British holidaymakers are choosing to take advantage of this summer’s heatwave with the number of Google searches for ‘staycation’ up by 75 per cent this year – the biggest increase in a decade.

According to analysis from LV= more UK travellers are looking to book trips to the coast, with searches for ‘seaside staycations’ for places such as Tenby, up nearly a quarter (23 per cent) on August last year.

However, more than 25 million British ‘staycationers’ could be putting themselves at risk by travelling without insurance on UK based holidays this year, the insurer revealed.

It found that nearly two thirds (64 per cent) of Brits have either been on or are planning to take a UK weekend break or day trip this year.

However, three in five (60 per cent), admit to never taking out travel insurance for UK based trips, and nearly half (48 per cent) were unaware they are able to take out insurance policies to cover weekend breaks or even day trips in the UK.

What’s more, nearly three in five (58 per cenr) of those surveyed did not believe they could claim for cancellations on UK travel policies, for example with the costs of train or flight tickets.

Nearly two thirds of Brits (64 per cent) also did not realise that policies can cover loss or damage to personal items or luggage.

This means millions of holiday makers are potentially at risk during their summer staycations should something go wrong such as a missed train, loss or damage of personal items, or hotel cancellations.

Last year, on average, UK travellers recovered £337 for each cancellation related claim, £213 for each loss or damage to personal belongings and £2,533 for medical assistance.

What’s more, in the last four years alone, LV= has seen an astonishing 75 per cent increase in claims for UK based trips, from cancellations and delays, through to medical emergencies and missing luggage.

Heather Smith, Chief Customer Officer at LV= said:?“It’s great to see the British public making the most of the holiday destinations we have here in the UK.

“However, when taking out travel insurance, it’s just as important for people to be as prepared as they would be for a trip abroad.

“That’s why we want to make people aware that they can get cover whilst on staycation or for short breaks in the UK. LV= is one of a few insurers in the UK who will cover customers for day trips or breaks where accommodation hasn’t been pre-booked, so they can travel with the confidence that should a mishap occur, they will be covered – wherever they are staying.”

According to LV= data, the top 10 reasons for UK travel claims are: Cancellation; Personal effects/baggage; Medical emergency; Travel delay/abandonment; Missed departure; Curtailment; Medical assistance; Cruise cover; Airspace or Port Closure; Personal liability.