agent registered with the government-backed ATOL scheme are protected in [...]
Direct Travel Insurance and Holiday Extras team up
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Direct Travel Insurance and Holiday Extras team up
Direct Travel Insurance and Holiday Extras have made an agreement to offer airport parking and hotel booking facilities via its website.
Web users browsing Direct Travel Insurance’s site will be able to pick from a selection of competitive quotes on airport parking and hotels within the UK.
Holiday Extras Account Manager James Lewis has stated the firm [...]
jml signs up Staysure and JS Insurance
by Gill Montia
Story link: jml signs up Staysure and JS Insurance
Staysure and JS Insurance have introduced their products to the jml website.
Staysure specialises in the over 50’s market and is using jml to market its Over 50’s travel insurance and Over 50’s Holiday Homes Property insurance.
JS Insurance, which is a unit of Jade Stanley Ltd, is providing travel insurance for residents of EU countries, [...]
PJ Hayman launches Travel for Treatment policy
by Gill Montia
Story link: PJ Hayman launches Travel for Treatment policy
PJ Hayman has launched Free Spirit Travel for Treatment, a new policy aimed at UK nationals travelling abroad for medical procedures.
According to the firm, so called medical tourists are at risk if they take out only standard travel insurance.
While there are some specific policies that provide some protection for additional travel/accommodation costs they do [...]
Increase in take-up of gap year travel insurance
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Increase in take-up of gap year travel insurance
People utilising a gap year to go travelling are becoming more cautious, according to Direct Travel Insurance.
Direct Travel Insurance has seen backpacking policy sales surge by 25% over the 12 months ending July 2009, an indicator that despite the recession and tightening purse strings the overlooking of travel insurance is becoming less common.
In the European [...]
SkyEurope highlights the need for SAFI
by Gill Montia
Story link: SkyEurope highlights the need for SAFI
Reflecting on the demise of SkyEurope, the Slovakia-based budget airline that has collapsed leaving thousands of passengers stranded, International Passenger Protection (IPP) is reminding travellers of the benefits of financial failure insurance.
The firm, which operates the ProtectMyHoliday.com brand, points out that SkyEurope was marketing flights for this autumn as bankruptcy loomed, meaning that many of [...]
RSA protects business travellers with new alliance
by Gill Montia
Story link: RSA protects business travellers with new alliance
RSA has formed an alliance with First Assist and Drum Cussac, both of which specialise in medical and security assistance.
The agreement will bolster RSA’s personal accident and business travel offering by reducing exposure to medical and security risks.
The group’s personal accident manager, Toni LePine, comments: “In the current climate of heightened security risks and dangers [...]
EU travellers unaware of free health cover
by David Masters
Story link: EU travellers unaware of free health cover
More than half of Brits could be duped into paying for travel insurance in Europe because they’re unaware of the free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
A poll by moneysupermarket.com found 51% of UK adults don’t know about the benefits of the EHIC when travelling in Europe.
Furthermore, 43% of those polled still believe the defunct E111 [...]
Britons advised against skipping travel insurance
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Britons advised against skipping travel insurance
Lloyds TSB Added Value Accounts has commissioned research which reveals nearly 2 million Britons will go holidaying in sunnier lands during the forthcoming weekend.
Of the 1,000 respondents approximately one in ten (equating to 5.2m when extrapolated to the entire UK population) admitted to going on holiday in the past without proper insurance.
Nine percent cited lack [...]
