Although many people are unaware of the risks the insurance firm said independent traveller could be exposed to gaps if they book their travel insurance themselves.

With a package holiday, it said, providers are legally obliged to make suitable arrangements for eventualities like cancelled or delayed flights or missed connections. On the contrary independent holidaymakers have to make provisions themselves and pay extra for those.

Axa’s new travel insurance for independent travellers takes care of this problem by offering an optional top-up of their annual policies for £10, which covers a number of areas such as missed connections, abandonment of trip, denied boarding, missed or cancelled flights and cost of alternative accommodation.

“We are aware from our own claims area that independent travellers have run into problems with their travel insurance, said Axa’s director of personal insurance, Edward Dutton.

“A recent report from Defaqto”, he continued, “underlined the need for insurance to offer cover that helps customers when things go wrong – the things that would normally be picked up by a tour operator or travel agent if it were a package holiday,” he said.

The expert therefore urged all insurers to act on this issue, reminding that the rise of independent travellers was something that needed to be addressed by all insurers as was pointed out by the Ombudsman in his latest report.

“There is clearly a mismatch in what insurers intend to offer and the cover that customers believe they are buying,” he warned further.