PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
HOLIDAY INSURANCE (18 March 1993)

That this House places on record its concern at the common practice of travel agents in insisting that travellers buy certain insurance policies when they book holiday packages; condemns the misleading descriptions in travel brochures and insurance policies, particularly about the type of medical care and the nature of repatriation arrangements available; further condemns the use of the term 'specially equipped air ambulances' when, in the words of the insurers themselves, 'air ambulances are jets with the seats removed, their medical equipment is the same as if repatriation were to occur by a chartered flight and they should be more accurately referred to as air taxis'; and calls on the Government to undertake an investigation into the travel insurance industry and to revise the Department of Health's booklet, Health Advice for Travellers, to make it clear that, even if people take out travel insurance, they should satisfy themselves about the nature of medical care arrangements at their holiday destination as, in the words of the Association of British Insurers, 'insurers are not in a position to guarantee or influence the standard of health care available'.

Sponsored by:
Lynne Jones (Labour)