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Third of holidaymakers 'uninsured'

05 February 2008

More than one third of holidaymakers and travellers go abroad without taking out holiday insurance, according to a recent survey.

The poll carried out for Nationwide revealed that 35 per cent of people going abroad risk having to bear the full cost of flight cancellations, lost luggage or medical bills because they have not taken out travel insurance.

And failing to takeout insurance is not the only risk travellers admit to taking, with at least 59 per cent confessing that they do not use a safety deposit box to keep valuables such as passports and money safe.

Instead 36 per cent claimed to keep their important possessions on their person, 12 per cent said they left them in their suitcase, nine per cent just left their documents and cash in a drawer and two percent simply left their valuables on the bedside table.

Nationwide's insurance director, Robin Bailey, said: "It is astounding that people are prepared to take such a gamble when travelling abroad. You never know what's around the corner and for that reason it is vital that you have adequate travel insurance in place."

Even travellers who have taken precautions aren't as careful as they could be. A recent poll by the MoneyExpert website revealed that 12 per cent did not know what their policy covered.