Ahead of this year’s holiday season, the latest study from swiftcover.com, the UK’s first and only 100% online insurer, reveals millions of Brits have a ‘devil may care’ attitude when it comes to travel insurance, with almost one in two (44%) admitting to travelling abroad without cover.

• Almost half (44%) of us Brits have travelled abroad without insurance
• One in four Brits travel in Europe without insurance
• One in fourteen Brits travel long haul without insurance
• Younger travellers most at risk, three in five under 30s travel abroad without cover

Ahead of this year’s holiday season, the latest study from swiftcover.com, the UK’s first and only 100% online insurer, reveals millions of Brits have a ‘devil may care’ attitude when it comes to travel insurance, with almost one in two (44%) admitting to travelling abroad without cover.

It is short breaks when people are most likely to ignore the risks and travel without insurance. Over a quarter (26%) of people confess to going on short breaks overseas without insurance. And this figure escalates to a massive three in four (74%) people when breaks are taken in the UK.

Short breaks aren’t the only time many consumers throw caution to the wind and travel without insurance. The research also identifies that almost a fifth (16%) have taken a longer holiday in Europe without insurance and one in fourteen (7%) have travelled long haul without cover. And what’s more, for the vast majority of the people who leave home without insurance, it was a conscious decision – nine out of ten have travelled knowing full well they were not insured for their trip.

The study goes on to reveal the key reasons why people fail to take out travel insurance for their holidays, showing that:

• 19% (8.4 million) don’t believe they are likely to make a claim
• 15% (6.6 million) think it’s too expensive
• 13% (5.7 million) think the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will provide adequate cover

Example of costs in Spain:

• Overnight stay in a private clinic for a broken leg will cost £1,600
• And if you are more seriously injured, an air ambulance back from Spain to the UK would cost from £12,000

YouGov carried out the research between 14-16 March 2006 amongst a random sample of 2,313 adults aged 18+. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.

Article Source: Swiftcover.com Car Insurance Services.

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