More than one in four (28%) travel insurance claims are for holiday cancellation, according to travel insurance provider, Multitrip.com, meaning something went wrong before the holiday even began.

Cancellation reasons are not always related to your own health or situation. In fact, almost two-fifths (39%) of cancellation claims were due to the illness or injury of a travelling companion and almost one in five (18%) resulted from the illness or death of a non-travelling relative.

Multitrip.com is urging holidaymakers to purchase their travel insurance as soon as they book, also known as ‘ASAB’, to ensure they are covered from the outset. “Travel insurance is too important to be an afterthought,” said Christian Bennett from Multitrip. “Always buy it as soon as you book your holiday.”

Not having travel insurance exposes travellers to potential financial loss if the holiday does have to be cancelled, yet according to Multitrip.com 2025 data more than half (53%)  of those who buy single trip travel insurance policies buy them less than seven days prior to departure. This delay means they lose out on this critical coverage.

Christian Bennett said: “If you leave travel insurance until close to departure and then something unexpected happens, you could find yourself unable to travel and out of pocket. That might be because you, a travelling companion or even a close relative becomes seriously ill. Buying cover as soon as you book means you are protected from the very start.”

Multitrip.com offers a range of policies to suit different needs and budgets. Annual European travel insurance policies start from £19.99.  Annual Worldwide incl. USA/Canada travel insurance start from £44.68. Prices exclude £3.95 handling fee. To get an instant quote, visit www.multitrip.com