Millions of young Australians don’t take out travel cover

A recent survey has said that more than a third of young Australian travellers fail to take out insurance.

Travel Insurance News - 27/09/2012

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A recent survey has revealed that more than a third of young Australian travellers fail to take out insurance prior to setting out.

The news comes this week via a Quality Online Research study, which revealed that about 40 per cent of Australians aged 18 to 29 forgo purchasing travel insurance before heading abroad. This comes in stark contrast to older age groups, as only 25 per cent of Aussies aged in their 50s leave without coverage.

The Australia Post has cited the findings amid promotion efforts for its new travel insurance programme, which enables Australians to book cover for as little as AUD $5 (£3) per day. In addition, travellers can also buy international SIM cards and exchange currency through the post office prior to heading overseas.

The survey also revealed that young travellers are frequently hit by unexpected costs during their trips. The report said that many individuals make use of credit cards to cover such instances, and that travellers in their 20s often take six months or longer to pay off the fees.

Christine Corbett, general executive manager of retail services for Australia Post, said in a statement that major mobile phone charges and international transaction fees account for a significant portion of hidden costs for holidaymakers.

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