Money saving expert Martin Lewis has urged travellers to avoid making a “big mistake” when organising their holiday. Martin has warned holidaymakers to make sure they have travel insurance in place “as soon as they book” their holiday.
This is to avoid being financially hit if they have to cancel. He explained on his podcast that many people don’t purchase holiday cover early enough.
This can leave them out of pocket if they are no longer able to travel due to unforeseen circumstances, reports Manchester Evening News. Someone had written into the Martin Lewis Podcast seeking advice about a trip they had booked in the summer.
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Since making the booking, the traveller had received a cancer diagnosis and could no longer go as they were receiving chemotherapy. Both the operator and holiday firm refused to cancel the trip as the passenger hadn’t booked the flexible option.
In response to the person, Martin pointed out that it’s not the holiday provider’s responsibility to refund the trip if it’s not ‘faulty’. He said that holidaymakers often delay buying travel insurance, meaning they are not covered should any issues arise before they travel.
Martin said: “They ask me what to do and I say that’s what your travel insurance is there for and I can’t tell you how many times they say ‘well I haven’t got travel insurance yet, I was going to get it before I go’. I’m left impotent without being able to give them any solution other than go and speak to the holiday company again and throw yourselves at their mercy - will they give you vouchers, will they give you something else.”
He added: “That is why you get travel insurance ASAB - as soon as you book - because of those unforeseen events that may stop you going away before you go on holiday.”
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