Young Brits take risks abroad without insurance
Less than half of young Brits check that their insurance covers risky pursuits, says new research by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Even though 82% travellers aged 16-24 admit to taking part in more adventurous behaviour when on holiday, only 45% check their insurance will cover them.
The findings come as the FCO and ABTA urge holidaymakers to be better prepared for their travels.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Mark Simmonds said: “With summer just around the corner, many young people will be planning trips abroad with their friends. We want people to enjoy their holidays so we encourage them to be prepared.
"An emergency abroad can be extremely expensive. Medical treatment or returning to the UK could cost you thousands of pounds, unless you are adequately insured. We will do what we can to support people who require medical assistance but the FCO cannot pay their medical bills or fly them home. This is why we urge people to take out a comprehensive insurance policy which covers them for everything that they want to do while on holiday.”
According to the research, 19% of 16-24 year olds have driven a moped or quad bike while on holiday, 30% have been jet skiing or taken part in watersports and 13% have been skydiving or bungee jumping.
When asked why they were more likely to pursue adventurous activities when on holiday, 66% said the weather made them more inclined to try new things, while 41% said that they felt more confident and 21% said that they felt less inhibited.
The latest annual figures from ABTA suggest that almost half (48%) of young Brits aged 15-24 holiday abroad without taking out any insurance at all.
ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said: "It’s concerning to see so many young people travelling overseas uninsured, particularly when they are more likely to take part in adventurous behaviour.
"Many people travel uninsured because they are unaware that medical bills can run into thousands of pounds or wrongly assume that the Government will pay for their treatment. Unfortunately without proper insurance in place young people are putting themselves at the risk of not getting the right treatment should they have an accident or paying off sky high medical bills for years to come."
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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