Direct Line Travel Insurance 20% Of Holidaymakers Fall Victim To Theft

Written by Editorial Team

19 April 2010 / by Rachael Stiles

A fifth of British holiday makers fall foul of pickpockets and thieves whilst abroad, so going away without travel insurance is a risky business, warns Direct Line.

The most common crime to befall holidaymakers is having cash stolen, which has happened to 41 per cent of holiday crime victims, followed by stolen cameras which has affected 20 per cent, and 16 per cent have had their credit or debit card stolen.

The majority of these thefts take place in the holidaymakers’ accommodation, which accounts for 24 per cent of the crimes, while 11 per cent are targeted by pickpockets, and 10 per cent had the items stolen from their car.

Despite the risk of heading abroad without cover, many holidaymakers still opt not to take out travel insurance, Direct Line’s research found, with 16 per cent of victims admitting that they were not covered by travel insurance.

Commenting on the findings, Jennifer Thomas, spokesperson for Direct Line travel insurance, comments: “Many people are looking for ways to save money on the cost of a holiday in the current economic climate, but cutting back on travel insurance could end up being an expensive mistake. Holidaymakers should protect themselves by ensuring that they have travel insurance in place to cover against any losses should the worst happen.”

It turns out that mainland Spain is the holiday crime hotspot, representing a quarter of incidents, followed by France, the UK, and the Spanish islands.

To keep their belongings safe on holiday, Direct Line travel insurance urges travellers to keep valuables and important documents locked in a hotel safe, ensuring they have additional funds set aside in case of emergencies, making a police report if anything is stolen to validate any subsequent insurance claims, and ensuring they take adequate travel insurance with them for peace of mind.

© Fair Investment Company Ltd