Booked your summer holiday? Don`t forget to book your travel insurance

If you've been daydreaming about escaping the cold British winter for sunny climes, chances are you've already booked your summer holiday. But whether you're heading for a weekend in Prague, a fortnight in sunny Portugal or a month backpacking around Vietnam, there's one thing you will most certainly need - travel insurance!

Travel insurance is often overlooked by many people caught up in the excitement of planning a holiday. It's all too easy to think you're saving a few pounds by not bothering to take out insurance for your trip. If you're travelling with children or elderly people, it's even more vital that you have travel insurance, to cover you in the event of illness or injury.

There are a myriad of problems which could occur during your holiday, all of which may require you to make a claim on your travel insurance. From sprained ankles and jellyfish stings to lost luggage, stolen possessions or even a cancelled trip, you could find yourself seriously out of pocket if you don't have adequate travel insurance cover in place before you jet off abroad.

If you're visiting a European city for a short break this summer, beware of pickpockets! These gangs often target busy areas such as city squares or the underground network and it's all too easy for them to slip their hand into your pocket or handbag and escape with your wallet, passport or mobile phone. When you consider how relaxed you usually are on holiday, it's easy to neglect your personal safety. When travelling alone it's even more vital that you pay attention to your belongings, as many of these thieves target single women in particular. Try to divide your money into various pockets of your bag - that way, if your wallet is stolen, you won't be left stranded with no cash. Keep valuable such as keys or your mobile phone in interior pockets of your bag, away from prying fingers.

The inclement weather here in the UK means that travel plans are often changed at the last minute or cancelled completely and you may find yourself losing money if you are not insured. 

Take a few minutes to apply for travel insurance online whilst you're booking your holiday and you can have a peaceful holiday.