New results of an Allianz survey of its U.S. travel insurance customers found that more than four in ten Americans plan to travel before the year is out.
Forty-four percent of those surveyed said that they anticipate traveling before the end of 2020, while 30 percent were unsure when they’d travel next, and lesser percentages pointed to sometime next year or even later.
There was also a subtle correlation noted between respondents’ ages and when they would see themselves traveling next. Older customers were more likely to lack an estimate as to when they’d take their next trip, compared with younger customers. Specifically, 31 percent of those ages 55 and over said they don’t know when they’d travel again, versus 26 percent of those under the age of 55 who said the same.
Among those under the age of 55, 25 percent of respondents were planning to travel anywhere from one to three months from now, compared with 17 percent of older customers who answered the same.
When asked about the mode of transportation they’ll use when traveling next, 65 percent of Allianz customers said they’d be going by air, trailed by the 28 percent who planned on driving and around five percent who saw themselves cruising.
Among those who saw themselves flying, 36 percent planned to fly domestically, and 28 percent would choose a domestic destination. For those looking to leave the U.S. mainland, beach vacations in Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico tied with trips to Europe were the top destinations.
“Our survey has found that our customers are eagerly awaiting the day that they can resume traveling to their favorite destinations,” said Daniel Durazo, Director of Marketing and Communications at Allianz Partners USA. “While our customers plan to enjoy domestic trips now and in the near future, international trips will be on many a wish list in 2021. In fact, the majority of our customers who say they don’t plan to travel this year have indicated that their next trip will be to an international destination.”
Although travel insurance products don’t generally cover pandemics, Allianz has made several temporary adjustments to its policies during this unprecedented period, including coverage for trip cancellations, trip interruptions and emergency medical care for travelers if they come down with COVID-19. It has also temporarily approved refunds of travel insurance premiums purchased by customers whose travel suppliers have been forced to cancel their vacations due to the pandemic.
For more information, visit allianztravelinsurance.com.