Sainsbury's Finance predicts big rise in UK holidays

2009 could see a big rise in people taking holidays in the UK according to Sainsbury's Travel Insurance. A combination of the economic doom and gloom, the weakness of Sterling, and a potentially hot summer may encourage many more people to holiday in the British Isles during 2009, but the bank is warning that calamities can still happen while holidaying in the UK.

Recent reports suggest that caravan vacation bookings are up 40% on last year, but the bank is reminding "stay-at-home holidaymakers" that travel insurance is just as essential for UK holidays to cover instances such as cancellations, lost or stolen luggage and belongings, travel delays and repatriation should you for example fall ill while on holiday in Cornwall and need assistance getting back to your home in Sunderland..

UK residents take more than 50 million domestic holidays a year, spending £10.9 billion. Indeed, as many as 15% of British adults - some 6.96 million people - have never been on holiday abroad according to Sainsbury's Travel Insurance.

Sam Marrs, Travel Insurance Manager, Sainsbury's Finance said: "It can be easy to overlook travel insurance if you are not going on a foreign break but many of the problems that you can encounter abroad can also happen here in the UK on holiday, so it is important to ensure that you have adequate cover.

"Many people also simply rely on their home insurance thinking their belongings will be covered if lost outside the home whilst on holiday but it's worth remembering there is probably a higher excess to pay and also an impact on your no claims discount."

It may not be obviously apparent why you might need UK travel insurance - Sainsbury's Travel Insurance offers the following advice:

Whilst the NHS would ensure that you get hospital treatment if you need it, it won't transfer you back to where you live. Travel insurance would allow you to be transferred to a hospital near your home whether you are somewhere else in the UK on holiday or abroad

You could be ill before you leave for your holiday and have to cancel the trip losing money on your travel accommodation booking.

You may be unable to go on your holiday because a loved one becomes very ill

If you are taking an internal flight, your flight might be cancelled or delayed

A valuable item could be lost or stolen whilst you are on holiday

Nearly one in four people in the East Midlands and Anglia regions (23%), has never been abroad on holiday, the highest of any part of the UK.

To obtain a Sainsbury's Bank travel insurance quote, visit sainsburysbank.co.uk