Holidaymakers 'should provide as much information as possible'

When making a claim on their holiday insurance, tourists should ensure that they tell their insurers every detail about the loss, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has advised. Every circumstance of the trip can be relevant, said Malcolm Tarling from the ABI.

Details of the theft or loss, the items lost and the circumstances of the claim are all relevant.

Mr Tarling commented that people should fill in their forms "supplying the insurer with as much information as they have because, providing the claim is genuine, it will ensure that the claim is handled as quickly as possible." Receipts and other proof of purchase can also be useful, he added.

Figures from Gapyear.com demonstrate that around a quarter of young people who go travelling are either without insurance or underinsured.

According to Yahoo!, statistics have suggested that Britons lost some £6.1 billion during the summer of 2006 because they had to cancel their holidays and had no travel insurance.