Many Scottish travellers 'setting off without insurance'
Personal insurance
1st June 2010
A large proportion of Scots travelling overseas fail to take out insurance before they do so, despite more than one in three (39 per cent) having fallen victim to problems.
Respondents to a poll by Bank of Scotland admitted they had experienced incidents such as lost luggage, theft, delayed or cancelled flights and medical emergencies abroad.
However, half of those affected in such ways had no policy in place to protect them at the time, while 38 per cent of people planning a break this summer have not yet purchased travel cover for their trip.
Additionally, 18 per cent of respondents who have gone overseas in the last six years have done so without a UK insurance policy in place.
Lisa Stephenson, Bank of Scotland head of customer experience, marketing and communications, warned: "Most of us don't realise the benefits of insurance until it's too late. The cost of not taking out insurance can far outweigh the cost of being well prepared."
The institution's poll also revealed Scottish consumers are choosing not to insure against lost, broken or stolen mobile phones or vehicle breakdowns, potentially facing significant costs as a result.
The Association of Independent Tour Operators recently advised holidaymakers that they should be aware that compensation packages offered by airlines and tour operators differ, something that is particularly important in the wake of the travel disruption caused by the eruption of the volcano in the south of Iceland this spring.
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