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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask why people don’t take out travel insurance when booking a holiday?

184 replies

Frannyhy · 18/06/2023 11:07

I’m an Airbnb host. Guest due tomorrow has had to cancel. I won’t refund her, and I’ve just heard that Airbnb have agreed with me after she went to them for help.

She’s going to lose around £600. I’ll normally refund if I can rebook, but I won’t this time because the lady rang me and swore at me when I told her to take the matter through Airbnb.

So to those of you who don’t think travel insurance is necessary, why not?

OP posts:
sparkleice · 19/06/2023 19:31

My post above has a number of just giving links

CaptainJackSparrow85 · 19/06/2023 19:45

I wouldn’t take out insurance just for a £600 UK trip. The economics of that wouldn’t stack up. The only way I’d have cover for that sort of trip is if I’d bought an annual policy for that year and obviously not everyone can do that or will have need of it.

By the way, to those people who say ‘I’ve got a free policy through my bank’, I would suggest looking carefully at the terms - they’re better than nothing but the coverage on those ‘free’ policies tends to be pretty shit, especially on cancellation.

drspouse · 20/06/2023 00:50

@CaptainJackSparrow85 My DH used to work in insurance and he scrutinises them very carefully. We found the former Nationwide one very good and the current one we have is OK for most things (e.g. it covers us for European trips without winter sports so we use it if we have a gap in annual travel cover and we don't have US or skiing coming up soon).

Grapefruitsquash · 20/06/2023 01:08

CaptainJackSparrow85 · 19/06/2023 19:45

I wouldn’t take out insurance just for a £600 UK trip. The economics of that wouldn’t stack up. The only way I’d have cover for that sort of trip is if I’d bought an annual policy for that year and obviously not everyone can do that or will have need of it.

By the way, to those people who say ‘I’ve got a free policy through my bank’, I would suggest looking carefully at the terms - they’re better than nothing but the coverage on those ‘free’ policies tends to be pretty shit, especially on cancellation.

We have free insurance through our bank. Last year we had to cancel a 4 week holiday to Australia/New Zealand as I needed emergency surgery a week before we were due to leave. The insurance company paid out in full for everything for both of us less £50 excess each. All paid within 2 weeks of making the claim. More than £12k back.

blueshoes · 20/06/2023 01:29

CaptainJackSparrow85 · 19/06/2023 19:45

I wouldn’t take out insurance just for a £600 UK trip. The economics of that wouldn’t stack up. The only way I’d have cover for that sort of trip is if I’d bought an annual policy for that year and obviously not everyone can do that or will have need of it.

By the way, to those people who say ‘I’ve got a free policy through my bank’, I would suggest looking carefully at the terms - they’re better than nothing but the coverage on those ‘free’ policies tends to be pretty shit, especially on cancellation.

I did scrutinise the terms of mine (HSBC Premier Banking) and the terms were better than usual. It is a gold plated annual travel insurance policy and would have cost quite a lot if I bought it myself. I presume the bank keeps the cost down because it is a group travel insurance policy and they have many many customers to be able to negotiate good rates with the insurer.

pompomdaisy · 20/06/2023 04:17

I make sure I have travel insurance only so that someone could transfer me home if I was in an accident and needed treatment. I wouldn't take it out for an air bnb booking because literally everyone knows it would be a complete hassle to claim on a cancellation and you probably wouldn't be covered anyway.

It's usually stated clearly what the terms of the cancellation are on the site isn't it? This is why I book with booking.com as they have two rates and I usually go for the flexible one.

inappropriateraspberry · 20/06/2023 04:18

We have an annual policy so we're covered all the time, even for a weekend away! Much easier and can claim for U.K. breaks - cancellation, lost luggage etc.

inappropriateraspberry · 20/06/2023 04:19

roundtable · 18/06/2023 11:33

Our annual travel insurance cost just over £300 this year. So much more than last year. I was very huffy about it but then realised it was cheaper than the cost of our holiday/s and is just the gamble you take.

I've never claimed either but one day I might need to. I think unless you have annual travel insurance, it just doesn't occur to people to do it for UK holidays.

Wow! £300! I pay u see £40 for the whole family on an annual policy.

Aprilx · 20/06/2023 05:49

inappropriateraspberry · 20/06/2023 04:19

Wow! £300! I pay u see £40 for the whole family on an annual policy.

Show quote history

That is extremely cheap, I would be worried about the quality of cover.

inappropriateraspberry · 20/06/2023 07:31

@aprilx I suppose it's all relative to what your average spend on a holiday is to start with, but it's 'silver plus' and is comprehensive cover. Doesn't cover USA & Canada, but unlikely to go there anytime soon!

TheCyclingGorilla · 20/06/2023 07:59

viques · 19/06/2023 08:59

Btw, if your mum takes out insurance and “isn’t” honest with the insurer , well I don’t need to spell it out, you know what would happen.

They are both well aware. They know the costs.

lieselotte · 20/06/2023 08:16

A lot of people don't get it because you can't decouple the health side from the travel side and the health side makes it too expensive. I have no idea why travel insurers won't let people buy a policy to cover loss of luggage, flight cancellations etc.

In terms of UK trips, I suppose people just don't think of being ill and having to cancel. They probably also think the insurer will try to wriggle out of paying for the cancellation.

In my view, if a holiday let can relet the property they should provide a refund anyway, there's no reason to get paid twice, and the Office of Fair Trading's guidance agreed with me. If you can't relet it, well it's tough for the person cancelling. And in this case the person is rude, so there's no reason for you to try to be helpful!

Ginmonkeyagain · 20/06/2023 08:42

I just bought single trip insurance for both of us (2 healthy adults) to go to France - £26.

A small sum and we will probably not need to use it but it is a small sum in the scheme of things should the worst happen.

I don't bother with it in the UK because a. The NHS and b. My home and contents covers me for goods worth up to £2000 carried outside the house.

roundtable · 20/06/2023 19:00

inappropriateraspberry · 20/06/2023 04:19

Wow! £300! I pay u see £40 for the whole family on an annual policy.

Show quote history

Preexisting medical conditions and worldwide insurance including USA. Also travel for up to 45 days which we are hoping to use.if we can stay with family in the USA for a chunk of the summer holidays.

Expensive but needed.

£40 seems incredibly cheap!

GreenWheat · 20/06/2023 19:05

I don't take travel insurance for anything other than medical in the US any more. They always seem to find some excuse not to pay up, plus these days so many places have much later cancellation policies. It's a waste of money. I don't travel with anything expensive either.

TeresaCrowd · 20/06/2023 19:08

I have an annual policy and it’s great for covering city breaks UK and EU, and also covers a magnitude of somewhat dangerous sports. I do get the thought that for most things cancellation related the insurer would do their utmost to wiggle out of paying so it’s more Russian Roulette than paying for a service you may need to call upon.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 26/06/2023 23:03

UsingChangeofName · 19/06/2023 16:28

You need to make it very clear to them how incredibly stupid this is (if they are travelling abroad).
If they are wealthy enough to not be phased by paying out the cost of a house to cover ambulance, treatment, repatriation etc when one of them has a fall or anything like a heart attack or a fall, then they can afford travel insurance. If they aren't, then who do they think is going to pay those costs ?

Show quote history

I hope they're not travelling to US without insurance...

A colleague was involved in a car accident.... His bill was over 75k.....he had a very rich family....

If they're happy and have the money to pay... Then that's OK (but daft imho).... Of they don't.. Who WILL foot bill??

TheRussiansAreComing · 28/06/2023 22:57

@christmastreefarm I can’t imagine anyone remortgaging their house for us. I’m sure we’d work it out. We do have those European health cards. Not sure how far they go now we’re out of the EU, but there is still some sort of a deal. Obviously any cancellations would be our problem. But then I don’t tend to book much too far in advance.

Cosyblankets · 28/06/2023 22:58

TheRussiansAreComing · 28/06/2023 22:57

@christmastreefarm I can’t imagine anyone remortgaging their house for us. I’m sure we’d work it out. We do have those European health cards. Not sure how far they go now we’re out of the EU, but there is still some sort of a deal. Obviously any cancellations would be our problem. But then I don’t tend to book much too far in advance.

What about repatriation?

Bluebells1970 · 28/06/2023 23:04

Stupidity in the main.

They're happy to spend the equivalent at the hotel bar while on holiday though.

And there's always those who think that if anything happens, they'd just crowd fund to get repatriated....

Riverlee · 29/06/2023 14:09

TheRussiansAreComing · 28/06/2023 22:57

@christmastreefarm I can’t imagine anyone remortgaging their house for us. I’m sure we’d work it out. We do have those European health cards. Not sure how far they go now we’re out of the EU, but there is still some sort of a deal. Obviously any cancellations would be our problem. But then I don’t tend to book much too far in advance.

The Ehic cards have been replaced by Ghic. They’re only for immediate treatment.

From government website.

”You can use your card to access medically necessary state-provided healthcare when you're visiting an EU country or Switzerland.
Medically necessary healthcare means healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you come back to the UK. Whether treatment is necessary is decided by the healthcare provider in the country you're visiting.
Medically necessary healthcare includes things like:

  • emergency treatment and visits to A&E
  • treatment for a long-term or pre-existing medical condition
  • routine medical care for pre-existing conditions that need monitoring
  • routine maternity care, as long as you're not going abroad to give birth
  • oxygen therapy and kidney dialysis
You'll need to pre-arrange some treatments with the relevant healthcare provider in the country you're visiting – for example, kidney dialysis or chemotherapy. Check the Foreign Office country guides on GOV.UK for information on how to access treatment in the country you’re visiting Not all state healthcare is free within the EU and Switzerland and so you may have to pay for services that you would get for free on the NHS. Information: Your EHIC or GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. It may not cover all health costs and never covers repatriation costs. Make sure you have travel insurance as well as your card.”
nhs.uk

Giving birth outside the UK

Find out what healthcare arrangements you need to make if you want to give birth outside the UK.

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/going-abroad-for-treatment/giving-birth-outside-the-uk/

Riverlee · 29/06/2023 14:13

From ABTA website.

”Recent examples of travel insurance incidents in the media:

  • November 2018 - A 30 year old nurse from Swansea passed away after suffering a heart attack while on holiday in Dubai. As she hadn’t taken out travel insurance her family was left to pay £30,000 in medical and repatriation fees.
  • March 2019 - A 50 year old woman from West Bromwich was put into an induced coma after suffering pneumonia and bronchiolitis while on holiday in Mexico. Her insurer said she did not disclose an inhaler prescription beforehand and so wouldn’t cover her £300,000 medical bill
  • December 2018 - A 61 year old woman from Scotland fell into a coma while on holiday. Insurers said she failed to disclose her medical details and as such would cost over £5,000 for her to be flown home
  • July 2018 - A family from Derby who became ill on holiday in Jamaica had to pay a £21,000 medical bill upfront due to the insurer not having the correct medical records
“
123becauseicouldntthinkofone · 29/06/2023 14:50

ChocolateCoveredCookie · 18/06/2023 11:15

I’ve never taken out insurance for a U.K. break, I would just suck up the loss.
I always get insurance for abroad as I’d worry about costs of health treatments or needing to extend a stay due to injury or illness.
I think because we have the NHS, many people don’t consider insurance for U.K. breaks, certainly nobody I know.

i am the same as this as well, wouldnt have thought of it for a UK holiday

Badleg85 · 29/06/2023 14:55

I wouldn't for a UK break but I'd also only book something where I could cancel within 12/24hrs of check I'm free of charge

StormShadow · 29/06/2023 15:19

Cloudyz7 · 18/06/2023 11:36

A lot of people seem to have the idea that travel insurance will cover you for every eventuality when the detail in the small print says otherwise.

There's a very high chance that specific circumstances in the OP wouldn't be covered anyway. Additionally they could easily have a £500 excess.

I've tried claiming a couple of times over the years (minor medical treatment, lost luggage, delayed flights) and the amount you actually ending up getting never really covers the true costs incurred.

The only thing that I think is important is to have insurance that covers in-hospital medical treatment and repatriation which is why I'd never bother for a UK holiday.

Same.