Brits avoiding travel insurance
According to new research by price comparison website MoneySuperMarket, although one-third of Brits require medical treatment while on holiday, one in 10 do not take out travel insurance. The research found that 42 per cent of British holidaymakers don’t get cover because they believe it’s ‘too expensive’. However, the average cost is £31; a fraction of the cost of medical fees abroad.
Additional findings were that 44 per cent of 25-34 year-olds have needed medical treatment on holiday. Londoners were found to be more likely to need medical attention than people from any other part of the UK at 55 per cent, compared with Wales at 31 per cent, the North West at 30 per cent and the Midlands at 28 per cent. Furthermore, men were found to be more likely than women to experience medical problems, with 40 per cent of men becoming unwell or suffering injury, compared with 25 per cent of women.
The research found that the US is the most common destination for Brits to need medical assistance, with 24 per cent of Brits claiming on their travel insurance, followed by Spain (23 per cent) and France (14 per cent). MoneySuperMarket found that the top medical reasons for travel insurance claims are: gastroenteritis/food poisoning, heart condition, respiratory-related condition, broken bones, ear infection, cancer-related conditions, diabetes and related complications, and stroke conditions.
“It is never worth the risk to book a holiday without travel insurance, regardless of where you are going … It’s important that you read up on the exclusions when you buy a policy and declare any pre-existing medical conditions. The research showed that 20 per cent of those that do take out a policy are not clued up on what they are covered for, which could lead to problems if a claim were to be made,” said Kevin Pratt, Consumer Affairs Expert at MoneySuperMarket.