Long haul package holidays being slashed in price

With the global credit crunch still underway and soaring household bills and living costs impacting on consumers’ budgets it is little surprise that many people have decided that they either cannot afford to take a holiday at all or that they can only afford to take a break somewhere local within the UK rather than heading to some far flung destination that costs a small fortune when it comes to flights, accommodation, and all the extras. Read more

Tags: holidays, way, different deals, United Kingdom, fuel, bargain, advance, trip

RIAS: Get covered if you’re driving abroad this summer

People thinking about going on a road trip round the continent in their cars this summer need to make sure they have the right kind of cover, insurance specialist RIAS has warned.

The company has advised drivers hopping across the channel during the holidays for a scenic tour of Europe to make sure they have their paperwork in order before they go and to take their UK driving licences, vehicle registration documents and certificates of motor insurance with them.

Managing director Janet Connor said: “Getting the correct insurance in place should be as essential a part of a pre-holiday to-do list as remembering to pack your toothbrush.”

Forgetting about insurance can prove costly – getting towed home can cost more than £1,000, according to RIAS.

The news comes just after AA Ireland advised people driving to the Emerald Isle this summer to check their insurance covers them to the same level as in the UK.

Tags: Admiral Group, Managing director, Janet Connor, specialist, vehicle registration documents, Insurance

Check your insurance if you’re heading to Ireland, says AA

Holidaymakers travelling to Ireland this summer need to make sure that their car insurance policy covers them for driving abroad, AA Ireland has advised.

Thomas Brosnan, spokesperson for the insurer, said that people planning a road trip to the Gaelic nation need to check that if they have comprehensive cover in the UK, they also have the same terms in other countries, otherwise they could be caught out and have a hefty bill to pay in the event of an accident.

Last year, nearly five million Brits visited the Emerald Isle, with most of them staying in Dublin (63 per cent), according to figures from Tourism Ireland.

For those thinking of taking their cars to discover the country by car, Mr Brosnan offered the following advice: “If a person is bringing their own vehicle here, certainly they should check with their own insurance company the level of cover they will have while here.”

Tags: planning a road trip, The Automobile Association, Insurance, Types of insurance, insurer, Tourism, hefty bill, trip

AA: More people choosing small cars for cheaper insurance

More drivers are opting for smaller cars in an effort to secure cheaper car insurance premiums, AA Insurance has said.

Ian Crowder, public relations manager at the insurer, said that smaller cars are also becoming popular because they are more fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly.

Drivers thinking about buying car insurance have been advised to check that it covers them for driving in a foreign, country, especially with the summer holidays coming up and people planning road trips to Europe.

Research company Defaqto found that more than one in five policies do not provide cover for driving in another country.

Mike Powell, consultant for General Insurance at Defaqto, said: “You need to check with your insurer to confirm cover is provided before you travel. Even if cover is given, policyholders should always inform their insurer of a trip abroad as this often forms part of the policy terms and conditions”.

However, the study also found that 46 per cent of policies do provide insurance abroad for up to 90 days at no extra cost.

Tags: General, public relations, More people, Types of insurance, cheaper car insurance premiums, Financial economics, trip, policy

Additional insurance fees cost drivers £333m

Motorists are being charged an average fee of £22 for amending simple details on their car insurance policy, according to new research.

Findings from uSwitch showed that with 14 million consumers making changes every year, drivers are collectively £333 million out of pocket each year.

The company states there is no legislation in place to protect consumers from excessive charges and fees, something which it says needs rectifying.

Ashton Berkhauer, insurance expert at uSwitch.com, said that consumers need to know where they stand and the easiest way to do this is for the amount providers charge to be consistent across the insurance industry.

“This would make it clearer for consumers and bring transparency to the market. Currently, making an adjustment to your policy can cost you from £0 to £25 and the price for cancelling a policy mid-term can be unlimited,” he continued.

Meanwhile, further research from the company shows that extending insurance to cover the duration of a trip abroad can cost motorists up to £510.

Tags: car insurance policy, trip, com, Ashton Berkhauer, additional insurance, fee, excessive charges, amount

Insurance needed even for ‘breakneck breaks’

More and more British people are jetting off on short duration long-haul foreign trips, new research shows.

Some 3.7 million people travelled more than 5.5 billion miles to take a long-haul (more than seven hours) flight for a holiday of a week or less, a survey by the Halifax found.

And in spite of concerns about the carbon footprint of air travel, the numbers planning to take what has been dubbed a “breakneck break” in the next year are rising.

The study found that 4,987,000 Britons will take such a trip during 2008.

Travelling to less familiar, further flung destinations while attempting to cram in ever more to less and less time increases the need for travellers to have proper levels of travel insurance.

Paul Birkhead, senior manager of pricing and underwriting at Halifax Travel Insurance, warned: “Holidaymakers should not risk travelling without adequate insurance just because they are taking a short break.

“Things can go wrong whether you are taking a break for two days or two weeks. Travel insurance will cover you for the unexpected, making it vital that everyone has it. Lost baggage, delayed flights or illness can prove expensive, especially if you are 1,000’s of miles away from home.”

Tags: jetting, Pricing, travel, duration, footprint, carbon footprint, air travel, trip

Saga issues travel insurance warning

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.

Tags: research, trip, date, Financial economics, Saga Travel Insurance, European Union, Ehic, date it

You could get a better deal with annual travel insurance

According to officials from MoneyExpert buying annual travel insurance cover could work out cheaper than opting for single trip cover, although experts do warn that consumers need to carefully check the policies to see what is and isn’t covered before making any commitment.

According to researchers from MoneyExpert some annual travel insurance policies can work out cheaper than single trip policies, but consumers must check that they are adequately covered.

One MoneyExpert official stated: “Holiday makers often think that single trip cover is simple and cheap, but the truth is it’s often not best value for money. You are certainly paying for a quick fix. As with all insurance, the quality of cover will always vary so like-for-like comparisons are quite difficult to make. Nevertheless it remains the case that you can get annual travel insurance for the whole family without breaking the bank. Focusing on price alone can mean holidaymakers will be left with insurance that is not worth the price. Insurance policies are only tested when you need to make a claim. You don’t want to find out when you are making a claim that you’ve saved money at your expense.”

MoneyExpert officials have warned that although it can be cheaper to take out annual cover, consumers should take into consideration the quality of the cover as well as the price. It is important to ensure that you compare different policies, and know exactly what you are and are not covered for in order to ensure that you get proper value for money with your travel insurance policy.

According to Sean Gardner from MoneyExpert: “Average prices provide a guide as to what to look for. It is then up to holidaymakers to probe a little deeper to find the policy that suits them best.”

Tom Smith
26th May 2007

Tags: cover, Insurance, policy, cheaper, travel, money expert, trip

Is Travel Insurance Needed?

In the last five years, more and more people are travelling to further distant regions and not buying travel insurance. Is travel insurance needed? The lust for adventure and need for a challenging life may be strong, but insurance is still necessary. Every year in the UK and overseas, natural disasters have occurred where lives ended in tragedy. Read more

Tags: challenging life, types of personalities, Expatriate insurance, trip, early 20, travel insurance

Travel insurance industry slammed in report

Millions of us could be going on holiday without adequate travel insurance due to hidden clauses in our policies.

That is according to the Treasury Select Committee (TSC) which carried out a report and found that many people are not being told exactly what they are buying when they take out insurance.

The TSC highlighted that there is “insufficient awareness” among consumers about clauses in travel insurance policies.

“All too often, exclusions are buried in the small print of insurance policies,” said John McFall, chairman of the TSC.

“Holidaymakers are risking damage to their health or considerable financial loss if they require treatment while abroad or repatriation to the UK.”

The report has caused a stir within the industry, with Which? calling it “damning” and saying that it reiterates “the urgent need for consistent regulation of travel insurance”.

“Which? research shows that travel insurance is being mis-sold and consumers aren’t being given the appropriate information,” said Mike Naylor from Which?.

“There is no reason why travel agents should be excluded from regulation.”

People planning a trip abroad are advised to take out travel insurance and Which? has compiled a list of tips to ensure that you get the right cover.

Declaring any information that may lead to a claim, checking cover limits and exclusions, looking out for excesses, reading the small print and informing the insurer of any medical conditions are all advised.

Tags: adequate travel insurance, exclusions, report, travel agents, trip, Financial services