Travel insurance concerns for separated families

In a social climate when more and more families are comprised of separated or divorced couples, those planning to take a holiday are being warned that they may not be covered by travel insurance.

A new report by research company Defaqto examined 400 travel policy documents, and found that the devil is in the detail when it comes to checking if your family is fully covered.

This is because the term 'family' appears to vary between insurers, meaning that a separated family may not be fully covered under their policy.

This applies to many families where, while the child may stay with one of the parents most of the time, they might go on holiday with the other parent.

Report co-author, Brian Brown, said: "We found that the small print definitions of ‘family’ vary and therefore family policies may not fully cover all separated families.

"With one particular policy we examined, a customer who is separated and does not normally live with his or her children, but takes them on holiday, would find that those children are not covered under the terms of the policy."

American Express Travel Insurance, which commissioned the research, has warned that it is imperative for families to ensure that their specific circumstances are accounted for in their travel insurance policy.

Joanne Field, marketing manager at American Express Travel Insurance, said: "It is concerning that not all insurers are recognising or reflecting in their policies the changing nature of families in the 21st century.

"I urge anyone travelling abroad, but particularly families, in the light of this research to check their policy cover and call their insurer to clarify any aspect they have concerns about."