Risk of insurance-free winter trips exposed
Insurance broker Direct Line claims holidaymakers travelling without insurance during the winter are most of risk as this is the time of year when they are most likely to suffer a loss or injury.
It said its analysis of Direct Line Travel Insurance data revealed 20% of all claims are made during the winter even though only 15% of all holidays are taken in this period.
Approximately one claim is made for every 57 trips made by Britons from December to February, compared to an average of one claim for every 67 overseas trips.
In total, around £45,000 worth of travel claims are made every hour during the winter.
Not only are travel insurance claims during the winter months more frequent, but the value of claims is also higher, said Direct Line.
The average claim value for last winter was more than £800, 24% higher than the average annual claim value.
Over half (56%) of all winter claims exceeded £1,000. This amounts to over £97 million in travel insurance claims over the three-month winter period.
The most common claims Direct Line sees during the winter are for cancellation, followed by out-patient medical procedure and loss of baggage.
Nearly a fifth of claims last winter came from people travelling to Spain while nine percent came from trips to France and 8% from the US, many of which arose from skiing and snowboarding.
Tom Bishop, head of travel insurance at Direct Line, said: "It’s unsurprising that we want to escape the gloomy British winter. However, with winter claims not only more common but also more expensive, anyone looking to enjoy a winter break should ensure they take out comprehensive travel insurance at the point of booking their holiday, so in the event something derails their trip, they won’t be left out of pocket."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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