Cheaper travel insurance 'not always the best option'

Thursday, May 27th 2010

Travel insurance can be expensive, but consumers should not necessarily choose the cheapest options, an expert has advised.

Sean Tipton, a spokesperson for Abta, explained there are certain issues to be discussed when taking out a policy.

The cheapest insurance schemes often provide the lowest level of cover, which could be a problem in some circumstances.

People should always discuss medical conditions with their travel agent or insurer in order to get the correct cover, he added.

A new report from Which? found a number of travel agents sell insurance that is potentially unsuitable, with 17 of the 29 visited unable to provide the most basic details about policies they sell.

"If a customer does encounter problems that the policy has been mis-sold they can of course take it up with ABTA and the [Financial Services Authority]," Mr Tipton advised.

The report from Which? revealed independent travel agencies tend to have a better overall performance than chain branches.