• Aviva claims data reveals the top 10 most expensive European countries for holiday cancellations
• Greece proves to be the most costly at £1,298
• Travellers warned to take out cover as soon as they book, with many set to make the most of the festive period and January sales to book their next holiday
• Despite this, one in 11 (9%) never take out travel insurance

Aviva is urging travellers to take out cover as soon as they book their trip, as data shows the potential cost of cancelling a holiday due to unforeseen circumstances.

According to its travel insurance claims data for 2024, holidays to Greece incurred the highest costs for cancelling a holiday in Europe at £1,298. Norway and Gibraltar closely followed at £1,285 and £1,197, respectively.

According to Aviva data, the top 10 European destination countries with the highest cancellation costs are revealed as:

1. Greece – £1,298
2. Norway – £1,285
3. Gibraltar – £1,197
4. Turkey – £1,179
5. Cyprus – £1,138
6. Finland – £1,070
7. Croatia – £1,031
8. Austria – £970
9. Iceland – £943
10. Montenegro – £929

While Greece may be the costliest country for cancellation, Spain has the most cancelled holidays overall:

1. Spain
2. UK
3. Greece
4. France
5. Italy
6. Portugal
7. Turkey
8. Cyprus
9. Germany
10. Norway

What does travel insurance cover?

Holidaymakers may need to cancel or shorten their trips for various reasons, and travel insurance can provide cover if there is an ‘unforeseen’ event such as illness, bereavement, jury duty, redundancy, significant home damage, or a burglary. There are also optional add-ons such as travel disruption cover, which can provide extra protection against things like natural disasters.

Under these circumstances, travel insurance can help recoup any unrecoverable costs associated with booking a holiday, such as unused flights, accommodation, excursions and car hire. This can soon add up to the hundreds – if not thousands – of pounds, with Aviva claims data showing that the average cost of cancelling a holiday in Europe is £725.

It’s also worth noting that travellers must declare any existing/pre-existing medical conditions or ongoing medical investigations at the time of taking a policy out. Failing to do so could result in a claim for cancellation being rejected.  

Carolyn Scott, Head of Home and Travel Underwriting at Aviva, commented: “During the festive season, we often find ourselves with more free time, making it easier to tackle life’s administrative tasks like planning a holiday.

“Although it’s exciting planning your next break, always remember to take out travel insurance as soon as you book. According to our data, cancellation is the most common travel insurance claim⁴, and with costs soaring into the thousands in some countries, it’s worrying to see how many people are booking or travelling unprotected.

“In the event you need to cancel your holiday, it’s worth speaking to your tour operator or airline in the first instance to see if they can reschedule your holiday.  In some cases, this can be done for free or for a small fee.

“If you didn’t use a tour operator or are struggling to recover any costs, travel insurance is a valuable lifeline and can help you get some – if not all – of your money back should the worst happen.”