TRAVEL AND LEISURE CLOSE-UP-20 June 2008-TripAdvisor Survey: Travelers Like 'Peace of Mind' of Insurance(C)2008 - CloseUpMedia - newsdesk@closeupmedia.com

TripAdvisor, a travel community, announced the results of its travel insurance survey of more than 3,700 travelers worldwide.

The company noted that two-thirds of worldwide respondents and 60 percent of U.S. respondents have purchased travel insurance. About one half of those surveyed said the number one reason for purchasing travel insurance is for peace of mind.

Forty-seven percent of travelers and 35 percent of U.S. respondents plan to buy travel insurance in the next 12 months. Sixty-five percent of global respondents and 50 percent of U.S. respondents are most likely to purchase single-trip travel insurance. Fifteen percent of U.S. respondents said they are more likely to buy travel insurance due to the current economic climate.

The most important coverage while traveling is trip cancellation, according to 53 percent of U.S. respondents, followed by medical or health. Travel delay/interruption was considered the next most important coverage.

Twenty percent of insured U.S. respondents have made a claim on a travel insurance policy, of which 25 percent found the process "simple," 23 percent summed it up as "time consuming," 19 percent called the process "frustrating," and 18 percent claimed it as "efficient." Eighteen percent of U.S. respondents have been refused on a claim, and among those who have, 36 percent don't know why.

Other Travel Insurance Tidbits:

-- Seven percent of U.S. respondents have bought travel insurance, only to discover they were covered under another policy.-- Eight percent of U.S. respondents have had regrets about not buying travel insurance in the past.-- Sixty-six percent of U.S. respondents are most likely to purchase travel insurance when they book their trip and 53 percent check the quote on a price comparison website.

"The fact that two-thirds of worldwide respondents have purchased trip insurance reinforces that travelers hold vacations sacred, and an investment that is worth protecting," said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor.

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