One in four British holidaymakers (25%) could be invalidating their Travel Insurance cover this summer by being economic with the truth when buying their policy, according to new research by AllClear Insurance.
The new AllClear poll wanted to discover if the rising cost of living impacted behaviour in an attempt to reduce costs for planned holidays. The survey found that one in four people said they would now willingly conceal or give false information. They were willing to do this to secure a cheaper premium when getting a quote for Travel Insurance:
Key findings
- 10% said they would be economic with the truth on how long they planned to travel for
- 9% said they would under-value the belongings they would take on holiday
- 6% said they would not be honest about the reasons why they were travelling
- 6% said they would not declare all details of pre-existing medical conditions
- 3% said they would lie about their age
Who was more likely to give false information to get cheaper Travel Insurance
The AllClear poll found that men were more likely to give false information to get cheaper Travel Insurance than women (32% Vs 18%). Regionally, this was also most prevalent in London 39% and the West Midlands 30%.
Curiously, the wealthiest respondents (those earning £40,000+ a year) were most likely to say they would not declare all details of pre-existing medical conditions. This was so they could get cheaper Travel Insurance (9%).
Chris Rolland, CEO at AllClear Insurance comments: “It is a false economy for anyone to cut corners or withhold information when taking out a Travel Insurance policy. This is because it can invalidate a policy when it comes to making a claim. With Covid still out there, fires breaking out across Europe and more people with medical conditions heading abroad this summer, it is absolutely vital that everyone going on holiday puts safety first.
He continues…
We fully understand that everyone is feeling the pain from the cost-of-living crisis. However, no one wants to get ill abroad and find their policy is invalid because they have knowingly failed to disclose all information when buying Travel Insurance. For the sake of saving a few pounds, a false declaration could end up costing a policyholder hundreds of thousands. More than ever before, our advice to all people taking out travel cover this summer is to disclose everything at point-of-sale and be sure you are fully covered before heading off abroad.”
Top tips: The three essentials for holidaymakers to get right with Travel Insurance
As travellers gear up for their summer holidays, Chris Rolland, CEO of AllClear Travel Insurance, stresses there are steps that travellers can take to avoid a claim being disputed. He comments: “Claims are not often disputed but when they are it is invariably for one of three reasons.
- Failing to declare all pre-existing medical conditions
- Failing to inform your insurers exactly where you are travelling to;
- Cancelling a trip without fully understanding the terms of your policy’s cancellation cover.
Understanding what you are buying is key.”
1. When buying Travel cover, declare all pre-existing medical conditions
“A claim may be challenged if there are found to be any anomalies in what was/wasn’t declared,” Chris explains. “Common conditions that travellers omit to declare include: asthma, high cholesterol and high or low blood pressure. The mantra should be: declare everything and if you’re unsure always speak to your Travel Insurance provider.”
2. Tell your insurer where you’re going. Even if it’s just for a day
Chris says that different countries have different risk profiles for insurance purposes. Countries may be rated as higher risk even if they are right next door to each other: “Portugal, for example, is classified a lower risk than Spain. So, a day trip to Spain while being insured for a Portuguese holiday would not be covered,” he explains. “Your trip may include a stopover either en-route to or returning from a destination. While some Travel Insurance policies do cover stopovers, it is important to check you are covered for all the countries you will be staying in and whether any time limits apply.”
3. Understand what cancellation cover you’re entitled to with your chosen Travel Insurance
“Single trip cancellation cover starts from the day you take out insurance. In AllClear’s case this can be up to a full year before you go, so it is worth booking well in advance of your holiday.”
Chris continues. “With annual multi-trip policies, it’s important to consider when cancellation cover should start, and not just the date that your holiday begins. A single trip policy will of course cost less than a like-for-like annual policy if only taking one trip during the year. However, annual policies are generally better value if you are planning on taking a number of trips during the course of a year. It’s also important to consider what cancellation cover suits your needs.”
How can consumers avoid the potential for disputes
Chris concludes: “The industry has a duty to be as transparent, straightforward and helpful to consumers as possible. But consumers also have their role to play in making sure they read and understand their policy in full. In doing so, they avoid the potential for disputes.”
Planning a holiday?
Now you know how important it is to declare the correct information when buying Travel Insurance – it’s time to start putting your plans in place. Discover how AllClear Travel Insurance can help you.
Author notes
Edited by Lydia Crispin, MA Content Creator at AllClear
Research by MaruBlue on 14-17 July 2022. National rep sample of 2,089 adults. The survey was conducted online.
