With summer holiday season around the corner a new survey has revealed that young people are more likely to travel without insurance – risking medical fees in the thousands if they fall ill on holiday.
The Association of British Travel Agents surveyed 2,043 Britons and found that 40% of 18 to 24 year olds were more likely to go abroad without insurance.
Costly Medical Bills
As more young people travel to wonderful, far off countries the results raise an issue of vulnerability for holiday goers. Recently the family of a South Yorkshire traveller in Thailand had to raise £32,000 to pay for his medical care.
Craig Lindley, 35 at the time, fell ill celebrating a friend’s wedding on an island and was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome – which affects the peripheral nervous system – leaving him paralysed.
Alongside his diagnoses Craig was charged £20,000 for the five-days worth of treatment he received in Bangkok, and the £17,000 needed to cover his ambulance and speedboat from the island to Koh Samui Hospital.
Non-insured Rising
Since the survey was released it seems more travellers are going abroad without insurance with figures rising from 22% to 25% in the last year.
The Association of British Travel Agents’ (Abta) Mark Tanzer said: “Rather than having to resort to the kindness of strangers, holidaymakers should make sure that they have the right insurance in place.”
“Every year, we see cases of people falling into difficulty due to travelling without insurance,” he continued: “Often their families have to raise thousands of pounds for their treatment or repatriation and that’s why it is so worrying to see an increase in younger people travelling without insurance.”
Travellers can easily get affordable insurance when booking their trip, which could save them, and their family, thousands if something was to go wrong.
For more information on the best insurance for your holiday make sure to check with your holiday provider.
