Insurance
Money
Providers
Blog
News
Newsletter
News Archive
Get the latest deals, news and advice in your inbox with our no-spam guarantee!
News in Travel Insurance
Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive the latest news headlines and special offers in your inbox. You may also be interested in our blog commentary updated on a daily basis. For more info on our editorial team click here.
Brits heading to Greece for holidays
Holidaymakers are choosing to head to Greece for their summer breaks as travel website Travelzoo has revealed that bookings have soared by nearly a third.
Despite the country's ongoing economical problems many Britons are planning to head to the nation over the upcoming summer period.
Travelzoo's European managing director, Stephen Dunk believes that the hike can been attributed to the strong performance of the pound to the Euro.
He revealed that Brits can now get ten per cent more money to spend abroad, while a number of tour operators have been slashing their Greek deals to entice people to holiday in the country.
Mr Dunk also highlighted the popularity of all-inclusive deals saying: "The heightened consumer interest in all-inclusive deals is a real sign of the times, as people attempt to protect themselves ahead of their holidays and ring-fence the amount they spend."
A recent report by Tourism Concern revealed that all-inclusive holidays were damaging the economy of the local areas of these vacation hotspots. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Tue 22 May 2012
Brits running out of money while on holiday
It is one situation that many holidaymakers dread, running out of money while in a foreign country; but research has found that some Brits find themselves caught short.
A poll by Teletext Holidays has revealed that 70 per cent of UK holidaymakers have run out of funds five days into a seven-day break and a further 20 per cent have admitted to returning home early as their funds have run dry.
Holidaymakers admitted that meals out, drinks, day trips and excursions put a major dent in their spending, and 47 per cent revealed that their trips were more expensive than they originally thought.
Most Brits spend five months saving up an average of £620 for their vacation, but this can soon be swallowed up.
A recent report by Tourism Concern said that many Brits are turning to all inclusive breaks to save funds, which is seriously harming businesses in holiday hotspots.
Teletext Holidays managing director Victoria Saunders said: "Caution with money often goes out the window the minute people step foot on foreign soil. The attitude seems to be that they will worry about paying the bill when they get back into the UK." More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Mon 14 May 2012
EU telephone roaming charges to drop
One of the biggest headaches while holidaying abroad is paying high tariffs to phone home from a mobile.
However, this is set to ease as MEPs voted to cap the amount companies can charge on the tariffs to customers, it will be enforced from July 1st and will come as welcome relief for holidaymakers and business people that work across the European Union on a regular basis.
Under the new regulation the average price for making a call will be 29 cents (23p) per minute while sending a text message will be capped at nine cents (7p) and downloading a megabyte of data will now cost 70 cents (56p).
European commission vice president Neelie Kroes said: "By putting price caps on data we have created a roaming market for the smart phone generation. More than that, we have ended the rip-offs familiar to anyone who has used a mobile phone while travelling abroad."
As the likes of tablet devices become even more popular the capping will allow people to surf the web for cheaper while on holiday and can keep in contact with friends at home. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Fri 11 May 2012
Holiday charter flights could return to Liverpool
Holidaymakers could be jetting off on budget getaways to the continent from Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) as charter flights could be making a return.
The airport is currently in talks with low-cost airline easyJet to arrange summer charter journeys which JLA does not currently have and the company has described the north-west facility as an "ideal location", the Liverpool Echo reports.
According to data by the SITA and Air Transport World’s Passenger Self-Service Survey many consumers are looking to purchase a holiday online with 38 per cent of people using this service in 2010 impacting on the charter flights from JLA.
However, easyJet is looking to change this and form a partnership between Liverpool and Manchester akin to its Edinburgh and Glasgow service.
Paul Simmons, easyJet UK regional general manager said: "We are trying to create easyJet Holidays and Liverpool doesn't have a charter market so we are trying to make our Liverpool operation more vibrant." More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Thu 10 May 2012
Local councils cut road safety budgets
Local councils in England have cut their road safety budgets by 15 per cent, saving £23 million, but potentially increasing the chances of accidents occurring. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Wed 2 May 2012
Brits will find it easy to get married abroad
Getting married abroad is an easy thing to do, however it is important to investigate which countries have residency laws and red tape in place. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Wed 2 May 2012
New holiday cover comes into force
Brits jetting off to escape the wet and windy weather in the UK are set to benefit from extra cover.
The Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Atol) scheme has been extended to help protect another six million holidaymakers and give people that extra piece of mind when they head off to a foreign country.
While package holidays were already covered by Atol, the scheme has now been expanded to incorporate "flight-plus" holidays which are similar to the package getaways but were not previously included under the previous regulation.
Many Brits will be heading for the sun over the summer period with British Airways American Express Credit Cards revealing that the country plans to spend £36 billion on holidays over the rest of the year.
Bob Atkinson, of price comparison website Travelsupermarket, said: "The flight-plus scheme will ensure that millions more trips will now come under the Atol protection scheme. However, these reforms still leave a huge number of additional holiday sales uncovered." More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Tue 1 May 2012
3 in 10 parents take term-time holidays
Parents are running the risk of being fined by taking their children out of school during term-time, but many are continuing to do so in a bid to reduce holiday costs.
Research from LV Travel has found that three in ten parents intend to take a holiday during the school calendar in order to take advantage of the cheaper deals that can be found during this period.
Since 2004 fines were introduced to put an end to children missing valuable school days and an initiative in the East Riding of Yorkshire revealed that since 2008/9 80,000 school days were lost due to this habit. However, since a crackdown on the culture this figure was slashed to half by 2010/11.
The research found that taking a vacation out of the summer holidays costs 46 per cent less than it would during the time off. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Fri 27 Apr 2012
Bad weather causes surge of summer holiday bookings
The UK may currently be classed as in a "drought" but the recent torrential rain has left many Britons dreaming of sunnier climes.
As the bad weather casts a shadow over the country, tour operators have noted a rise in the number of people booking up for summer holidays in warmer reaches of the globe.
Virgin Atlantic has revealed that it has seen a 37 per cent increase in bookings compared to the same period last year with the most popular destination being in the Caribbean. Combined with the upcoming Diamond Jubilee celebrations many more Brits are looking to get away.
Greg Dawson, a Virgin Atlantic spokesman, said: "Britain's bad weather has created a flood of passengers eager to fly to sun-soaked destinations such as Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua."
Despite a hosepipe ban being imposed on a number of regions in the south of England the Environment Agency has now issued 52 flood warnings for places in southern areas and the west of Scotland. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Thu 26 Apr 2012
East Yorkshire pupils taking less holidays during term-time
It may be cheaper to take holidays during the school term-time but many parents have been warned to stop this behaviour.
An initiative implemented in schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire has managed to halve the amount of lost days by pupils being taken on holiday during the traditional term-time and avoiding the extra costs involved with a summer holiday.
In the 2008/9 school year, officials revealed that 80,000 days had been lost due to pupils being taken out; however since the clampdown by East Riding Council that figure has been slashed to 46,484 by 2010/11.
The authority has been issuing penalty notices to parents who flout this ruling and since September 348 parents have received the fines.
Paul Butler, the council's inclusion and access manager, told the Hull Daily Mail: "We hope the downward trend will continue as many parents are now realising that taking their children out of school for a term-time holiday can be damaging for their education and are thinking twice." More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Tue 24 Apr 2012
Sterling rate drops price of Brits' holidays
More Brits than ever before are being able to afford a holiday abroad due to the strong performance of the sterling currency.
The soaring rate of the English pound has meant that UK holidaymakers have 14 per cent more cash for their trips to the continent than they had at the same period last year.
According to the Post Office Travel Money's cost index, Bulgaria was the best country for Brits looking for a cheap getaway while those who decided to holiday at home rather than heading to Europe found that Brighton was the most expensive.
Out of the eurozone Croatia was the most costly, with the average of ten typical holiday costs, including a three-course meal, coming to £73.65 compared to Bulgaria's £42.79.
Andrew Brown, head of Post Office Travel Money, said: "Resort prices and currency exchange rates are always changing, so it is worth doing some research to check the latest position before booking a holiday."
It comes after British Airways American Express Credit Cards revealed that Brits will spend £36 billion on holidays this summer. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Tue 24 Apr 2012
Summer holiday spend to top £36bn
Summer holidays are still high on the average Brit's list of priorities, with 23.6 million people expected to jet off in the warmer months.
Research from British Airways American Express Credit Cards found that UK holidaymakers will spend over £36 billion this year heading to sunnier climes, spending an average of £923 per person on a 2012 holiday.
The company found that in 2011, 21 per cent of people went without a major getaway compared to this year's figure of just nine per cent. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Mon 23 Apr 2012
EHIC being misunderstood for British holidaymakers
The benefits of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are being misunderstood by British holidaymakers.
According to a survey by Gocompare.com, more than half of UK jetsetters (57 per cent) believe that the card entitles them to free emergency medical care anywhere in Europe and a further four per cent think it will give them free treatment all over the world.
In reality it will only give them the same level of treatment as nationals within that country. This means that while some states may offer free health care the likelihood is that Brits will have to pay a discounted fee towards any potential emergency procedures while on holiday.
Jeremy Cryer, head of travel insurance at Gocompare.com, said: "Having an EHIC may help you to access free or, more likely, discounted emergency medical services whilst abroad but it's not a guarantee that you won't have to pay anything.
Columbus Direct recently urged those heading to Canada and the US for a skiing holiday to take out travel insurance as an injury in that country could result in a hefty medical bill. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Wed 18 Apr 2012
Beware of benefit fraud abroad
As many Brits are swapping the rat race to live in warmer climes they are being advised to be wary of benefit fraud while abroad.
In a visit to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Benefits and Healthcare team in Madrid, secretary of state for the sector, Iain Duncan Smith issued a warning to the many UK expats living overseas.
Mr Duncan Smith warned people not to break the strict rules that these countries enforce on what they can and can not claim in benefits. He also advised people that believe they are becoming the victim of this kind of fraud to report it to the Spanish authorities.
He said: "We are determined to clamp down on benefit fraud abroad, which cost the British taxpayer around £43 million last year. This money should be going to the people who need it most and not lining the pockets of criminals sunning themselves overseas."
Spain is very popular with British expats as figures from Eurostat revealed that there are currently 390,880 UK born people registered as residents in the country. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Tue 17 Apr 2012
Holidaymakers urged to insure their mobile phones
It is one of the most treasured and vital possessions for most Brits but a lost mobile phone could prove costly if uninsured while abroad.
With more and more people keen to stay in touch with friends back home via email or social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter, Defaqto has advised holidaymakers to take out cover before they set off overseas.
However, the company warned that different insurers can offer varying restrictions on the amount of time the protection lasts for while on holiday.
Defaqto's research found that the majority of firms (54 per cent) would allow cover for one year although 13 per cent only give 30 days.
Following the launch of Apple's iPhone 4S many more people are taking up smartphones, making them a more attractive proposition for thieves.
Mike Powell, Defaqto's insight analyst for general insurance, said: "It is essential that people read their policy wording carefully so that they understand the cover provided for the number of overseas days along with any claim reporting restrictions." More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Thu 12 Apr 2012
US and Canada named most expensive place to have a ski injury
Brits heading out on the slopes in the US and Canada are being warned to take out the right travel insurance before travelling.
Research by Sainsbury's Finance named the two countries as the most expensive place to have a ski or snowboard-related injury, beating the likes of other popular destinations such as France and Austria.
The company found that the average claim for an injury in the US or Canada was £2,863 compared to £1,393 in Austria and £960 in France. The majority of claims came from knee injuries while lower leg and shoulder were also among the most common complaints.
David Barrett, Sainsbury's travel insurance manager, said: "It's advisable to also have comprehensive travel insurance wherever you are skiing or boarding in the world as an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) will not cover you for everything, such as being airlifted from the slopes or repatriated back home."
US and Canada is a host to hundreds of ski resorts with the largest being Revelstoke in British Columbia. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Tue 10 Apr 2012
Half of Brits go to church on holiday
Brits are more likely to visit a church on holiday than they are at home, according to research by Direct Line travel insurance.
With places such as Rome and Paris being rich in religious heritage, churches are major attractions for many UK holidaymakers. The survey found that 49 per cent of Brits have visited a church abroad whilst a further 26 per cent have attended a religious service while on holiday.
Religious excursions are also relatively popular, with one in ten Brits going on a pilgrimage or heading to spiritual destinations, such as Lourdes or Jerusalem.
However, these figures are in stark contrast to those back home, where 36 per cent of Brits admit to having never visited a UK church.
Tom Bishop, head of travel insurance at Direct Line, said: "As tourists become more adventurous and seek out different destinations to visit they should ensure they have adequate travel insurance in place to protect themselves against any unforeseen events." More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Tue 3 Apr 2012
Heathrow airport to be hit with busy Easter holidays
Heathrow airport is bracing itself for the busiest period of the year as the Easter holidays approach.
The airport is expecting a swell in passenger numbers over the seven days between March 30th and April 6th as many families take advantage of the school holidays and have a week-long getaway in the sun.
With the Easter break giving workers a four-day weekend many people will be taking advantage of the added time away from the office to get out of the country for the duration.
March 30th is expected to be Heathrow's busiest day, with an estimated 220,000 people estimated to pass through the travel hub, adding to the 3.4 million that will use the airport up to April 15th.
As the price of fuel continues to rise, many holidaymakers would be forgiven for deciding against taking vacations at home, with a holiday abroad seeming like a cheaper option.
Normand Boivin, chief operating officer at Heathrow said: "This coming Easter, like any other day, we aim at making the journeys of the millions of passengers who will pass via Heathrow better, and ensure their experience of Heathrow is a positive one." More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Wed 28 Mar 2012
Think about travel insurance before jetting off
Brits jetting off to warmer climates over the Easter holidays are being urged to make sure they have travel insurance before they leave.
Moneysupermarket.com has given a number of top tips for holidaymakers prior to heading off for some much-needed time in the sun. The price comparison site has urged people to make sure they have cover for such eventualities such as medical and personal liability.
Many people that head out on skiing holidays have been warned that having the right insurance in place is vital in case they have an accident on the slopes.
With the likes of the US and Canada charging large amounts for hospital fees, not having proper insurance could land a holidaymaker with a hefty bill.
When travelling with expensive items such as iPads, mobile phones and e-readers, it can add a lot of value to a person's baggage, so Moneysupermarket recommends investing in baggage cover.
Bob Atkinson, travel expert at the company, said: "Reading the policy wording before choosing travel insurance is vital to ensure the cover offered meets your needs." More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Tue 27 Mar 2012
