New research from Go. Compare Travel Insurance has found that most holidaymakers plan to stay in the UK this year. Overall, 43% of the 2,000 people who were questioned in the survey said that a staycation holiday, a camping trip or a caravanning holiday in the UK was the preferred option for this summer.

The survey found that 16% said that they would be looking to take an overseas city break this summer, while 22% said that they will be heading for the beach away from these shores.

Many missing out on holiday insurance 

Worryingly, 42% who said that they will explore the UK this summer are not seeking to insure themselves for their trip. Go. Compare’s travel insurance experts are concerned over the lack of demand for insurance for staycations, camping or caravanning journeys. They reminded consumers that travel insurance is for holidays in the UK as well as abroad.

Insurance protection can also help cover costs if things do not go to plan, such as if luggage is lost or stolen. Also, if there is any damage to personal belongings and in the event of personal liability.

Ceri McMillan, Go. Compare’s travel insurance spokesperson, explained: “It’s concerning that almost half (42%) of people who are going on a staycation aren’t currently considering taking out travel insurance. While you won’t need cover for medical costs in the UK, there are many other reasons to make sure you have a policy in place.

“For example, our research also found that, of those planning a UK trip, people will take an average of three devices away with them, which can quickly add up to a valuable amount of luggage that would be costly to replace without insurance. And if you’re also planning on taking golf equipment or bikes away with you, this can add even more value to your trip.”

“While in some cases, a home contents insurance policy might provide cover for the loss or damage of your personal possessions while you’re away from home, many policies will only provide this as a paid-for extra.”

“Often there are also limits for single items away from home, so it’s important to check whether your policy has cover for items away from home and what the limits of your cover are.”

Watch for restrictions

McMillan added: “Before you head off on your UK trip, it might be worth thinking about things such as the items you’re taking, activities you’ll be doing and where you’re going, which will help you decide whether or not you need additional insurance protection.”

“If you’re staying with a relative and not taking anything too valuable, you might decide that you don’t need insurance, but if you’re travelling further afield and packing lots of valuable items, it makes sense to have cover in place.”

Go. Compare also warned that as regards to UK travel cover there may be some restrictions to consider. For example, there may be a minimum distance from your home address for it to count as a trip away as part of a policy. Additionally some policies will not allow a stay with friends or family to be regarded as a holiday away. And therefore would not pay out on any claims made from such a trip.