Travel insurance short change warning

UK travellers are at risk of having claims repudiated when they inadvertently exceed the amount of luggage or valuables they are permitted to take on holiday. This is according to a warning from one travel insurance provider who cautions that most policy holders fail to note the limitations on their insurance policies.

American Express Insurance Services have urged travellers to think twice about how much they take with them, noting the excess baggage restrictions that some airlines are now imposing. Travellers stand to incur greater travel expenses from excess baggage fines, but could lose much more in the long term from failed insurance claims that exceed the terms and conditions of the policy, they stressed.

“Many travellers do not read their policy terms and conditions before travelling and are unaware that insurers impose a single item limit and a valuables total limit,” said the company’s marketing manager, Joanne Field.

“We would encourage everyone to be sure they know what they are purchasing when choosing travel insurance and what they are covered for,” she added.

20 million travellers purchased cover in 2006, for a total of £670 million.