FCO warning over travel insurance

06/06/2011

A campaign has urged Britons to take out full travel insurance before travelling abroad to visit friends and family.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) made the call after revealing that young people are more likely to buy a gift for their host than take out travel insurance.

Current figures estimate that around 12 million Britons will head off to see friends and family in foreign climes in 2011.

The FCO underlined the importance of travel insurance cover - highlighting the benefits it offers when people get into serious money troubles, need medical treatment or lose valuables.

The FCO's Know Before You Go campaign found that a third of people did not bother with travel insurance last time they visited friends and family abroad.

More than three-quarters (77%) of those who stated that they were visiting friends and family this year and were not intending to buy cover said that saving money was a key factor in this decision.

Jeremy Browne, minister for consular affairs, said: "Take the same steps before you go as you would for any other holiday, such as taking out travel insurance and doing some pre-trip research, to ensure you are prepared if something does go wrong."