Young Britons are being warned to double check their insurance policies cover them fully this summer.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is warning young Britons to make sure they have sufficient insurance to cover dangerous activities abroad.
The warning comes after a survey revealed 45% of British people between the ages of 16 and 24 don’t check their insurance to make sure it covers risky activities and sports. This is despite four out of five (82%) people admitting to participating in potentially dangerous activities abroad.
Without proper coverage, travellers face huge health care bills if something goes wrong. The Post Office estimates the average claim for a personal accident is £7,500 (€8,800).
Two thirds of 16-24 year olds asked claimed the weather made them more likely to try new things and 41% said they felt more confident while on holiday. One fifth of 16-24 year olds have driven a moped or quad bike on holiday, 30% have have been jet-skiing or taken part in water sports and 13% have been skydiving or bungee jumping.
Every year the FCO provides support for young Brits who have invalidated their cover or taken out the wrong policy. According to the latest figures from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) almost half (48%) of young Brits go on holiday abroad without any form of travel insurance.
This summer the message for people travelling abroad is to double check insurance policies and to be aware of the limitations of what the FCO can do.
FCO Minister Mark Simmonds said, “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.”