MSE Poll: Do you risk going on holiday without travel insurance?

Former_MSE_Laura_B

Poll started 24 August 2021

For years we've emphasised the importance of getting travel insurance ASAB – As Soon As you've Booked – so you're covered if you need to cancel before you go. That message still stands, and with holidays back on the cards for many, whether you're going abroad or staying in the UK, we want to know if you risk going without travel insurance?

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BobbinAlong

With a camper van and no advance payments made, I don't need travel insurance for a UK trip so I voted No. However I do have my insurer's annual breakdown cover which would get us home if there was a problem. 

koru

I'm not convinced that buying cover as soon as you book the holiday is always advisable. It depends on whether you might need to claim for cancellation.

Until you depart, the only bit of the cover that might be needed is the cancellation cover. If you book on refundable terms then cancellation cover does not matter. If you needed to cancel, you would just get a refund from the hotel/airline, so no claim to make. But, ironically, if you had followed the MSE rule you would have paid a travel insurance premium which would not be refundable, so you would have wasted your money.

MalMonroe

NO. Never. And I do always buy my insurance at the same time as booking a holiday. And I'd always advise to read all the print, large and small because not every insurance policy covers everything. For example, if luggage gets lost and is never found. And if one has to be repatriated (alive or dead - sorry!) from wherever one is. I don't care if the premium isn't refundable, I always insure comprehensively. And in these days of covid, many insurance policies have been amended to include cancellation charges anyway, so that doesn't bother me.

Of course if I were staying in the UK I'd not bother as I'd have my car insurance as well as breakdown cover. Not as scary as being stranded overseas and I'd be able to get back home fairly easily with the covers I have.

gloriouslyhappy

I used to think insurance was a waste of time but not anymore now I'm retired and a bit wiser as well as frailer, and always advocate taking travel insurance before travelling abroad, whatever the age of the traveller. A couple of years ago it helped a younger family member who tragically lost their partner in an accident on holiday on a remote South Sea island. Thank heavens they had comprehensive travel insurance as all the expenses - hospital bills, rearranged flight fees, extra hotel nights, mortuary services, coroner fees, telephone bills, it just went on and on - came to well over £250,000 in the end, the body repatriation alone was £90,000. Even with the whole family standing by ready to lend a hand, we couldn't have raised that sort of cash easily, but the policy covered all the bills and was about the only good thing in the whole awful situation, and didn't cost that much up front. 

This is a true story - you don't think it will happen to you, but it just might, it happened to my relative, and that's what travel insurance is for, the peace of mind of knowing should the unthinkable happen, at least finances won't be an issue. Maybe not for a UK holiday now flexible cancellation policies are standard and the NHS is available as well of course, but definitely when going abroad and losing the safety net of home.

tawmjk

I used to take the chance that I would never need insurance and it worked for me, after all what's the chance that you will need it?  But time catches up with you and then a years ago my brother had an accident whilst in Germany, fortunately he had insurance as well as the EHIC card, that paid for additional costs in hospital and also to fly me over to pick him up and drive him home in his car.  Ever since then, I have carried insurance.

Dolly_Mixture

I don't usually take out travel insurance for a trip in the UK.  However, earlier this year I flew to Northern Ireland.  I was offered travel insurance with Easy Jet when I booked the flight but thought I would try to get cheaper insurance myself.  I did find some cheaper offers but when I read the small print, I would only be covered if I was staying in paid accommodation.  As I was staying with a relative, I would not be covered.  So I flew without insurance.  Next time, I think I would get the Easy Jet insurance, as I am concerned that I may have to miss one flight or another because of Covid.  Sometimes people want insurance but actually can't get it.

amandamac59

I always have an annual policy, even through COVID, as mine covers me to travel in England too. I was glad to have my insurance in 2017 when 3 days before I was due to go abroad I had appendicitis and was hospitalised so couldn't travel. Would never go abroad without it