- 50% have travelled abroad uninsured, rising to 73% of Gen Z
- Nearly 1 in 6 wrongly believe the UK Government will foot their medical bills overseas
- A fractured leg in the USA can cost over £280,000, yet 16% say insurance is “too expensive”
Half (50%) of UK holidaymakers have travelled abroad without travel insurance according to new research by specialist travel insurance provider, Multitrip.com – leaving themselves potentially exposed to significant medical bills.
The survey of over 1,000 Brits who holiday abroad at least once a year, conducted by Opinium, found that Gen Z (18 – 28) were more likely to do so, with 73% having taken a trip abroad without cover.
Why some travellers have risked travelling without insurance
The most common reasons for travelling uninsured were that the trip felt “too short to need it” (29%), that insurance wasn’t considered necessary (28%) or a willingness to “take the risk” (18%), a sentiment more prevalent among younger travellers. Over one in six (17%) said they were too healthy to need cover, and 14% said they simply forgot, rising to one in five among millennials.
Misunderstanding around the GHIC card and Government support
A number of travellers also appear to be unclear about the cover available to them through existing schemes. Nearly one in five (18%) believed the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) would replace travel insurance, rising to 34% among Gen Zs.
Meanwhile, 15% believe the UK Government would arrange their repatriation if they fell seriously ill abroad (rising to 34% of Gen Z), and 15% believed the Government would cover their overseas medical bills (rising to 31% of Gen Z).
Christian Bennett of Multitrip.com said: “The GHIC is a sensible addition for any trip to Europe, but it’s not a substitute for travel insurance. It only covers basic state medical care in certain countries and won’t cover an extended stay due to a medical emergency, non-medical issues, or the cost of getting you home.”
The cost of travelling without insurance
Medical costs account for more than two fifths (42%) of all Multitrip.com claims, followed by cancellation (28%). A further 7% of claims relate to loss of personal effects, 6% to travel delay, and 5% t