It has been revealed, by The Mirror, that travellers are leaving holiday preparation to the very last minutes amid fears COVID is going to ruin their plans. Prior to the pandemic, travellers, on average, allowed up to three months to prepare for their holiday.
In a recent study, commissioned by Medicspot, 42% of the 2,000 people involved (who considered themselves organised, pre-pandemic) admitted to leaving holiday preparation to the last minute. A further 31% leave everything to the last few days and 43% worry about cancellations up until the point they are boarding the plane.
Since travel restrictions across the world have been relaxed, there has been an influx of bookings from Brits desperate for a holiday. However, amongst the excitement it appears people are forgetting a crucial travel document.
One in five adults admitted to travelling without any form of travel insurance. Travelling without a suitable travel insurance policy poses a huge risk, particularly when it comes to financial loss.
Since the pandemic, many travel insurance providers have updated their policies to cover COVID-related incidences including, but not limited to; having to cancel a holiday due to contracting COVID prior to travel (seven in ten people involved in the study are worried about catching COVID in the 10 days before they are due to travel) and catching COVID abroad and requiring medical treatment or having to stay abroad for longer than expected.
With the cost of medical treatment abroad, and an air ambulance from Europe costing in the region of 20,000 euros, travellers could find themselves considerably out of pocket if they do not ensure they have the right cover in place for their trip. Cover will differ between policies so travellers are advised to check the policy wording carefully.
Many travel agents and tour operators are offering low-cost holidays, within the UK and abroad, this summer in an attempt to claw back earnings lost during the past two years and a rise in bookings for Summer 2022 have already been reported. Those with upcoming holidays planned should ensure they have travel insurance in place to cover any unforeseen circumstances that may occur prior to travel.