Travellers heading overseas to escape the UK winter could face medical bills of up to £21,000 if they fall ill without insurance, according to new research from Gigasure.

The study analysed five popular winter sun destinations for British tourists and the average cost of treatment for common medical conditions. Dubai ranked as the most expensive location, with treatment for heart-related conditions such as bradycardia averaging £21,000. Italy (including Sicily) and Barbados followed, where treatment for a tibia fracture and respiratory infection respectively both averaged £10,000.

The US (including Hawaii) and Tenerife also featured among the costliest destinations, with gastroenteritis treatment in the US averaging £7,000 and COPD-related claims in Tenerife reaching £8,500.

Across all destinations, common claims included pneumonia and bronchitis, gastroenteritis, heart issues, fractures, and head injuries.

Gigasure also highlighted the risks of non-disclosure when purchasing travel insurance. Its research found that 24% of holidaymakers had deliberately failed to declare pre-existing medical conditions. Among them, 20% believed their condition was not relevant, 18% were unsure what to declare, 17% feared being denied cover, and 13% were willing to take the risk.

Gary Murphy, travel insurance expert at Gigasure, said: “Being uninsured in any foreign country is costly, but, as our research highlights, some winter sun destinations will leave travellers with significantly higher medical bills than others if they need treatment… In places like Dubai or the US, even relatively common medical conditions can result in five-figure bills.”

Gigasure recently announced the launch of GigaCard, a digital insurance card that stores key information for customers about their travel insurance policy.