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Holidaymakers warned they still need travel insurance for ‘staycations’

John Fitzsimons
Written By:
John Fitzsimons
Posted:
Updated:
24/02/2021

Would-be holidaymakers hoping to book a domestic break this year have been encouraged not to be complacent about including travel insurance in their budgeting.

With the government now publishing its roadmap for releasing the Covid-19 restrictions over the next few months, thoughts for many are turning towards the potential for a holiday in 2021.

But even if questions over the potential requirement for a ‘vaccine passport’ are putting you off the idea of international travel, getting proper insurance in place is still vital if you are sticking to a holiday on British shores according to MoneySuperMarket.

The price comparison site carried out research last year, which found that more than half of Brits would not take out travel insurance for a holiday in the UK, despite the benefits it can offer, which have only been magnified by the situation with the pandemic.

Why you still want travel insurance

A huge number of travel insurance policies now cover you if you need to cancel your holiday specifically due to catching Covid-19. In fact, a study by Defaqo this week suggested that as many as 96% of insurance policies now offer this level of protection.

What’s more, many policies offer cancellation and curtailment cover so that you can get your money back should you or a family member suffer from an illness or injury, irrespective of whether it’s Covid-related or not. This can also be used if you need to self-isolate and so have to cancel the trip, even if you haven’t received a positive diagnosis.

Travel insurance can prove invaluable in the event that your possessions go missing or are damaged on your trip, and that’s just as likely to happen in a domestic holiday as an overseas trip. In fact it may actually be more likely ‒ MoneySuperMarket argues that when travelling in the UK, holidaymakers tend to take more baggage and gadgets with them when filling up the car, and so may have a greater array of valuable items which could be damaged or lost on the trip.

While you wouldn’t need to worry about your policy covering lost passports, there are still valuable documents that you should think about protecting, like your driving licence.

And then of course there are the medical expenses. While we enjoy access to the NHS when on a domestic holiday, there are other expenses which can arise due to a medical issue which a travel insurance policy can help with. For example if you were taken ill suddenly, travel insurance would likely cover the cost of transportation back to your nearest hospital at home.

Finding the right policy

Of course, knowing that you need cover is only the first step ‒ you need to work out how to find the right policy for you. 

The first is to do your homework, and not simply sign up with the first insurer you find. MoneySuperMarket noted that while the cost of cover has fluctuated of late, it doesn’t have to break the bank with policies for a family of four this summer starting at less than £10.

That homework needs to stretch beyond simply shopping around though; you also need to actually read the policy so that you understand what’s covered. The reality is that all policies are different, and what comes as standard with one won’t be included at all by another. 

Read those policy notes closely and if you have any questions, speak to the provider.