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Jet2 enhancing travel insurance policies is a market-leading way to increase bookings

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As flight schedules at Jet2 resumed on 15 July, the airline recently announced Covid-19 cover for any new policy or existing policy bought after 19 April 2020. The extended cover includes medical cover if Covid-19 is contracted abroad, cancellation cover if a member of the travel party tests positive 14 days before the holiday, and cover for if a traveller is refused boarding due to a raised temperature or positive Covid-19 test.

Many travel insurance policies have excluded Covid-19 as a valid reason for a claim. Travel companies and insurance providers are deterring many potential customers by not including this as a valid reason for a claim.

There is no doubt that traveller priorities will have changed amid Covid-19, where cancellation protection and security of any money spent on a holiday will now be the main priorities. According to a study by ABTA, 21% of Britons that went on holiday in 2018/2019 travelled without insurance, over a third of those surveyed thought they did not need to take out a policy. This is most likely to change due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It continues Jet2.com’s highly regarded status during the pandemic

As a company that prides itself on excellent customer service, this perk for customers is another addition that will inspire loyalty. As many travel companies have had to allocate refunds for cancelled trips, Jet2.com (including Jet2Holidays) have proved to be better than most for this type of service.

As it has been highly reported in the media, LCC’s such as Ryanair and easyJet have failed to provide customers with a timely refund for their cancelled trips. Jet2.com, however, has endeavoured to make sure that all customers have received a refund within a short time frame.

In a survey by MoneySavingExpert of 27,000 people in the UK, Jet2Holidays scored 54%, indicating that customers had a positive experience with them regarding refunds and cancellations. Comparatively, competitor Ryanair scored -82%, signifying a mostly negative experience. Another survey by Which? found that 19% of Jet2.com customers did not receive a refund, compared to a staggering 84% at Ryanair.

This move could encourage other insurance providers and operators to follow

Where many travellers often forget about travel insurance, it will now be more important than ever. By offering Covid-19 protection on insurance policies, it will firstly encourage customers to book their selected travel policy. Secondly, it will encourage bookings with the travel operator in other parts of the holiday booking process.

Other companies that offer travel insurance alongside their main offerings, such as TUI, will benefit from this. Adaptation to the current market and the ‘new normal’ is a key contributor to future success and a shorter recovery period.

For more market data and analysis visit GlobalData's Travel & Tourism Intelligence Centre.

Image: Benthemouse / Shutterstock.com

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