Saga issues travel insurance warning
June 19, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Insurance
Holidaymakers who purchase their travel insurance well before they leave are more likely to successfully claim all their money back than those who do not get covered until the last minute.
According to new research, 68 per cent of people who buy their insurance well before going on holiday can claim their money back should the trip be cancelled.
This number is far lower (52 per cent) for those who purchase their insurance in the week leading up to the trip.
Saga Travel Insurance, the firm behind the research, points out ten per cent of respondents revealed that they had lost out financially in the past because something had gone wrong before they had bought insurance.
The most common causes for a trip being cancelled include a travelling companion falling ill or having an accident and family bereavements.
“This research clearly demonstrates the need to secure insurance well before you plan to travel as the cover is in force from the date it’s purchased, not just whilst you are actually away,” said Andrew Goodsell, chief executive of Saga Group.
Saga is also telling holidaymakers to make sure that they have a European Health Insurance Card (Ehic) before travelling anywhere within the EU.
It allows EU residents to get medical care in any EU country and replaces the old E111 form. However, 29 per cent of respondents were unaware that the E111 is no longer valid.
