Bad Haircut? Try Claiming on Your Travel Insurance

8th August 2007

A BAD HAIRCUT, a packet of mints and harassment from monkeys are just some of the more unusual claims handled by the UK’s leading travel insurance provider.

And as the peak holiday season is now underway, staff at Go Travel Insurance are bracing themselves for this year’s crop of bizarre claims from the British travelling public.

“Delayed luggage, lost cameras and missing passports are the usual claims faced by our staff, but there are a handful of people every year who come through to us with incredible stories,” said chief executive Christian Young.

Top five bizarre travel insurance claims from Go Travel Insurance call centre staff:

• A man lost his bag while travelling, but when the claim came through all he was claiming for was a bottle of water, a newspaper and a packet of mints

• A man called wanting to claim for his daughter’s bad haircut. She singed her hair on the oven in their apartment and so had paid to have her hair cut while away, which turned out badly. As it happened while they were away the man thought that travel insurance should cover the cost.

• A dog owner wanted to claim for an operation that the pooch needed while he was away on holiday, while it was being looked after by a friend. He was advised to refer to his pet insurance but he seemed to think that it should be covered under his travel insurance policy as he was away when the procedure took place.

• A man called complaining that he had been harassed by a monkey while in Gibraltar. The monkey would not leave the man alone and then ran off with his camera.

• A woman had her cosmetic bag stolen and was extremely distressed as it contained all her expensive lotions and make up. However the thief would have got a shock as one of the expensive face cream tubs contained cream for her haemorrhoids.

Go Travel Insurance travel insurance policies start from £3.95 for single trip and £31.95 for annual cover and provides £10 million in medical cover.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

• Go Travel Insurance is a division of Drakefield Insurance Services Limited an AA Group Company. Drakefield is an experienced operator of established travel insurance websites and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
• Go Travel Insurance offers a truly end to end service, with claims, call centre and medical screening, all handled in-house in the UK, giving a customer-focused and professional service every time.
• The Go Travel Insurance website has been operating since 2000 providing instant quotes with quick, easy and secure online buying  www.gotravelinsurance.co.uk
• Go Travel Insurance is committed to customer service, always ensuring that the customer is delivered a quality product at a competitive cost:

• Single Trip cover from £3.95
• Annual Multi Trip cover from £31.95

Drakefield is an AA Group company and works with the following organisations:

Financial Services Authority
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
British Insurance Broker Association (BIBA No. 005340)
Association of British Travel Agents (associate member)
Institute of Travel and Tourism
Association of Travel Insurance Intermediaries
Foreign and Commonwealth Office “Know Before You Go” campaign