It should come as no surprise that the Treasury has recently announced a review into the sale of travel insurance policies with package holidays. Consumer groups, such as ‘Which’ magazine, have been clamouring for a change in the law, because it appears that consumers have been getting a raw deal, in terms of over-priced and often inadequate cover. The government has set itself the task of calling for evidence and consulting widely before making its decision, be that to keep the ‘status quo’, go for tighter self-regulation by the travel agents and tour operators or bring the industry under full FSA regulation as it does for the ‘standalone’ insurance sector.

A review is long overdue, given that some 20 million consumers purchase travel insurance policies in the UK each year in a market estimated to be around £670 million pounds in 2006. As ‘Which’ have recently reported, there is evidence of mis-selling by tour operators and travel agents who account for almost 50% of all travel insurance sales. Whilst, it is probably only a minority who fall into this category, it is not hard to see that getting a customer to take out a travel insurance policy at the time of booking a holiday is a very lucrative way of boosting profits from the commissions earned. That’s all well and good, provided the advice given is accurate and customers are given access to all the information they need to make an informed judgement but sadly this is not borne out by the statistics. According to the Treasury, whilst 81% of banks and insurers explained what the policy covered, this falls to a pitiful 19% when a policy is sold through travel agents.

It always pays to shop around and it is hardly surprising that the internet has seen a huge growth over the last five years and this trend is set to continue. Not only does the customer get a wider choice than what is on offer over the counter at a travel agent, but it is so much easier to tailor a policy, all by a simple click of a mouse. Moreover, internet based companies do not have the high overheads of the travel agent in the High Street, which means cheaper premiums which can only be a good outcome for the consumer.

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TO ZORB OR NOT TO ZORB – TRAVEL INSURANCE WITH A DIFFERENCE!

Checking the small print in your travel insurance policy to see that you are covered to do what you intend to do whilst on holiday is essential before you go. If you intend to arrive at your resort bungee jumping from a helicopter, as the latest contestants in ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!’ were required to do, then perhaps it would be wise to check that your travel insurance policy covers you before you go.

Most, if not all, travel insurance policies, will exclude certain activities, known in the trade as ‘Hazardous Activities.’ It is very important to choose a travel insurance provider who try and give as much information to their customers on what activities are or are not covered and what may be done if the right procedures are in place and the correct safety precautions taken.

So some firm advice is to check your “comprehensive travel insurance policy” before you go away, once on holiday, and just before you rush to dive with sharks! If you are interested in purchasing a single or annual travel insurance policy why not take a look at travelandinsure.com and see what is and what is not covered. You can see for yourself how easy and simply customers can buy a policy online to suit their needs.

So returning to the exam question, can you Zorb or indeed bungee jump? Well, actually you can, provided they are properly supervised activities, (though whether we would recommend you did the latter from a helicopter is a moot point) and your travel insurance provider has supplied you with a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Why you would want to jump from a perfectly serviceable aircraft is beyond most peoples understanding!

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