Insure and Go travel insurance is calling for wider terrorism cover as standard on travel policies following the release of terrorism data by the US Government.

The figures released by the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) show that the number of terrorist incidents around the world has increased by 6,249% since 2003 and of the 40,000 people killed or injured by terrorist incidents in 2005, 14,500 (36%) were civilians.

But despite the increased risk of terrorist incidents, most UK travel insurance policies contain exclusions for terrorist attacks preventing claims for loss or injury arising from terrorism. Insure and Go travel insurance is calling on all UK insurers to follow its example and remove terrorism exclusions to ensure all customers are protected.

Insure and Go?s travel policies provide medical expenses cover for those caught up in terrorist attacks, plus emergency assistance and cover for the cost of personal possessions and some cancellations. This cover applies to all those directly affected by an act of terrorism when travelling to or having a holiday in countries confirmed as safe by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Director of Insure and Go, Perry Wilson, commented... "These figures show that terrorism is an unfortunate reality of the modern world and insurers have a responsibility to their customers to offer a suitable range of cover to reflect this risk. Considering that tourists are becoming much more adventurous in their holiday choices, increasingly travelling to areas like the Middle East, South-East Asia and South America, where terrorism is a much more common occurrence, it?s outrageous that terrorism exclusions on travel insurance policies have not been removed already."

Whilst many of the terrorist attacks counted in the NCTC data occurred in terror hotspots such as Iraq, 2005 was the year that terrorist incidents arrived in the UK, as well as popular tourist destinations including Spain, Bali, Jordan, Egypt, Colombia, Philippines and Nepal.

Those travelling abroad without insurance and caught up in an terrorist incident could be fully liable for expensive medical bills. According to the Association of British Insurers, about half of travel insurance policies cover medical expenses caused by a terrorist incident and some go further to include other related expenses. Make sure you shop around and read the small print of your policy.