13 August 2010 / by Lois Avery
Travel Insurance is being neglected by holidaymakers despite research showing that luggage is worth, on average, more than £3,000.
A new study has shown that a fifth of British holidaymakers do not take out travel insurance to cover any items that may be lost or stolen.
And with the average case containing thousands of pound worth of shoes, clothes, electrical equipment and cosmetics these travellers are leaving themselves at risk of losing huge amounts of cash.
The poll, carried out by insurer Shela’s Wheels, shows the average traveller takes £325.09 of clothes, £119.40 of shoes, flip-flops and wedges, and £75.73 of accessories such as scarves, sarongs and hats.
In addition, holidaymakers pack entertainment such as mp3 players, CD players, laptops, and mobile phones, a collective total of £1,207.61.
Jacky Brown at Sheilas’ Wheels travel insurance, said: “The majority of folk don’t give a second thought to the value of the goods they are packing into their suitcase and hand luggage, but in reality the contents are worth thousands.
“And when it comes to the crunch, most holidaymakers don’t even use half of the items they take with them.
“Brits need to learn to pack light – not only would this reduce any implications of excess baggage fees, but it would also soften the blow if the luggage did go missing.”
“For peace of mind, it’s vital for holidaymakers to make sure they get a quote, choose an international travel insurance package and double check what they are covered for, as while you can’t plan for every eventuality, you can make sure you have done everything you can before leaving the UK.”
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