Swiftcover Warns on Teen Travel Insurance

Around 100,000 teenagers will be underinsured this summer as they go on their first parent-free holiday, travel insurance firm swiftcover.com said today.

Research from the firm shows that a strikingly high proportion of the 500,000 youngsters who are going on the trips this summer might not be covered - while others might be invalidating the insurance that they take out through their own irresponsible behaviour.

For example, 45 percent of teens are thought to drink too much on their first unsupervised holiday, despite intoxication being used as a "get out" clause by travel insurance firms looking to refuse payment for claims. The travel insurance firm also warned that 1,500 Britons are arrested yearly in Spain due to dangerously "rowdy" behaviour, which could also lead to an accident.

Tina Shortle, marketing director of swiftcover.com, commented: "Your first parent-free holiday can be a great experience, but because of their age and new found freedom, fledgling holiday makers can be one of the most at risk groups. We are encouraging teens to be prepared and stay safe so their holiday can be one to remember for all the right reasons."

It is estimated that around 20 percent of all Britons who go on holiday do not take out travel insurance cover before they set off.