Research by the insurance provider found that over half of people in London failed to take out travel insurance for their weekend away compared to 84 per cent of canny Scots who always took out insurance for a short break.

Hugh Stacey, head of travel services at the Post Office, said: “The advice from the Post Office is don’t be short-sighted when it comes to short breaks.

“Whether you are going away for a couple of days or a fortnight’s holiday, you are just as susceptible to theft, loss or accidents. Make sure you avoid unwanted stress on holiday and enjoy your well-earned break by making sure you take out adequate travel insurance before you leave.”

The survey found that a third of men were more likely to take risks and not bother with travel insurance when they went away for a weekend compared to 16 per cent of women.

For 18 per cent of travellers, travel insurance was viewed as nothing more than an “additional expense” on top of their already stretched holiday budget.

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