Law firm sees rise in travel compensation claims

A leading UK firm is warning travel companies that they should prepare for further increases.

Travel Insurance News - 13/04/2009

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A record rise in the number of travel claims was seen during the winter travel season, according to Stephen Mason, who is the managing partner at Travlaw, a firm specialising in travel litigation. He believes that if the recession continues, claims will increase as travellers look to get the most out of their holiday spend.

Traveller claims range from those seeking compensation for holiday packages that don’t match brochure advertising to illness or injury sustained on a foreign holiday.

“On the one hand travel companies are facing more claims and on the other they have fewer staff to deal with them,” Mason said. “It’s been a pattern in the last few downturns. When times are hard and affording a holiday is pushing the budget, claims are much more likely.”

Travel insurance claims are also on the rise. Last year, Britons made more than half a million medical claims, for a total amount of £383 million – a 58 per cent rise over the previous year. Lost luggage claims rose by eight per cent in 2008, with 400,000 Britons claiming around £8 million from their insurers.

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