In order to fill a gap that may exist in independent travellers’ insurance coverage, Axa will offer new travel insurance for independent travellers that provides an optional top-up of their annual policies for £10, a report from Fair Investment Company indicates.
"We are aware from our own claims area that independent travellers have run into problems with their travel insurance," Edward Dutton, Axa's director of personal insurance, said. "A recent report from Defaqto underlined the need for insurers 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."
The additional top-up offered by Axa will cover missed transportation connections, abandonment of trip, denied boarding, missed or cancelled flights, and cost of alternative accommodation. Axa’s aim is to help independent travellers who may be completely unaware of coverage gaps in their travel insurance which exists when they book the trips themselves.
The Fair Investment Company further indicated that the number of independent travellers, (reported to be 16 million as recently as 2006), has now completely eclipsed the number of package holiday travellers.
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