FCO issues advice for Sunshine Saturday

Wednesday, 08 Jan, 2016 0

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued advice on travel insurance and health cover in preparation for ‘Sunshine Saturday’ tomorrow.

This Saturday is forecast to be one of the most popular days of the year for Brits to book their holidays and travel companies are expected to be offering early bird deals.

In anticipation, the FCO is teaming up with weather broadcaster Becky Mantin to offer advice on ensuring a trouble-free holiday.

It has launched a new animated video highlighting some of the risks of travelling abroad without adequate insurance cover.

According to the Association of British Insurers, the average cost of a claim for medical expenses is £1,022, which is significantly higher than the £32 average for an annual travel insurance policy.

In addition, travellers to Europe are urged to apply for their free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) at www.ehic.org.

Cara Fortune, from the FCO’s Know Before You Go team, said: "A medical emergency abroad can be extremely expensive if you are not adequately insured.

"Come rain or shine, taking out appropriate travel insurance should be at the top of your to-do list before heading overseas. If not, it may not be the holiday you bargained for!"

For more advice on travel insurance, visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-insurance.

below social share icons

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.

Travel specialists founded the company in 1999 as AC Tours. Since then we have grown and expanded to incorporate four...

Global Hotel Alliance brings together a unique collection of independent hospitality brands for GHA DISCOVERY, a multi-brand loyalty programme. GHA...

In the heart of Europe, in one of the most innovative cities in the world, at the centre of business,...

Destination British Columbia (Destination BC) is a Provincially funded, industry-led Crown corporation that supports a strong and competitive future for BC’s...

We are a small-group adventure travel operator offering more than 750 tours in 100 countries, on all seven continents. Our...

Princess Hotels & Resorts is a hotel chain specialising in holiday and urban hotels located in first class tourist destinations,...

We are the UK’s leading Canada travel experts Canadian Affair Company Information Founded in 1995, Canadian Affair offers an...

From the beginning, ATI’s philosophy has been “innovation, not duplication.“ Developing specialized technology solutions to connect over 30,000 accommodation, attracti...

Greater Fort Lauderdale’s assortment of adventures awaits you. Whether you want to relax on the beach as the sound of...

The State of Michigan is blessed with the riches of unspoiled nature: the nation’s longest freshwater coastline, lakes that feel like...

WANDERERS WELCOME to MISSISSIPPI Mississippi is a state for all those who are wanderers at heart. From lush, forested Appalachian foothills to...

Here at Elegant Resorts, luxury travel is in our DNA. True pioneers in the industry, we were the first specialist...

Queensland – where it’s rude not to stare Here in Queensland, there’s plenty to do. But there’s even more to...

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,300 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in...

ECOMMPAY is an international payment service provider and direct bank card acquirer, engineering bespoke payment solutions for clients worldwide. Our...