Halifax is the latest company to remove travel insurance provision from all new credit card applications, while Sainsbury’s Bank will withdraw its travel accident insurance from all its cards from 1 March.

The two providers follow Lloyds TSB who withdrew its free packages at the start of November last year.

Perry Wilson, from InsureandGo, says: “As a specialist provider, travel insurance is our business and we’ve always stated that it is not an easy ‘add-on’. It’s one of the most complex insurances available and the fact that providers are dropping the cover proves the point.

"And with the FSA now regulating our industry we are not surprised to be seeing, and we believe will increasingly see, more providers leaving the travel insurance market.”

Another area InsureandGo warns consumers to be aware of is that travel agents do not fall under FSA regulation.

Perry says, “Overall the aim of FSA regulation is to provide protection for the consumer which we fully support. However as travel agents are still the largest provider of travel insurance, it’s madness that they are exempt from regulation. All consumers are left with is a two-tier system and where’s the protection in that?”

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For further information or to interview Perry Wilson please call Stephanie on 07071 330 805.

About InsureandGo:
Since its launch in September 2000 well over a million people have insured their
travels with InsureandGo, making it one of the leading direct specialist providers of travel insurance in the UK. InsureandGo's success is built on a simple philosophy of providing today's travelers with low cost, great value cover that not only meets their needs but which is easy to arrange either over the web or on the phone.

All policies automatically include over 40 adventure sports and cover under 18's at no extra charge, while its annual policies include winter sports for free.

*Information taken from Insurance Times article 13.01.05.