One last weekend of freedom
Peter Corbett investigates the insurance on offer in the marketplace for the increasing numbers of stag and hen parties jetting off abroad for a weekend of debauchery
First published in ITIJ 92, September 2008
Peter Corbett investigates the insurance on offer in the marketplace for the increasing numbers of stag and hen parties jetting off abroad for a weekend of debauchery
It’s 36 years since my own party and that was just a few mates together in a quiet corner of a pub in the village in Surrey where I was getting married the next day. And I haven’t dared ask my son in law about his!
Anyway, here goes and as is my wont, I’ll start with a few stats, this time from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The figures actually date from a specific survey carried out in 2005, but an FCO spokesman told me that there was no indication that things had changed much since:
- A quarter of those who go overseas on stag and hen weekends and who have their celebrations interrupted by ‘holiday horror’, lose their travel documents, their money, credit cards or tickets, for instance, or end up becoming sick or getting hurt
- A quarter of those who had their trip spoilt in this way end up by getting arrested
- But most significantly, almost half of those who travel overseas on these weekends go uninsured
The following year, a survey of 3,000 partygoers by travel insurance specialists InsureandGo, revealed that a staggering 70 per cent of hen and stag parties now take place overseas, found that nothing had changed. If only these revellers knew, fr’instance, how much it would cost if they had to charter an air ambulance to bring them home!
Anyway, the whole thing breaks down broadly into two separate but linked parts, the professionally organised trip and the one that’s put together by the bride and groom themselves – not together of course!
Get organised
I researched a couple of companies that specialise in organising hen and stag weekends, both in the UK and in Europe. They were chosen at random off the internet – interestingly, none of the travel agencies I dropped into in my home town to pick up the odd brochure or two offered that kind of break. That’s even though they were well stocked with information about ‘normal’ weekend breaks in those cities which attract those who are about to die, sorry those who are about to get married.
Mike Wood, a director of Freedom Limited, told me that insurance wasn’t a condition of booking. “We have our own insurances in place, of course, public liability, professional indemnity, employers’ liability and so on, and in addition all of our activity suppliers have insurance that’s appropriate to where they are in the world. We do, however, advise our clients to make sure they have proper personal cover and many of them already have this, perhaps through their credit card or bank,” he said.
I asked him about the type of people who went on hen and stag weekends. Freedom’s clients were, he said, generally in their late twenties or early thirties, perhaps in middle management, who knew how to conduct themselves.
a staggering 70 per cent of hen and stag parties now take place overseas
The result was that though alcohol could well play a major role in their enjoyment of their trip, they tended to undertake the various physical activities which might be part of their itinerary in the afternoon, leaving the evenings free for, well whatever else they might get up to.
Nevertheless, he continued, if anyone turns up to go zorbing or go-karting or whatever and they’re not entirely fit (for fit read sober), activity organisers will refuse to let them take part. “We take our responsibilities very seriously,” he said, “this is a half-billion pound industry. It isn’t 100 per cent regulated but there is a code of conduct and we always try to do a step further than most.”
At Redseven Leisure, which, like Freedom, also organises weekends for other companies, however, insurance is a condition, though it can either be provided by the clients themselves or by the company. According to the company’s website, clients who arrange their own policy should ensure that it covers personal accident, medical and emergency evacuation, loss of money and, importantly, participation in whichever activity or dangerous sport they have chosen.
If clients decide not to take out suitable travel insurance themselves, the company’s attitude is very clear – in accepting its terms and conditions, uninsured clients agree to indemnify Redseven against any claim for loss or injury, with those in the group taking part in any activity which is part of their itinerary entirely at their own risk. However, Redseven goes on to warn its clients that if they don’t effect insurance cover, Redseven may actually decide to cancel participation in those activities with no refund being made.
“If we decide not to cancel your reservation, it is on the agreed basis that we shall not be liable for your participation in the itinerary and you participate entirely at your own risk,” the company points out. It goes on to add that that even if it arranges insurance cover for its clients, should activity providers insist that participants sign an insurance indemnity and waiver form, then that cover goes out of the window with those in the party taking part entirely at their own risk. And it adds that cover does not extend to activities that are not booked as part of the itinerary or have been booked independently of the reservation and Redseven won’t be liable for any loss or injury. Finally just so there’s no confusion the ‘small print’ on its website is writ admirably large and clear.
And just in case its clients are in any doubt about the kind of coverage they need, Brilliant Weekends carries this very clear message on its website: “You must ensure that you gave adequate travel insurance with high medical cover (including repatriation by air ambulance) and cover for cancellation and curtailment.”
The insurance is out there
So, where does the bride or groom (or should that be best man and chief bridesmaid?) go to arrange their own insurance?
Interestingly, if you ‘Google’ hen and stag party insurance, a whole atlas of websites pops up but none of them, at least as far I had the patience to check them, actually offers any kind of insurance, except for two or three companies that do include ‘travel insurance’ in their package. And these packages were, how can I put this kindly, not as exotic as many, being based in places like Newquay and Edinburgh.
At Redseven Leisure … insurance is a condition, though it either can be provided by the clients themselves or by the company
The fact that the itinerary is properly planned and managed will be an advantage if the hen or the stag wants to organise her/his own cover but what would be the attitude of the insurance companies to someone who came to them with a request for cover for a DIY trip? And with no specialist insurers, at least as far as I could see, where would they start to look anyway?
I contacted three companies who advertise heavily and could therefore be high on the list of insurers party planners might contact. First, I challenged Churchill (had to get that in), then asked Tesco and Esure for their thoughts.
Chris Price, head of travel insurance for Churchill, told me that his company wanted travellers on stag or hens parties to enjoy their time away and he acknowledged that
part of that time will be spent enjoying a few drinks with family and friends. However, he pointed out, travellers should be made aware that drinking so much that their judgement is seriously affected may impact on their ability to make a claim and he had some advice for people going on stag and hen parties who might be travelling abroad and planning to take part in sporting and leisure activities. They won’t, he said, be covered for any activity mentioned in the exclusion section of the policy booklet nor would they be covered if, for instance, they tried to climb from one hotel balcony to another unless their life was in danger (sic), drove a motor vehicle when disqualified or not licensed to do so, or used a motor bike or scooter unless the driver had the appropriate licence to do so and the driver and, if he/she had one, the passenger was wearing a helmet.
As far as personal possessions were concerned, he said that Churchill always urged policyholders to make sure that valuable possessions (such as engagement rings) were listed on their home insurance policies, as the personal possessions limit imposed by many travel insurance policies would be too low to replace these items if they get lost or stolen. "Travellers should always check their policy details before their trip and contact their insurer to discuss any particular sporting activities they have planned to make sure they are covered. At Churchill, we are more than happy to discuss people's needs before they go away. And,” he added, “stag or hen parties could be eligible for a group discount, which reduces the premium for parties of up to 10 people. It is important to remember to check if any of the travelling party have any pre-existing medical conditions.”
A spokeswoman for Tesco Personal Finance said anybody planning a hen or stag weekend would be best advised to buy their travel insurance over the phone so they could check on activities which were covered – and perhaps more importantly those which were specifically excluded. Typically, activities such as or paintballing or go karting would be covered, but not the more extreme activities such as hang gliding or zorbing and, the spokeswoman stressed, whatever cover is provided it’s negated if an accident happens when people are under the influence of alcohol.
stag or hen parties could be eligible for a group discount, which reduces the premium for parties of up to 10 people
Esure takes exactly the same line. They would, Emma Lloyd told me, offer either an individual or a group policy but it would be a standard one, with the usual exclusions and exceptions. And, she added, it would also be made very clear to the proposer that if alcohol played any part in an accident, Esure would not be liable.
Can we cover it?
More than forty years ago, when I started work for Royal Insurance, my father, who had also spent his life in the business, wondered how long it would be before I confirmed cover on a marquee on a mountain top in February. I never did (sorry Dad) but his comment made me very cautious. I reckon that if I was setting out on that first job today, Dad would be warning me about hen and, particularly, stag parties.
There’s obviously a gap that needs to be filled but is anyone brave enough to fill it? Yes, cover could be provided but when you look at the stats I started with, I wonder what the premiums – and the exclusions – would be.
Anyone want to offer a 22-year-old a thousand miles away from home and setting out to get out of his skull cover for any injury he might incur while he’s racing a quad bike? Hands up! Thought not!