Following the swine flu scare it has become apparent that potential travel insurance customers need to be fully aware that their policy covers them for every eventuality.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has stated that Britons need to check and double check every aspect of their polices including the small print before deciding on a particular insurance.

There can be nothing worse than going away only to suffer an inconvenience and find that your protection isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Malcolm Tarling, spokesman for the ABI, said: "Customers should actually understand what they are covered for. The essentials - what you would like to be covered for when you go abroad - are medical expenses and loss of baggage and possessions."

Check travel cover details

By checking all details of an insurance policy customers could possibly save themselves money.

According to a leading financial research company holidaymakers who purchase travel insurance could be paying less than those who don't.

Defaqto, a financial information website, has claimed that travel insurance has never been as cheap as it is today. Its 2008 survey into travel cover analysed prices for over 235 single trip and 245 annual travel policies found that the only area where premiums have increased in the past year was for annual travel cover to the USA. However, premiums are still lower than they were in 2003, even before inflation is taken into account. Single trip cover for a short break to Europe can now often be bought for well under £10.

This revelation follows the news that one in seven people travel overseas without any type of travel insurance policy. This is despite the fact that any savings made by scrimping on cover could turn into a false economy if an accident happens while you are abroad and you have to pay for medical treatment, or an expensive holiday has to be cancelled.

Get covered for extreme holidays

In related news, travel insurance customers have also been urged to check their policy documents if they are due to fly out on an all action holiday.

In fact holidaymakers who plan to invest in an extreme sport activity have been urged to insure their travel insurance covers them for all eventualities.

According to figures released by the Post Office, medical expenses amount to 72 per cent of ski holiday insurance claims, but many of us plan to travel to such dangerous spots without any type of cover.

Post Office head of travel insurance, Rachel Croft, said: "Medical costs in popular eurozone ski destinations such as France, Italy and Austria could be around 18 per cent higher than this time last year. And skiers going to Aspen or Vail in US are looking at a massive 29 per cent hike."