Travel Agents Do Not Offer Best Travel Insurance

Travel agents are unlikely to offer the most competitive travel insurance, consumer champion Which? is warning.

Which? conducted a survey in which undercover researchers visited 29 travel agents to assess how good their travel insurance offerings were.

The researchers found that all of the travel agents were uncompetitive on price. For example, one travel agent quoted £80.99 for insurance on a two-week trip to Spain for two whereas an equivalent policy is available online for as little as £20.

In addition, 17 out of the travel agents visited failed to provide even the most basic details about the insurance policies sold. The travel agents belonging to chains of branches faired worst in this respect whereas independent agents generally provided the level of information that met the Which? quality guidelines.

The investigation also found other issues such as only six agents mentioned the 14 day cooling off period and few of the 29 agents ensured that the policy sold actually provided sufficient cover for customers’ individual circumstances.

As may people are booking their holidays at the moment, these findings show illustrate the importance of taking the time and trouble to find the best value travel insurance and ensuring that it provides the cover that you require, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition.

As Rochelle Turner, Head of Research for Which? Holiday, advises:

“Not surprisingly, you expect travel agents to be experts in all aspects of booking a holiday, but our research shows that’s not always the case when it comes to insurance.

“The recent disruption to flights has demonstrated just how important it is to have adequate cover. If travel agents want to sell insurance, they must train their staff properly so customers can feel confident they’ve bought the right policy. Otherwise, they should stop selling it altogether and leave it to the experts.”