The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) will release advice on selling insurance to its Specialist Travel Agent (STA) members to help them drive sales.
Speaking at the AITO STA conference in Warwick last weekend, conference moderator Catherine Leech said a straw poll revealed just three delegates had seen an increase in insurance sales following the law change, which saw travel insurance regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
The regulations, which came into force in January 2009, mean agents are required to act as the appointed representative of an insurer or insurance broker.
She added: “There is a lot of confusion about insurance, companies are offering a lot of different services and perhaps that’s a role for AITO to bring together more information for agents.”
AITO director Noel Josephides agreed retailers had been put off selling insurance, and said: “A lot of agents have been frightened by the situation as to what they can and can’t do, and many have just walked away from it. That is a pity as there are good policies out there.”
He said many consumers were losing out by not buying their insurance until they were about to travel as they no longer had cover if their holiday is cancelled beforehand.
Josephides added a lot of policies sold by non-travel specialists proved to be inadequate and recommended agents start selling renewable annual policies and family policies.