Have a summer holiday to remember…for the right reasons

FCO reminds British travelers about the importance of travel insurance

With families looking forward to their summer holidays – particularly to popular destinations such as Spain, Cyprus, the Canaries, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, according to Thomson and First Choice bookings – the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is sending out a timely reminder to British nationals to be properly prepared for trips abroad.

The reminder follows the release of 2016 ABTA stats*, which show that 22% of people who have travelled abroad in the past year did so without travel insurance.

As well as the essentials such as making sure passports and travel documents are valid and up to date, getting adequate travel insurance for the whole family will help to ensure that your trip is as stress-free as possible.

When it comes to finances, families may now be able to save on tax following the abolition of UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) for under 16s but travelling abroad uninsured can cost thousands of pounds if a trip goes wrong. Savvy travellers will take out insurance.

Cara Fortune, from the FCO’s Know Before You Go team comments:

“It is fantastic that so many British nationals will be able to spend time abroad with their families this summer. However, savvy holidaymakers should remember that an emergency abroad can be extremely expensive if you are not adequately insured.

Investing in travel insurance and understanding what you are covered for, can make all the difference. Otherwise it might be a holiday to remember for the wrong reasons!”

Andrew Flintham, Commercial Director for Thomson and First Choice comments:

“Holidays are all about making great memories with friends and family.  Taking out insurance helps to give peace of mind and support in the event that something doesn’t go quite to plan.  This is just one of the reasons why we support the FCO’s Know Before You Go campaign.”

FCO | Are You Appropriately Covered Checklist