Britons display high level of travel health awareness

The data was collated on behalf of Post Office Travel Insurance by OnePoll through a study of 2,000 adults from the general population who were planning to go abroad within the next year. It found that almost two thirds of travellers (65 per cent) said they were aware of the Covid rules at their holiday destination when planning a trip.

In addition, 59 per cent of respondents said that they knew how to find out about Covid-19 regulations in the country to which they are travelling, using official travel guidance resources such as the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Almost half of respondents have one of the new UK Global Health Insurance Cards (GHIC) introduced in January 2021 as a replacement for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

The poll also found that 85 per cent knew that they needed travel insurance – however 15 per cent remain unaware of the benefits of coverage while travelling.

Six in 10 (60 per cent) of respondents also said that they were aware which activities were covered by their travel insurance, while 56 per cent knew what their insurance excess was, and 54 per cent knew what their insurance doesn’t cover them for.

Paul Paddock, Head of Travel and Protection at Post Office, said: “One of the biggest issues when it comes to travel insurance is the genuine gap in people’s knowledge about how their policy works and what they are covered for. That’s why it is important to do your homework and ensure that the policy meets all of your needs.”

Travellers confident about aircraft security, less so about local laws

British travellers were also confident about what the rules were regarding what can and can’t be taken on planes, with only 13 per cent of respondents admitting to being unsure what they could take with them. Sixty per cent were aware of the current passport requirements of the country they were visiting, such as the requirement of European Union (EU) countries for visitors to carry passports valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave.

Sixty one per cent said that they always use the safe in their hotel room, while the same percentage said that they’ve never had an accident while on holiday.

However, the Post Office recommended that holidaymakers do further research on key differences in laws between the UK and the country they are travelling to, as less than half (46 per cent) said they were aware of the key differences in laws in their destination country compared with the UK. Younger travellers were slightly better informed about local laws on average, with 52 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds stating they knew the key differences in laws overseas.

Paddock added: “We’re reassured that many holidaymakers are doing their best to plan for travel’s unexpected ups and downs. In comparison to 2019, we’ve seen our proportion of service calls grow by 12 per cent, demonstrating a demand for a return to getting abroad. However, with 18 per cent not knowing what activities their travel insurance covers them for, one of the biggest issues when it comes to travel insurance is the genuine gap in people’s knowledge about how their policy works and what they are covered for.”