Tips for hapless travellers

The survey found, for example, that three in four travellers had experienced a flight delay while holidaying, and as winter booking season in the US ramps up, with Thanksgiving and Christmas trips being organised and many deals appearing, TravelInsurance.com believes that this is an appropriate time to remind travellers about what can potentially go wrong. After all, as the site points out, travel insurance costs a fraction of the overall cost of a holiday – between four per cent and eight per cent, roughly – but if something goes wrong, a lack of effective coverage can result in a much higher bill.

When purchasing insurance, the comparison site advises travellers to consider their destination and origin point, for example if they are holidaying during hurricane season, as once a storm is named, travel insurance with cancellation coverage needs to have already been purchased to enjoy the benefits; and if a holidaymaker is travelling to or from an affected destination, full coverage is crucial. It also advises travellers to bear in mind who they are travelling with (children can easily fall ill, for example, and older travellers may need a higher level of medical coverage); be mindful of what activities they plan to partake in; and purchase insurance early.