Travelling without insurance 'incredibly irresponsible'
Published On 11 May 2008
Embarking on an adventure holiday without insurance could end up costing holidaymakers a lot more than their health, warned an industry expert.Sean Tipton, press officer at the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), said that in a worse case scenario a thrifty traveller reluctant to shell out £40 for travel insurance could end up having to sell their house to pay medical bills.
Mr Tipton's comments come after a Foreign and Commonwealth Office report showed that the average cost of treating a broken leg in America was £24,000. Mr Tipton explained that if the patient needed to be flown back to the UK for further treatment the cost could escalate to £100,000.
"For anybody going abroad for their holiday or a business trip it is extremely foolish to travel uninsured. If you’re going on a holiday which involves greater risk, such as an adventure holiday, or going to do something that is potentially risky without insurance then it is incredibly irresponsible."
Despite the obvious dangers, travelling on adventure holidays without checking insurance is fairly commonplace according to a Foreign Office survey. Results show that two out of three travellers went bungee jumping without checking if their insurance covered them.
