Online travel insurance is vital for travellers as a new study revealed that over half a million British tourists lose their passports each year.
Whether passports are simply lost or stolen, the figures from Halifax Travel Insurance show that the cost of replacing them amounts to nearly £390 million every year. In addition, travellers losing their passport face having to extend a foreign stay by an average of three days while arrangements are made to accommodate the loss. The study estimates that the cost of extending hotel stays and getting a rescheduled flight is over £130 for each person affected.
Paul Birkhead of Halifax Travel Insurance said: "Of course if you have a decent travel insurance policy then it is likely that much of the expense will be covered by your insurer."
The figures show that 11 per cent of lost passports disappear from hotel rooms, while 12 per cent go missing somewhere between checking in and the departure lounge in airports.
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