Britons travelling abroad without insurance hit with £5,620 bills for medical treatment. Gastroenteritis the most common ailment suffered by Britons abroad.
New research by leading price comparison website, MoneySuperMarket, reveals that although a third of Brits have required medical treatment while on holiday, one in 10 still do not take out travel insurance.
Despite only costing £31 on average1, 42 per cent don’t get cover because it’s “too expensive”, even though it’s a fraction of the cost of medical fees abroad, should injury or illness strike.
The study reveals that 44 per cent of 25-34 year-olds have required medical treatment on holiday, with Londoners more likely to need medical attention than people from any other part of the UK at 55 per cent, compared to Wales at 31 per cent, the North West at 30 per cent and the Midlands at 28 per cent. The research also reveals that men are more likely to have medical problems than women, with 40 per cent becoming unwell or suffering injury compared to just 25 per cent of women.
The USA is the most common location for Brits requiring medical assistance, with just under a quarter (24 per cent) claiming on their travel insurance due to illness or injury. Spain is in second place (23 per cent), followed by France (14 per cent).
This may be because Brits travelling to most countries in Europe are able to obtain emergency medical treatment on the same terms as a local resident if they are carrying an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which is available free from the NHS. This can reduce or even eliminate any fees for the treatment received.
It’s important to state that an EHIC card is not a substitute for travel insurance since the policy will provide essential cover for problems such as cancellation and the loss or theft of belongings.
Gastroenteritis, often caused by drinking unsafe tap water or a change in diet, is the most common ailment suffered by British travellers. More serious common health issues include broken bones, heart conditions and respiratory problems.
Top 8 medical reasons for travel insurance claims
1. Gastroenteritis/food poisoning
2. Heart condition
3. Respiratory-related condition
4. Broken bones
5. Ear infection
6. Cancer related conditions
7. Diabetes and related complications
8. Stroke conditions
Even minor treatment for cases of food poisoning or general stomach upsets are considerably more expensive across the Atlantic at £1,250, over double that of Spain (£510) and France (£550) and over three times that of Italy (£350).
MoneySuperMarket claims data revealed that major procedures in the USA costs around £75,000 and a daily room rate in hospital costs close to £4,000. Medical treatment associated with a heart by-pass in the USA costs a massive £113,000.
Although Britons would still need to fork out thousands of pounds for major surgery in other popular holiday resorts, costs in Spain (£13,175) and Cyprus (£13,175) are five times lower than the USA. In fact, a hospital daily room rate is over 10 times less expensive in Cyprus (£440), Thailand (£300), Bulgaria (£175) and South Africa (£300).
A spokesperson at MoneySuperMarket, commented: “It is never worth the risk to book a holiday without travel insurance, regardless of where you are going. If you fall ill or suffer an injury, medical expenses can cost thousands of pounds. If you need to be repatriated to the UK, the costs can sky-rocket even higher.
“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.
“Exclusions usually include dangerous sports and hazardous activities such as scuba diving, horse-riding and rock climbing – so you need to check you’ve got the cover you need. There might also be key conditions, such as a requirement to wear a helmet on a motorcycle, even if it’s not required by local laws.
“Taking out travel insurance when you book your holiday also means you’ve got cover in the event that you’re unable to go due to an illness or injury, a family bereavement, or other emergency. You’ll also have cover for your possessions, your personal liabilities and for your problems arising from travel delays.”
Average cost of medical treatment for uninsured Britons abroad
|
Country |
Average cost of medical treatment |
|
South Korea |
£28,938 |
|
Tunisia |
£22,513 |
|
Russia |
£21,833 |
|
Mexico |
£20,596 |
|
Canada |
£20,568 |
|
Argentina |
£20,231 |
|
Portugal |
£19,960 |
|
Malta |
£18,605 |
|
Australia |
£16,766 |
|
Netherlands |
£16,296 |
|
Morocco |
£16,196 |
|
Thailand |
£15,442 |
|
Republic of Ireland |
£15,227 |
|
Cuba |
£13,358 |
|
Belgium |
£12,510 |
|
Egypt |
£12,234 |
|
South Africa |
£12,094 |
|
France |
£10,945 |
|
Switzerland |
£10,587 |
|
China |
£9,350 |
|
Japan |
£8,650 |
|
Italy |
£8,201 |
|
Spain |
£8,019 |
|
Dubai |
£7,628 |
|
Cyprus |
£7,217 |
|
USA |
£6,258 |
|
Brazil |
£5,194 |
|
Croatia |
£3,171 |
|
Greece |
£3,102 |
|
Bulgaria |
£2,642 |
|
Turkey |
£889 |
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
