Advertisement
U.S. markets closed
  • S&P 500

    5,254.35
    +5.86 (+0.11%)
     
  • Dow 30

    39,807.37
    +47.29 (+0.12%)
     
  • Nasdaq

    16,379.46
    -20.06 (-0.12%)
     
  • Russell 2000

    2,124.55
    +10.20 (+0.48%)
     
  • Crude Oil

    83.11
    +1.76 (+2.16%)
     
  • Gold

    2,254.80
    +42.10 (+1.90%)
     
  • Silver

    25.10
    +0.35 (+1.41%)
     
  • EUR/USD

    1.0794
    -0.0035 (-0.32%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.2060
    +0.0100 (+0.24%)
     
  • GBP/USD

    1.2625
    -0.0013 (-0.11%)
     
  • USD/JPY

    151.3730
    +0.1270 (+0.08%)
     
  • Bitcoin USD

    70,681.60
    +1,622.16 (+2.35%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • FTSE 100

    7,952.62
    +20.64 (+0.26%)
     
  • Nikkei 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     

A 3rd of Brits take 3 'mini-holidays' a year – without travel insurance

Brits “don’t see the point” in travel insurance. Photo: Ethan Robertson/Unsplash
Brits “don’t see the point” in travel insurance. Photo: Ethan Robertson/Unsplash

Two in five Brits take at least three holidays or “mini-breaks” every year, spending an average of £3,216 in total, according to new figures.

A survey of over 2,000 people by Co-op Insurance revealed two-fifths (39%) of holiday-makers in the UK take three or more short breaks or holidays every year, with over a quarter of millennials taking at least five.

But despite frequent travelling, holiday-makers are playing a “travel lottery,” as many don’t think it’s necessary to buy travel insurance for these trips, the Co-op found.

READ MORE: Buying a holiday home is a huge waste of money

Over two-fifths (44%) of Brits said they are not taking out travel insurance to protect their next trip, with a quarter (23%) saying they don’t need protection because they’re “not going away for that long.”

Furthermore, over two-fifths (41%) of Brits believe they don’t need travel insurance for holidays where they do not leave the country. On top of this, 35% of those who said they don’t need insurance believe they don’t need it because they “can go to the hospital for free.”

The Co-op warned that those not taking out insurance for this reason take the same risks for short breaks as they would for longer holidays. These vacationers could be leaving themselves uncovered if they have to cancel a trip due to illness, or if items they take on holiday are lost or stolen.

READ MORE: 3 ways to save money on holiday travel

It added that, with the uncertainty of Brexit, holiday-makers could face expensive medical bills should they go abroad and find out their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is no longer valid.

Other reasons cited for not getting insurance include not “seeing the point” of insurance (34%), and not planning to do any dangerous activities while away (25%).

Those who are going on holiday the most, and spending the most, however, are the most likely to protect their breaks.

Millennials proved themselves to be the generation most likely to flash the cash on holiday. Those aged 25-34 said they spend an average of £3,729 when they go away — about £500 more than the typical holidaymaker.

READ MORE: Holidays – stay at home or go abroad?

This age group is the most concerned with protecting their holiday, with seven in 10 (71%) taking out insurance for short breaks and holidays, compared to less than half (44%) of those aged 45 to 54.

Almost half (46%) of millennials said they like to “enjoy the finer things in life” when they jet off, and almost two in five (37%) said it’s their only opportunity to relax, so they don’t worry about money.

“As the research shows, people are taking multiple short breaks a year, but worryingly, many don’t see the need to protect these getaways,” according to Colin Butler, head of travel Insurance at the Co-op.

READ MORE: Are you ready to buy a vacation home?

“If you’re going on multiple trips throughout the year, it’s always worth considering an annual policy as a cost-effective way of making sure you’re always covered whenever you go away, especially when we are still uncertain about the outcomes of Brexit on travel,” Butler said.

“It’s a possibility that in the future, those going abroad may find that they are no longer covered by an EHIC, and so having insurance in place can take away at least some uncertainties for any upcoming trips.”

Advertisement