Apathetic Britons 'risking travel insurance payouts'

A significant proportion of Britons are putting their travel insurance policies at risk by informing their policy providers they have been victims of theft only when they return home from their travels, it has been revealed.

A survey by moneysupermarket found one in ten Britons are impinging on the validity of their insurance claims by failing to report an item has been stolen within 24 hours of the crime.

Meanwhile, only 14 per cent of those polled were found to have phoned their insurers first if they had been victims of crime abroad.

"Don’t let your relaxed holiday attitude make you vulnerable to crime; keep vigilant and report a theft within 24 hours," commented Richard Mason, director of insurance at moneysupermarket.

"Most insurance policies will not cover stolen items if a crime number is not sought from the local police.

"Don’t be nervous about approaching the police and report it immediately to your travel insurer so they can advise you on the best route to take.

"This will ensure you are free from the despair of arriving home to realise you have jeopardised your cover by not reporting a theft."

According to moneysupermarket, the most targeted item by foreign criminals is the digital camera.