UK Travel Insurance News

Monday, August 15, 2005

 

Holiday horrors cost us millions

British holidaymakers have paid out an extra £200 million over the past two years to rectify holiday disappointments according to new research from Direct Line Travel Insurance.

From substandard accommodation to poor hygiene standards, 37 per cent of Brits have had their dream holiday ruined and of these, 12 per cent have shelled out extra money to switch hotels or dine in clean restaurants.

Of those disgruntled, 44 per cent believe that the holiday brochure severely misrepresented their dream destination. Services that had been promised when booking the holiday but not delivered include access to the beach (11 per cent), swimming facilities (7 per cent) and room service (5 per cent).

A further 64 per cent of dissatisfied Brits experienced dirty rooms, 13 per cent found their accommodation located next to a building site and a further 13 per cent were exposed to unsafe facilities.

The Direct Line research also reveals Britons differing approach to resolving their holiday issues. More than two thirds (67 per cent) complained whilst still on holiday, with one in five writing a letter of complaint and 62 per cent voicing their concerns to a holiday rep.

Of the remaining 33 per cent who chose not to take the matter further, nearly half (46 per cent) believed that complaining wouldn't make a difference and 19 per cent said they didn't want it to ruin their holiday anymore.

Chris Price, Head of Direct Line Travel Insurance, said: "On average, people save for months before spending hundreds of pounds on their dream holiday and it is probably one of the only things we buy without actually seeing first. So, if disaster strikes while they're abroad it can lead to an even bigger expense. To minimise the risk of holidays being ruined we would advise people to thoroughly research their destination before going: read up on reviews of the hotel you have in mind, look at maps to ensure it is in your desired location and go on recommendations where you can.

"Holidaymakers who are disappointed by their experience and want to take the matter further, should consider all of their options. They should contact their travel insurance provider as their cover may include support for legal proceedings, should they want to take the issue further."

Top 10 Holiday Complaints:
1. Dirty rooms (64 per cent)
2. Misleading brochure information (44 per cent)
3. Disappointing service from holiday representatives (38 per cent)
4. Location of hotel/resort/apartment (30 per cent)
5. Bad food (21 per cent)
6. Close proximity to a building site (13 per cent)
7. Unsafe facilities, e.g. bad wiring, dirty swimming pools (13 per cent)
8. Failure to deliver promised services e.g. no swimming pool, no beauty spa (13 per cent)
9. Noisy neighbours (13 per cent)
10. Wrong resort/hotel type (7 per cent)

Direct Line's Travel Insurance offers a free legal protection service providing its customers with up to £50,000 worth of cover for legal fees and expenses to help them pursue their rights in the event of a valid holiday contractual dispute.

posted by UK Insurance Index  @ 5:50 PM

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