Travel Insurance Paying for Itself When Luggage Goes Missing, States AA Travel Insurance

BASILDON, England -

- Holiday Makers Taking Expensive Goods on Budget Holidays

- Brits Advised to Make Efforts to Insure Their Possessions

Many Brits make conscious efforts to save money on their holiday by buying budget packages. Travel comparison sites have made buying a holiday at a low-cost package price an easy option, and one that has become a fashionable and obvious choice.

However, whilst holiday goers are wisely trying to cut costs and tighten purse strings in some areas, cutting out travel insurance could prove to be an expensive mistake.

Consider the value of your luggage. All those bags can often be worth more than a plane ticket and a week’s accommodation. A survey conducted by AA Travel Insurance showed that 40% of travellers take trips with goods worth an estimated GBP500-GBP1000 packed into their suitcases. (i)

Add to this the treasures that turn into presents for your friends and family on the flight home and the value of personal possessions overshadows the cost of the holiday. The potential loss if luggage is lost or stolen is high.

Many holiday makers don’t read their policy documents and are therefore unaware of what they are actually covered for, and, in the event of loss or theft, what they should do. AA Travel Insurance has published a section of tips aimed to help you safeguard your possessions and get the paperwork you need to make a claim if your bags do get lost or stolen. These can be found on their travel insurance hints and tips page.

In contrast to the thorough research into cheap holidays, research into travel insurance cover is rare. Only 18% of travellers check over four sites when looking for a relevant travel insurance policy, and 25% check none at all. Most go with one of the first providers they find, unaware of the alternatives.

Adults and children are travelling with increasing numbers of gadgets, such as mobile phones, mp3 players and hand held game consoles, to keep them occupied during the flight. How many know whether these items are covered by their travel insurance?

With 40% of holiday makers packing goods of up to GBP1000 in their luggage, travelling without insurance is a high risk to take.

A spokesperson from AA Travel Insurance said: “The content of a passenger’s suitcase has become a high-value commodity. Accumulating goods and taking high-cost items can be an expensive loss. Not having travel insurance in place or buying an inadequate policy that has not been researched can prove to be costly.”

NOTES

(i)Survey carried out by PR Precision on behalf of AA Travel Insurance between 12th - 16th October 2009

About AA Travel Insurance

The AA is not only the UK’s premier breakdown service we also provide great value travel insurance (www.aatravelinsurance.com/) with cover you can trust

Our secure website www.aatravelinsurance.com allows you to buy UK, European or world travel insurance (www.aatravelinsurance.com/world-travel-insurance/) online in just a few minutes, or if you prefer to talk to someone why not contact our UK-based call centre? Our call agents are available 7 days a week.

AA Travel Insurance is a division of Drakefield Insurance Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Drakefield Insurance Services Limited is part of The AA.

Source: AA Travel Insurance

Gina Rudd - Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Telephone +44(0)1268-592-172