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Average medical claim while abroad is over £1,000

12th August 2014 Print

More than a quarter (27%) of holidaymakers who have enjoyed a trip overseas in the past two years had a serious or long term medical condition such as diabetes or a heart condition at the time, according to research from Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance. Of these travellers, 15% admitted they had not told their travel insurer about their condition and 11% said they only disclosed part of their medical history.

The research shows that 11% of people admitted to jetting off without taking out any travel insurance. The average medical claim while abroad is £1,088 therefore Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance is reminding holidaymakers of the importance of having a good quality travel insurance policy in place.

Crucially, travellers with a pre-existing medical condition or illness should tell their insurer before they go. Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance customers disclosing this information are told straight away if their condition can be covered under their policy.

In the event of a medical emergency, those who have not disclosed a pre-existing medical condition could find their policy may not cover them for their claims relating to that illness.

Scott Gorman, Head of Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance commented: “When you’re on holiday you want to relax as you spend time with family and friends, not worry about how you would pay medical bills if someone was to become ill or have an accident. Having a good travel insurance policy in place helps bring peace of mind, so we strongly encourage arranging cover before going abroad.”

Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance statistics reveal that Spain was the country where more British holidaymakers had to seek medical help than any other, followed by Greece and the USA.  The table below shows the top ten countries where holidaymakers claimed for treatment and the average cost of medical treatment per country.

Top ten countries where holidaymakers have claimed - Average cost of medical treatment in this country
 
1. Spain £1,194
2. Greece £462
3. USA £2,851
4. Turkey £1,290
5. Cyprus £925
6. Egypt £220
7. France £683
8. Thailand £1,363
9. Portugal £1,230
10. Australia £727

The table below shows the top ten most common medical claims whilst abroad in 2013.

Top 10 most common medical claims - Average claim amount (£)
 
1. Accident £1,455
2. Ear/Nose/Throat £371
3. Stomach Conditions £918
4. Respiratory Conditions £612
5. Skin Conditions £402
6. Bites/Stings £241
7. Infectious Diseases £361
8. Dental £282
9. Heart £5,817
10. Eye £374

Sainsbury’s Bank Travel Insurance does not have an age limit on its single trip cover and in fact, it is one of just 14% of policies on the market with no age limit.

For information on Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance visit sainsburysbank.co.uk.