Halifax advises on how to ensure a happy holiday

HALIFAX Travel Insurance is warning Scottish holiday makers to remain extra vigilant on the beach this summer.

It has calculated beach bags can now carry up to £1,000 worth of goods, with some travellers parading expensive accessories like MP3 players, digital cameras, mobile phones and designer sunglasses.

Mobile phones have a typical value of £100, digital cameras start at around £150, while people generally carry larger amounts of foreign currency than if they were at home.

Paul Birkhead, underwriting manager at Halifax Travel Insurance, said: "Long gone are the days when the contents of a beach bag included no more than a towel, sun cream and a few warm sandwiches. Today's beach bag is a fashion statement and holiday makers like to make sure they have all their fashion accessories to hand."

Other items you might find in a typical 21st century beach bag include an £80 watch and £100 of currency.

Birkhead added: " While you can minimise the risks you can never eliminate them, which is why having travel insurance is so important when you are abroad.

"It's not only important having travel insurance, but having adequate travel insurance. Single item and upper limits apply to travel insurance policies and holiday makers need to do their research.

"In the last five years, £1.5 billion worth of items were not covered as the holiday maker either had insufficient or no travel insurance."