BUPA blasts off with space travel insurance

BUPA Travel insurance is boldly going where no travel insurers have gone before - into space.

The firm, which already offers travel insurance in specialist areas such as skiing and gap year travel, is looking at the space tourist market as its next area of insurance. With Richard Branson planning flights into space as early as 2009 and test flights due to start this year space travel will soon be a reality.

"We provide insurance cover to people in 190 countries so it wouldn't be a giant leap to add outer space to that list," said Nick Potter Head of BUPA Travel. "We are looking into space tourism as a real market for the next generation of travellers, especially as Russian cosmonauts have already taken tourists up into space. Obviously we have to take into account various issues, such as the effect such a journey would have on the human body, although clarity will come in this new area of travel within the next decade."

For those looking a little closer to home, BUPA Travel has just launched a new mature gap year or sabbatical product for those aged 36-45 who wish to take a career break. This new product is an extension to BUPA Travel's young person's Explorer travel insurance policy which covers a huge range of activities from bungee jumping to white water rafting and gorilla trekking, as well as trips where lots of countries may be visited in a short space of time.

"Explorer has been running for a few years now and is proving very popular with those taking a gap year before starting their working life. Following feedback at the recent Gap Year and One Life exhibitions we realised there was a great demand for a similar policy aimed at a more mature traveller taking a career break to experience the world, something that was not an option when they began their careers" added Nick. "BUPA Explorer has proved a popular way for the younger gap year traveller to protect themselves during their travels. We have now tailored this to meet the needs of a more mature market as taking time out from a career becomes a more popular choice."