More than a quarter of Brits (28 per cent) don’t book their travel insurance until the day they’re due to depart, according to new data from Go.Compare Travel Insurance.

The comparison site reviewed travel insurance policies purchased during January 2023 and found that, of those who were buying a policy for a forthcoming trip 28% bought it on the day of travel.  A further 19 per cent had taken out a policy during the week leading up to their trip while another 24 per cent booked it within the month of departure. Just a quarter (24 per cent) of people had took out their policy within six months of travel.

Despite a significant number of holidaymakers being last-minute policy shoppers, families proved to be the most organised, buying their policy, on average, 64 days before jetting off. Couples were also fairly well organised, typically buying their policies 52 days in advance, while lone travellers tended to leave just 31 days between purchasing their policy and going away.

Ceri McMillan, travel insurance spokesperson for Go.Compare, said on the data: “While some trips are unavoidably short notice, it is concerning that so many Brits are procrastinating before purchasing their policy.

“You can buy travel insurance right up until the point you leave home for your trip, and there’s no shame in doing that, but getting a policy in place early doors can be a game-changer – whether you’re going overseas or staying in the UK.

“Too many people think of travel insurance as something that covers problems while you’re away, but accidents and illness can strike anyone at any time. Cancellation is one of the main reasons people claim on a travel insurance policy. In those instances, having booked insurance right after you started paying for your trip could save you considerable money and stress.”

“As well as cover for cancellations, travel disruption, personal liability and lost or stolen baggage, travel insurance can cover medical expenses in the case of illness or accident, plus pay

for the cost of repatriation if needed. And while it is possible to buy a policy on the day of departure, travellers should be mindful of the waiting periods on some last-minute policies,” warned Ceri.

“In some cases, you may have to wait for a period of 24, 48, or even 72 hours for the policy to begin,”Ceri said. “These waiting periods are there to prevent you from booking insurance to cover incidents that have already happened, like a flight being cancelled or you falling ill, so  you won’t be covered until that period ends.

“And it’s also worth pointing out that if you have a pre-existing condition that could flare up and cause complications, a last-minute travel insurance policy may not cover it.

“All of this said, there are lots of providers offering good policies up to the moment you set off. The most important thing is that you’re insured, so if the worst happens you have support and protection.”

For more information about purchasing travel insurance, or to find out about last minute travel cover, please visit: https://www.gocompare.com/travel-insurance/guide/last-minute/.