Holiday travel insurance vital as medical care costs abroad rise

Tue, 07 Jul 2009

The cost of medical care abroad is rising so it is essential that holidaymakers have appropriate travel insurance .

According to Direct Line, the average claim for medical care abroad was £427 in 2007 but this increased to £678 in 2008 and could rise further.

While the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), previously know as the E111, does provide access to healthcare abroad, it may not provide all the cover that could be required.

For example under the EHIC, medical repatriation costs are not included and while many people believe that these are only required for severe medical cases, they could be necessary even for something like a broken leg as an airline may not be able to accommodate the patient with the extra room required and associated expenses.

Chris Price, Head of Direct Line Travel, said: "Being caught without insurance in the event of an accident or falling ill could lead to you paying out hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds in medical care and repatriation costs."
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