Holiday Extras remembers travel insurance
August 21, 2008
Following the publication of a new Foreign Office report, Holiday Extras is urging holiday-makers not to forget to book comprehensive travel insurance before they travel.
The FCO's third annual British Behaviour Abroad report reveals that Brits are getting into more trouble overseas than ever. And, with the credit crunch taking hold, there are worries that in order to save money travellers may not take out adequate insurance cover.
The report details incidents such as arrests, hospitalisations, deaths, rapes, assistance cases and lost passports for the 12 month period ending March 2007. Without a suitable insurance policy, a traumatic experience could also spell financial ruin.
In Spain, the most popular destination for British travellers, 2,032 Brits were arrested last year. This was up by 33% on the previous year and higher than any other country. The report found that proportionately, Brits abroad are most likely to be arrested in Cyprus followed by the United States and United Arab Emirates.
Spain had the highest number of hospitalisations (695), followed by Greece (602) and then Thailand (324). Many of the hospitalisations in Thailand were due to road traffic accidents involving motorbikes.
Indonesia showed a very high rate of serious assistance cases proportionately (10.05 for every 1,000 Brits), thought to relate to the authorities' policy of rounding up people in bars where they suspect drug use.
Statistics from the study show that ignorance of local laws and customs, lack of respect in non-secular countries, and excessive alcohol consumption are the main causes of problems for Brits overseas.
According to the FCO foreign office minister, Meg Munn: "This report highlights what can go wrong on holiday. It is a reminder to all that taking out comprehensive travel insurance is a crucial part of your holiday planning and not something that should be sacrificed in order to save a few pounds.
"Helping British nationals in distress overseas is one of our most important tasks, but many of the problems faced by holidaymakers are preventable. By carrying out some simple research on the laws, customs and health requirements of a country in advance, many people could prevent their holidays being ruined."
To ensure peace of mind, Holiday Extras offers a comprehensive range of travel insurance policies, from just £10 per person for a week's cover in Spain, £34 for an annual European-wide policy and £45 for annual worldwide cover*. Single trip, annual multi trip, winter sports, business travel, golf and wedding policies are all available at competitive rates.
Go to www.holidayextras.com and click on the top right-hand menu for travel insurance for more details and to book your cover.
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Note to editors
Holidaymakers should be aware that their travel insurance may not cover them if they have an accident whilst under the influence of alcohol.
*All prices based on one adult aged 18-49, travelling between August 16-23, 2008.
Holiday Extras is the UK number one for pre-booked airport hotels and airport parking, taking bookings for over 5.4 million travellers each year.
The company offer a wide choice of holiday add-ons including airport lounges, airports by rail, London theatre breaks, UK theme park breaks, and travel insurance.