Gap year students need travel insurance

As thousands of young people wait with bated breath for their A-Level and Scottish Higher results this week, many will b

Travel Insurance News - 25/07/2005

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As thousands of young people wait with bated breath for their A-Level and Scottish Higher results this week, many will be preparing for a gap year trip of a lifetime.

It is increasingly common for students to take a year out travelling before they head off for university and the insurance industry is warning them to make sure they have adequate travel insurance.

The excitement of travelling can sometimes lead to young people forgetting to take out backpacking cover, and this specific type of travel cover is vital, especially since the requirements are so different from that of a traditional two-week holiday.

Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) reports that last year 137,000 students deferred their university places for a year to head overseas and increasingly their parents are seeking peace of mind by purchasing their travel insurance for them.

"Not surprisingly many of our gap year policies are bought by parents - who are more experienced about what can happen, and what sort of help might be needed should disaster strike, " said one travel insurance expert.

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