Soaring overseas medical costs prompt Abta travel insurance warning
Harry KembleSharp rises in overseas medical costs, especially in the case of emergencies, have prompted trade body Abta to issue a warning to travellers who choose to head abroad without travel insurance.
People requiring an air ambulance will now find the cost of being flown home safely from a long-haul destination will now cost more than twice the amount charged in 2019, Abta said.
Five years ago, an air ambulance from the European Union back to the UK cost between €15,000-€20,000, but this figure rose to €25,000-€30,000 last year. Worldwide costs are even higher, rising from €35,000-€40,000 in 2019 to around €75,000-€85,000 in 2023.
The trade body said travellers may sometimes rely solely on the General Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which allows UK citizens access to state medical care in the EU and a handful of other destinations. However, not all services provided are free, and air ambulance costs are not covered by GHIC.
Abta is encouraging people to take out travel insurance as soon as they book a trip to ensure they are covered straight away, including if they have to cancel for an unforeseen reason like illness.
Graeme Buck, Abta’s director of communications, said: “Every year, we see very sad stories of uninsured people who have fallen ill or had an accident while overseas and are running up large medical bills.
“They often resort to setting up a GoFundMe page or similar, but they will now find they need to raise substantially more money, with air ambulance and other medical costs having gone through the roof.
“It is simply not worth the risk of financial ruin, simply to save a few pounds, so always take out travel insurance at the time of booking your holiday or other travel arrangements.”
Jennifer Anderson, Foreign Office director for consular and crisis, added: “Travelling without insurance can be expensive and distressing if things do go wrong when you are abroad.
“The good news is that purchasing the right travel insurance does not take long and could save you a lot of money and stress."
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Harry Kemble
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