An Unpredictable Year for Travel Has Fueled a Rise in Travel Insurance Purchases, According to BHTP’s Annual Survey

Fear of Flight Disruptions and Epidemics Topped Reasons for Purchasing Travel Insurance

STEVENS POINT, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) today announced the findings of its seventh annual State of Travel Insurance survey, which revealed that while travel volume is reaching some of its highest levels since the start of the pandemic, consumers look at travel with new skepticism and caution, largely due to widespread flight disruptions and epidemics. This is fueling a greater awareness of what travel insurance does and driving consumers to purchase it more often.

According to the survey:

• 29% of respondents purchased travel insurance most of the time they traveled in 2021, compared to only 7% who purchased it for most of their 2020 travels.
• 41% said epidemics were a reason to buy travel insurance more frequently in 2021, up from 30% in 2020.
• 30% of respondents cited knowing what travel insurance covers as a reason to buy insurance more frequently in 2021, compared to 23% in 2020, an indication that the upheavals of the pandemic drew travelers to educate themselves on travel insurance benefits.

“With widespread flight cancellations and travel disruptions dominating the news recently, it's no surprise that more travelers are buying insurance more often,” said Carol Mueller, Vice President of Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. “During these uncertain times, people want to protect their travel investments and health while traveling and are actively educating themselves about coverage that can help with extra expenses that come with common inconveniences.”

The following are additional key findings from the State of Travel Insurance related to traveler safety and travel behaviors and intentions.

• Behavioral changes travelers adopted during the pandemic will continue into next year, with respondents indicating they will continue to travel to see family, wear masks, wash hands more often, and keep distance from crowds.
• Safest and least safe destinations, as rated in our survey:
  • A low incidence of violent crime and crimes/harassment against travelers of color and the LGBTQ+ community ranked among the most important factors that contributed to a traveler feeling safe at a destination. These factors influenced perceptions of safety more than a location being free from disease and terrorist incidents.
  • Montreal and Singapore ranked as the safest cities among the 30 frequently traveled destinations listed by respondents, while survey participants rated Rio de Janeiro, Cairo and Mexico City as less safe than other cities.
  • Canada and Iceland ranked in the top positions of the 30 safest countries listed by respondents, while Israel and Egypt were rated less safe than others.
  • Millennials, who are leading international travel numbers, consider Europe and Asia the safest destinations.
  • Millennials (particularly high-income Millennials) have the highest intentions to travel, with 70% agreeing they would spend $10,000 on travel in 2022.

BHTP’s State of Travel Insurance research has been conducted each fall since 2015 by Polymath Research + Marketing, using independent national panels surveying thousands of consumers on future expectations in travel insurance and travel habits. For a full report, please email the contact below.

About the State of Travel Insurance

The State of Travel Insurance is an annual survey that reports insights on not only travel insurance purchase trends, but also travel expectations. This year’s survey collected responses from approximately 1,500 U.S. travelers about their travel habits, their experiences in 2021 and expectations for 2022.

About Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) is a registered trademark and a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, a leader in specialized casualty and liability insurance. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company provides underwriting and claims administration services for some of the largest distributors of travel insurance in the United States. Created under the Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection trade name is the ExactCare® line of travel insurance, AirCare® flight, WaveCare®, AdrenalineCare®, LuxuryCare® and other travel-related protections. The AirCare® and ExactCare® products are provided by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company. Visit bhtp.com for more information.

About Polymath Research + Marketing

Polymath Research + Marketing is a full-service market-research and marketing agency that specializes in crafting custom research and content to help organizations reach their business and marketing goals. PRM currently services firms in the insurance, travel, sports, and manufacturing industries, and provides research and content support to several top agencies. To learn more visit www.polymathpower.com.