Travel insurance 'is essential, not optional'

Happy holidaymakers in the process of booking their cheap flights to Thailand, Australia and other destinations this autumn should treat travel insurance as an essential, not optional, purchase. This is the advice of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), which has advised against travellers skimping on cover to reduce the costs of their holidays. According to a representative from the organisation, Travel Insurance "is not something that can be regarded as an add-on or a luxury. It should be something that is regarded as a central, integral part of planning any trip overseas". He furthered that cutting back on cover is a "false economy", as the costs that can escalate if people fall sick and require medical treatment abroad. This advice comes after research undertaken by Lloyds TSB showed that one in ten Brits - the equivalent of 5.2 million individuals - have travelled abroad in the past without taking out insurance beforehand.