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ABTA issues warning over travel insurance
One in five holidaymakers are still travelling overseas uninsured, according to new ABTA research.
The numbers travelling overseas uninsured are just slightly down last year’s figures, when 22% travelled overseas uninsured.
But, ABTA said there has been a big rise in young holidaymakers travelling uninsured.
A third (33%) of 16-24 year olds are travelling uninsured, up from 22% in 2014.
A third (32%) of 25-34 year olds are also travelling uninsured, making these two age groups the most at risk should something go wrong.
The association said the high numbers could be down to confusion amongst young holidaymakers over what a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) offers.
Over one in five (22%) of 16-24 year olds mistakenly believe they don’t need travel insurance because they have an EHIC.
EHICs, which need to be renewed every five years, give access to emergency state medical care throughout most of Europe, but are not a substitute for travel insurance.
They will not cover the cost of repatriation to the UK in an air ambulance, private medical care or additional expenses, such as accommodation for family staying in resort.
"It is a real concern that we see so many travellers telling us that they have recently gone overseas without travel insurance," said ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer.
"Every year we come across tragic incidents of people having accidents or falling ill overseas without travel insurance and then having to pay bills which can quickly run into thousands of pounds. "Often they are younger travellers and their families are left with the burden of having to pick up the bill. Whatever your financial circumstances may be, avoiding taking out travel insurance is a very false economy."
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Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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