Travel insurance: Brits suffer 'tummy trouble in paradise'

Thursday, 05 October 2006

Tummy pains, sunburn and insect bites are the top three holiday illnesses according to a new report.

Most people go on holiday for the sun, sea and sand but many are struck by broken limbs, sunstroke and ear infections according to research by an insurance company. The firm found that without cheap travel insurance Britons could end up splashing out £10,000 for predicaments like breaking a leg.

Joanne Field, who commissioned the research, said: "Good insurers will always ask about the state of your health and usually about close relatives. However, if you have a pre-existing medical condition it does not automatically mean that it will be excluded and good insurers are often able to offer you cover."

Britons are advised to always make sure that their travel insurance offers medical and repatriation cover and that their current health is discussed in the policy.

The survey found that almost a third of all European holiday claims are medical-related and the average claim is £291.

In far flung places extra precautions such as vaccinations should be made. There are over 1,000 cases of British tourists contracting malaria each year.

Annual travel insurance - The cheapest on average

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