By Clare Yates
3 min read
Buying travel insurance at the point of booking protects against gaps in cancellation and disruption cover, giving peace of mind during unpredictable winter travel conditions.
January is already hotting up for travel bookings
January is officially shaping up to be holiday booking season on steroids. Sunshine Saturday is the first Saturday after the New Year, when many people book their summer holiday. This year, it has fueled a remarkable spike in UK bookings.
Travel agents report huge demand for winter and sunshine breaks across Spain, Italy, Greece and beyond. Thomas Cook saw bookings jump by 60% year-on-year on that single day, with nearly half of trips due to depart before May 2026.
In fact, holiday bookings are set to hit more than 4.5 million this month, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. That’s around 200,000 higher than last January.
Winter travel problems highlight why insurance matters
The January travel rush has sent holiday bookings soaring, but to keep the excitement going without costly surprises, travellers are being urged to lock in travel insurance now. Waiting too long can leave gaps in cover, missed cancellation protection and expensive disruption.
Travel in early 2026 has not been completely smooth. Across Europe, thousands of flights have been delayed or cancelled in recent weeks, leaving holidaymakers stranded and scrambling for alternatives. Winter weather systems have also caused widespread transport disruption, with snow, ice and amber warnings affecting journeys across several regions.
These unpredictable conditions are exactly the kind of thing that travel insurance is designed to protect against. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) advises that in some cases, travel policies may cover disruption to travel that airlines or tour operators might not offer compensation for. But this is only possible if your policy is active before the disruption occurs.
Why early travel insurance beats last-minute panic
Depending on your insurer, travel insurance policies often include reimbursement if you need to cancel due to illness, injury, bereavement or other covered reasons. So buying insurance at the point of booking has clear advantages. In short, waiting too long increases the chance of coverage gaps.
With record holiday demand, unpredictable winter travel issues and unresolved claims challenges, there has never been a better time to think about travel insurance. Whether you choose single trip travel insurance or an annual travel insurance policy, treat it as part of the booking process rather than an afterthought. Doing so can make the difference between a smooth-sailing trip and a costly disruption before you even leave home.