Shark Attack Causes Travel Insurance Panic

3rd August 2007

WORRIED holidaymakers are checking their travel insurance will cover them for shark attacks, following the spotting of a Great White off the Cornish coast.

The Go Travel Insurance call centre in Basildon has been dealing with queries from concerned travellers since the alleged spotting of a Great White near St Ives last weekend.

Chief executive Christian Young commented: “Since the sighting last week we’ve had scores of calls from people wanting to know if they are covered if the worst happens and they are attacked by a shark - not just in the UK but also when overseas.

“It seems that this has sparked a wave of shark panic among travellers with people now researching how common sharks are. As a result they have become more aware that there are indeed Great White Sharks in the Mediterranean - predominantly around Tunisia, Sicily, Malta and Tunisia, rather than the far western Mediterranean.”

Young advised travellers to read their travel insurance policies carefully to ensure that they had the correct level of medical insurance included.

“It’s of course a very small chance that you’d be attacked by a shark, but when it comes to covering all eventualities you can’t put a price on peace of mind, and that’s what a comprehensive travel insurance policy provides,” said Young.

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