Immediate Release
27June 2008
 
INSURING THOSE WITH PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS IS TRAVEL AGENTS’ MAIN BARRIER TO SALE, ACCORDING TO PREFERENTIAL’S AGENT SURVEY

Travel agents view trying to insure customers with pre-existing medical conditions as their main barrier to selling travel insurance, according to a survey amongst 200 independent travel agents carried out by travel insurance specialist, Preferential. 

Louise Lockwood, Preferential’s Business Development Manager comments, “The feedback we have received from travel agents taking part in this survey is overwhelming in its assertion that their main barrier to sale is with regard to dealing with clients with pre-existing medical conditions. We are going to look at our product offering as a result of this survey to see what we can develop to assist agents in this important area.”

The results of the survey also give a fascinating break-down of the travel business handled by the surveyed independent travel agents. The results are as follows:

38.5% of the travel business they handle is ‘traditional package holidays’
23.5% of the travel business they handle is ‘tailor-made travel’
10% of the travel business they handle is ‘cruise product’
10% of the travel business they handle is ‘city breaks’
13% of the travel business they handle is ‘UK holidays’
5% of the travel business they handle is ‘flight only’

Commenting on this, Louise Lockwood, continues, “We undertook this survey in order to understand how the agents are fairing in an increasingly competitive marketplace, and so understanding how the different types of holiday they sell is actually broken down is key to our understanding of this. Again, as a result of this survey we will be looking closely at our range of travel insurance products over the next few months, so agents, watch this space!”

The travel agent survey is the first phase in a campaign by Preferential to support agents during the current uncertainty with regard to the forthcoming introduction of FSA regulation of how travel insurance is sold with a holiday or related travel. 

For further press information please contact Sarah Lloyd-Morrison, or Madeleine Roast. e: sarah@magneticpr.co.uk /madeleine@magneticpr.co.uk