Travellers seek best insurance against natural disasters, scams: Klook survey

Name: SCMP
Telephone: +852-2680-8888

Some 38 per cent of travellers want travel insurance policies that insure against losses caused by natural disasters, according to a Klook survey

Reading Time:2 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

Natural disasters and travel scams are among top concerns for holidaymakers, Klook survey shows. Photo: Handout

Xinyi Wu

Published: 1:39pm, 30 Aug 2024

Travellers across Asia are seeking travel insurance that offers greater protection against natural disasters and scams, showing growing demand beyond the industry’s typical coverage for medical emergencies and lost baggage.

Some 38 per cent of travellers want policies that insure against losses caused by disasters, including extreme weather, according to a survey by Klook, a travel-related services company. A similar percentage of respondents also voted for climate-related alerts on their trips.

Climate-related crises have disrupted tourism in recent years. Thousands of tourists in Rhodes were forced to evacuate last summer when wildfires engulfed parts of the Greek island.

“Our research showed that the definition of ‘peace of mind’ is evolving for the modern traveller,” said Chuan Sheng Soong, CEO of its travel insurance arm Klook Protect. “Travellers are seeking more immersive experiences, but are also more mindful of safety and security” to avoid scams, he added.

A collapsed house in Osaki in Kagoshima Prefecture, following a strong earthquake that hit southwestern Japan on August 8, 2024. Photo: Kyodo

Klook’s survey found that more than 40 per cent of travellers from Hong Kong are willing to spend HK$1,000 (US$128) or more on insurance per trip, while 15 per cent would opt for premium plans if they can deliver “maximum peace of mind”.