When you're planning a holiday or trip the last thing you want to consider is what could go wrong. This is no doubt the reason so many UK travelers take a holiday abroad without the protection of a travel insurance policy.

For many of those that do protect themselves, it's often an afterthought with little attention paid to the quality of the cover or it's value for money. A large number of travelers who book their holiday through a travel agent, often choose the policy offered or suggested by the agent for convenience or because they assume the great deal they just got on their package holiday will be replicated with the travel insurance premiums. This is rarely the case as travel agents look to recoup some of the discounts they give on holidays from added extras they promote such as travel insurance.

First of all, your travel agent is not an insurance expert. This means that they often know little or nothing about holiday insurance and how their policy compares to others on the market. They'll be able to give you the information that they've been told to give you, and they will have no problem selling it to you, but in most cases you won't get a choice of policies or providers so won't be able to guage if you are getting a good deal or not.

Many travel agents are also agents of just one insurance company so you are restricting your choice to one or at most a hand full of providers chosen from a restricted panel. It might appear to be more trouble than it's worth shopping around for travel insurance and this is why many holiday makers prefer the simplicity of cover bought with their holiday at the travel agent. But as little as ten minutes on the internet at a price comparison website will open up the market and allow you to compare hundreds of policies by price and policy features. Armed with this research you can then consider the travel agent's cover from a position of strength and make an informed choice.

Holiday insurance should be a vital part of your travel arrangements, particularly if you are traveling as a family. Thousands of people have their holiday dreams ambushed by cancellations, lost baggage and stolen possessions every year - to mention a few. That's why it's important to do your homework and if you are unsure, buy your cover from an expert. You wouldn't buy your holiday from an insurance broker so why buy your travel insurance from a holiday broker. As the saying goes, failing to plan is like planning to fail, and when your well earned holiday is at stake, a little effort now will be well worth the extra peace of mind.