Tom Earnshaw
Martin Lewis has issued a warning to anyone flying out of the UK this year as the holiday season ramps up.
Spring is here and with it, warmer temperatures across most destinations Brits love heading to during their spells of annual leave.
But whether you love a trip to Benidorm or to take in the ancient culture of Rome, everyone going on holiday has one common thing they need to make sure is ticked off.
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For Lewis, it's not just simply about ticking it off. But doing so well in advance. We're talking about travel insurance.
Taking to his The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV1 and ITVX this week, the financial journalist spent a short segment of the show warning viewers about the horror stories that unfold for people who don't have travel insurance when they should do.
"Travel Insurance is not just to cover you while you're away," Lewis says.
"It's also very important to cover you in case something happens before you go that stops you going. I have a rule. You should get your travel insurance ASAB. As soon as you book."
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He continued: "Right now, many people have already booked. If you don't have your travel insurance, and if your holiday is booked, do it right now.
"The reason I do this is every year someone asks me a question. Something like, 'I've been diagnosed with cancer, we can't go on the holiday. They're saying we can't have our money back. What do I do?'.
"And I'm impotent, because the answer is, you get on your travel insurance. And they say, 'well, I haven't got my travel insurance yet'. Do not get your travel insurance the day before you go. You get your travel insurance ASAB."
The show then recalled a case study from 2024 where a member of the public contacted Lewis explaining they had a holiday booked for Christmas but had been medically advised not to travel. The problem? They hadn't booked their travel insurance.
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"Please don't be the person this summer who asked me that question," Lewis stressed.
"Just think about it for a second. If you bought a tennis racket and you broke your arm, you can't say to them, I want a refund because my arm's broken. The tennis racket still works. The flights still work, the hotel still works.
"It's not them that's got the problem. It's you. That's the logic. That's what you have insurance for."
One viewer messaged Lewis on X (formerly Twitter) to say it was 'great advice but no need to call it a warning'.
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Lewis was defiant in his wording, responding: "Forgive me but it is 100 percent a warning.
"If you got the emails I got from desperate people who've had a serious health diagnosis in the summer and can't afford to lose the holiday money. You'd warn people too."
If you're forgetful like me, best take a look at that annual premium that'll cover you no matter when you go away.