An increasing number of airlines are ignoring travel insurance rules set out by the EU, according to a new report by the consumer organisation, Which?.

Current laws state that airlines cannot add mandatory extras, such as travel insurance, to customers’ bookings when they are purchasing a ticket. However, a recent report by Which? Holiday found that four major airlines are ignoring these rules, potentially leaving customers out of pocket and with a duplicate health insurance policy.

According to research conducted by the watchdog, Easyjet, Jet2 and Monarch are automatically adding a travel insurance fee costing between £7 and £10.49 per passenger, while Air Berlin charges an additional £10.63 for cancellation insurance when the return flight is on the same day as the outbound flight.

Although it is possible for customers to opt out of the insurance charges by unticking the relevant box when booking, the airlines are still flaunting the EU rules which say that no optional charges can automatically be added by airlines.

Useless policies

Lorna Cowan, editor of Which? Holiday, remarked: "With airlines still opting people into insurance, consumers could unwittingly buy a product which is of no use to them, and at up to £10 per person this can add up. Buying insurance at the same time as your flights may seem like an easy and convenient option.

"But if you've already got an insurance policy, or it doesn't provide the right amount of cover for you, it's as useless as no cover at all."

Her remark follows additional findings by the watchdog which showed that only one airline out of the 11 investigated met Which?’s standards for the minimum level of travel insurance required. Easyjet was the only company who came out on top, while Flybe and Monarch failed to make the grade.

With them were Ryanair, BA and Wizz, all three of whom fell down on their cover for cancellation, lost or stolen baggage and trip curtailment. The researchers for Which? Holiday also found that many of the airlines did not make important exclusions or restrictions associated with the insurance clear when displaying the policy details on the website and could only be found in the small print.

Airlines like Wizz, Flybe and BA only cover those who are under 65-years-old in their single-trip insurance policies while all airlines have restrictions on insurance for those with existing medical conditions but do not make this clear when the customer is booking the flight.

Small print creeps in

The results of the research demonstrate the importance of reading the fine print and being aware of what you are paying for when booking a holiday. Not only could holidaymakers be doubling up on useless insurance policies but it might also be possible to find better value insurance elsewhere.

Although it might seem easier to simply tick a box and be covered by an airline, price comparison websites are also a quick and easy way of searching for policies that are not only affordable but can provide travellers with the right level of protection too.

With the credit crunch still hitting consumers hard, it might be tempting to try and save money by leaving out a travel insurance policy when going on holiday. However, whether travelling at home or abroad, travel insurance is always a must as you could find yourself worse off in the long run.

The unexpected happens to everyone and the cost of medical bills abroad can easily run into the thousands, so watch out for needless policies but at the same time make sure you and your family are adequately covered.