Early travel insurance 'pays'

Holidaymakers should consider sorting out their travel insurance as early as possible, a new report suggests.

Saga's research found that people who buy their travel insurance when they book their holiday are more successful if they have to make a claim on their policy.

Almost one in five (17 per cent) holidaymakers have their vacation cancelled, often through no fault of their own, prior to departure. However, just 52 per cent of people who left buying their travel insurance until the last moment are successful in claiming for these cancellations.

In contrast, 68 per cent of people who sorted out insurance well before their date of departure manage to get some money back in the event of a cancellation.

Andrew Goodsell, the chief executive of Saga Group, explained: "This research clearly demonstrates the need to secure insurance well before you plan to travel as the cover is in force from the date it's purchased, not just whilst you are actually away."

Elsewhere in Saga's report, it was found that 29 per cent of people were not aware that the E111 form - which allows EU citizens to obtain medical care in other member states - had been replaced by the EHIC card.