Cancellations are the biggest cause of travel insurance claims for UK holidaymakers, according to research.
Some 34 per cent of all claims on travel insurance are caused by cancellations, the study by Post Office reveals.
The second most common cause for travel insurance claims is also one which can often be unavoidable, costs incurred by delays, accounting for 30.8 per cent of claims.
Other top reasons for UK holidaymakers to claim on their travel insurance are missed departure (11.5 per cent), lost baggage (7.4 per cent) and money or documents (3.8 per cent).
Post Office states that more than half a million travel insurance claims are made each year, with the average claim costing £131.93.
Kevin McAdam, head of travel and leisure at the Post Office, commented that holidaymakers can ease the worries of travelling by preparing effectively.
“If they arrange their travel essentials like insurance and European Health Insurance Cards before they go on holiday, it gives them extra peace of mind should anything go wrong while they’re away.”
Recent research from swiftcover.com stated that as many as 2.5 million UK residents could be placing themselves “at risk” without adequate travel insurance.