{"id":680422,"date":"2026-01-07T18:01:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T18:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/680422\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T18:01:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T18:01:23","slug":"martin-lewis-issues-urgent-travel-insurance-warning-as-people-risk-losing-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/680422\/","title":{"rendered":"Martin Lewis issues urgent travel insurance warning as people risk losing money"},"content":{"rendered":"

By MARTI STELLING, REPORTER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 07:41 EST, 7 January 2026 | Updated: 07:42 EST, 7 January 2026 <\/p>\n

As we are now firmly into the new year and temperatures drop below zero, many Brits will be planning their next trip for some much-needed sunshine.<\/p>\n

But in his latest weekly email, Martin Lewis<\/a> from MoneySavingExpert <\/a>has warned travellers to take out travel insurance as soon as they book their next trip.<\/p>\n

‘The “As Soon As You Book” (ASAB) rule isn’t just so you don’t forget later,’\u00a0Lewis wrote on his website.<\/p>\n

‘It’s because one of the big protections of travel insurance is to cover you in case something happens before your trip that means you can’t go.’<\/p>\n

It comes as two-thirds\u00a0of young Brits say they have travelled abroad without health insurance.<\/p>\n

This could see travellers at risk of high costs for medical emergencies, flight cancellations or lost belongings – among other travel-related expenses.<\/p>\n

Nearly half of Brits overall – 46 per cent – say they have travelled without taking out any form of travel insurance for trips abroad, according to a recent study.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many of those who opt to forgo travel insurance could leave themselves exposed to high costs later down the line if things go wrong.<\/p>\n

\"Nearly <\/p>\n

Nearly half of Brits overall – 46 per cent – say they have travelled without taking out any form of travel insurance for trips abroad, according to a recent study<\/p>\n

According to the poll, the top common travel claim is trip cancellation due to illness, injury, or bereavement – in 49 per cent of cases.<\/p>\n

It was also revealed that 48 per cent claim for travel delays.<\/p>\n

Lewis continued: ‘Each year in the run-up to summer, I get questions like this: “I’ve been diagnosed with a serious condition (eg, cancer).\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘”We can’t go on our holiday now as I need treatment, but the airline\/hotel won’t give us a refund. What do we do?”\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Sadly, unless the ticket’s flexible, there’s no right to a refund, as nothing’s ‘faulty’ with the holiday, so I point them to travel insurance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Yet some say: “but we haven’t got round to getting it yet!” And that’s the painful moment, as then there’s often little left to try.’<\/p>\n

As a final note, the Money Saving Expert CEO adds: ‘While ASAB is the safest route, it isn’t 100 per cent foolproof.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Some firms may cancel cover if you’re diagnosed with a severe illness before you go.’<\/p>\n

\"According <\/p>\n

According to the poll, the top common travel claim is trip cancellation due to illness, injury, or bereavement – in 49 per cent of cases<\/p>\n

It comes as a recent report found that one in four people hide medical conditions when buying travel insurance in order to save money.<\/p>\n

But this puts them at great risk of huge bills if something does go wrong, as claims could be rejected as a result.<\/p>\n

A quarter (24 per cent) of holiday makers intentionally avoid disclosing pre-existing medical conditions when purchasing their travel insurance to save money, new research from Gigasure has shown.<\/p>\n

Failure to disclose conditions, whether intentional or not, can mean the difference between being fully covered while on holiday or facing expensive medical and repatriation bills.<\/p>\n

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