A poll of more than 10,000 people by Saga Travel Insurance found that 17 per cent go abroad without cover, while a further quarter appear to be emergency buyers getting insurance in the month before their holiday.

Saga warned that buying cover in a rush could leave people exposed particularly as cancellation claims make up a huge proportion of the total travel insurance claims for this age group.

Regionally, those in the West Midlands and Wales are most likely to travel without any cover at all.

Londoners are the most likely to wait until the last minute to take out cover, with 13 per cent saying they wait until a week or two before departure.

Roger Ramsden, chief executive, Saga Services, commented: “Typically the over 50s book their holidays a long time in advance and it makes sense to take out cover at the same time to ensure you can claim back your deposit if you are no longer able to travel.”

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