Travel insurance: This is why two in five Brits don’t get cover for holidays in the UK

This year, more Britons than ever are choosing to stay at home and holiday in the UK.

In fact, Britons are growing into a bit of a ‘staycation nation’, with three quarters of British adults reporting they have been on, or are planning a UK holiday, according to Barclays.

That’s a whopping 70 per cent increase from the previous year. The reasons given? A fifth say they holiday in the UK to keep costs down, whilst others do so because of time constraints, good hospitality and simply because they want to spend more time in the UK.

But, over eight per cent of Britons reported to be a victim of loss, theft or damage whilst holidaying in the UK. This begs the question: are us Brits missing a trick when it comes to UK travel insurance?

Specialists in over-50s insurance, Saga found that “many people consider travel insurance for UK-based holidays to be an unnecessary expense” with two in five over-50s who traveling without insurance saying they don’t take out cover because they were ‘only’ travelling in the UK.

This is in part because of the “financial safety-net of” access to free emergency healthcare by the NHS, Saga continues.

But travel insurance is not purely medical, instead covering a range of scenarios that could save you money if things were to go wrong, regardless of whether your in the UK or abroad.

The Association of British Insurers' (ABI) Chief Media Relations Officer, Malcolm Tarling, says there are a few insurance-related issues to consider when holidaying in the UK: cancellation and home contents insurance.

Tarling commented: “You can obtain specific cancellation cover, should you need to cancel your travel arrangements due to specific reasons, such as becoming ill”.

He advises holidaymakers to “check any cancellation protection that may be available…either as part of your holiday cost, or that may be available from the holiday firm separately”.

A recent study by insurer Policy Expert found that the average holidaymaker is taking £676 worth of valuables away with them on staycations.

Therefore, it’s worth checking the cover on your home insurance “as you may be covered for possessions lost or stolen outside of your home”, Tarling commented.

However, it’s important to check whether this is something covered automatically or available as an add-on at an additional cost.

As well as this, the ABI advises holidaymakers to “check the limits on the value of overall possessions covered, as well as single item limits.

Whilst the NHS gives us Brits peace of mind whilst travelling in the UK, you always need to be aware of surprise medical costs.

Travel experts Staysure commented on their website: “If you’re holidaying on one of the coastal islands surrounding the UK, travel insurance is often an absolute necessity”. This includes the Channel Islands such as Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Herm and Sark.

“If you do need to be flown back to the mainland for medical treatment, insurance can help you avoid a hefty bill as the EHIC is not valid on any of the islands”, says Staysure. It’s also handy to know what exactly your EHIC covers.

Policies for UK travel insurance vary, but most travel insurance should cover you for the essentials including: your personal possessions should they be lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed; cancellation if you have to cancel or cut your trip short for reasons beyond your control; and personal liability.

Taking out an annual travel insurance policy will last a year and cover you for all trips within that time. It’s usually a far more economical option than getting cover for single trips.

The type of cover will always be the same wherever you are in the world, apart from medical expenses which may differ. All other aspects, including cancellation and personal belongings should be included. 

Therefore, if you are travelling within the UK and want to make sure you’re covered for all eventualities- including medical treatment, cancellation and personal insurance, taking out travel insurance is the best option.

Cover varies between providers so it’s best to compare insurance, not only for the cheapest deals but for what cover suits you best.