As time changes, so does the definition of a family. And with many families now moving away from the “traditional” model, are families with single parents ignored by travel insurers and the travel industry?
A new study by
Comparetravelinsurance.com.au found that almost 60% of parents would continue to travel with their children after a separation. This shows that not only is the concept of a family changing, but also updates the way people travel as families.
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Natalie Ball of
Comparetravelinsurance.com.au told
Travel Weekly that travelling for families with single parents is more complicated than for an average Australian family.
“When it comes to a single-parent family, stress levels can soar as the holiday season approaches,” Ball said. “In addition to worrying about how to fund the holiday and the extended time away from work, separated parents have to consider the other parent’s plans and seek consent when taking the children interstate or overseas.”
Not only do lone-parent families face tighter budgets due to the difference of a single income compared to a dual income and the lack of an extra pair of hands to tend to the kids, they also are often ignored when it comes to travel service and advertised deals, the report said.
Single parents don’t get to enjoy the perks of “kids eat free” or “kids stay free” deals offered at hotels and restaurants because the price is usually based on two paying adults, which means single parents have to pay for the non-existent partner. Family passes offered at tourist attractions are also based on a traditional family structure, which makes it unaffordable for single parents, Travel Weekly said.
To avoid discriminating against families of varying structures, travel insurers have adapted their policy wording, with many offering cover for singles travelling with their children. Many insurers, however, tend to offer a discount on a “family policy.”
Some insurers have now dropped the concept of family travel insurance altogether and opted to identify travellers as adults and dependent children. Instead of offering discounts to traditional nuclear families, they allow kids to travel free of charge, regardless if there’s one parent or two – an approach used by Zoom travel insurance, 1Cover travel insurance, Budget Direct, and Travel Insurance Direct,
Travel Weekly reported.
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