Research conducted for a new campaign, Travel Insurance Explained has found that there are varying levels of understanding of travel insurance across the UK.
Research conducted for a new campaign, Travel Insurance Explained has found that there are varying levels of understanding of travel insurance across the UK. In new research, which surveyed 2,003 UK residents, found that those in the North East and North West regions are least likely to read their policy terms and conditions, with 25% stating that they never read them. However 88% of those living in London read at least part of their policy, with 55% stating that they always read them thoroughly.
East Anglians are the least knowledgeable on their policy excess, with 39% of them admitting that they did not know their excess level on their travel insurance policy. Londoners and those in Northern Ireland, however, were the most familiar with their excess level, with 79% of them fully aware of the amount that they are expected to contribute should they need to make a claim.
Travel Insurance Explained is a new campaign, launched by Travel Insurance Facilities Group (tifgroup), to help consumers to really understand what they are buying when purchasing travel insurance. The research highlighted many of the consumer’s misconceptions around travel insurance. These included 34% of those in the East and East Anglia did not expect to need to provide proof of purchase or ownership when making a claim for personal possessions, and while those in Northern Ireland were best informed, with 85% of them understanding that this is required for a claim, two thirds (67%) still expected a claim to be paid even if proof could not be provided.
Londoners also seemed to be the most careless, with 60% of them incorrectly believing that unattended items, such as those left on the beach, would be covered – much higher than the average of 26% across the UK.
People in the East Midlands are the most likely to rely on insurance that is bundled into bank accounts, with 23% assuming that the cover meets their needs.
However, there is consensus across some aspects, with 86% of all respondents saying that they were now more likely to purchase travel insurance following the country’s vote to leave the EU in the recent referendum. The region with the highest proportion of those now choosing to buy travel insurance was the North East, with 91% surveyed saying they bought cover.
Fiona Macrae, Head of Client Engagement at tifgroup said:
“Our research has confirmed that there is a genuine lack of understanding in what travel insurance does and doesn’t cover. As specialists in the market we recognise the importance of the cover that travel insurance provides and are concerned by the consumer’s misconceptions around what is and is not covered under their policies.
“It is for this reason that we are launching Travel Insurance Explained – a new initiative explaining the ins and outs of travel insurance: what exactly is covered and what you can expect from your insurer. The travel insurance product has changed over the years, as has the consumer’s expectations. This project highlights our ongoing commitment to meeting our customers’ needs.”
