Travel Insurance Claims - This may surprise you!

As with everything else in the current financial climate extreme, the costs are rising. There have been many news reports recently about the alarming increase in the number of strong travel insurance claims.

The Foreign Office (FCO) "British Behavior Abroad 'report published in July showed that from April 2009-March 2010 the British were going abroad once again proved to be adequately prepared for the potential dangers of travel and many do not buy insurance travel



Apparently, there have been a big jump in applications for travel insurance for medical expenses incurred by backpackers and gappers and those involved in risky activities and adventure sports. Along with costly bills for medical treatment, many people these days are traveling with expensive personal items at risk of loss or theft have, such as laptops, iPods, iPhones, etc.

Problems with the FCO and British consulates help includes the detention of alcohol or drug related crimes, hospitalization, death, rape, sexual assault, lost or stolen passports, and traffic accidents. Many of these problems involve very expensive hospital treatment and repatriation bills - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the local consulate does not cover!

FCO quoted research which showed that Britons are willing to spend an average of 12.00 pounds in magazines and candy at the airport, which is more than double the base price for single trip insurance! Indicate that one in five (19 percent) of Britons still go abroad without travel insurance. Also, the British spend more time cleaning their homes before going on holiday to do research in their country of destination and local laws and customs.

Spain entered the top of the list of consular assistance (5283), followed by Thailand, Pakistan, Cyprus, Germany and Greece. Consular staff around the world is with 1.95 million hits during the period of one year. Someone has to pay for this, and ultimately ends up being that, the taxpayers.

Added to the irresponsible behavior of many travelers is the mistaken belief that the nearest consulate will be able to get away by posting bail or paying hospital bills. If the traveler to do some basic preparation and prevention, such as checking the website of FCO travel advice for your destination before you go, and travel insurance, this could reduce the burden and cost to consulates. The FCO has sent a clear message to holdaymakers to have a good time, but to please do your bit and be prepared.

This applies to travel to anyone, but especially for young people traveling (often alone) to distant places remote. There have been cases of young people from being seriously injured or die tragically abroad. If you do not have travel insurance that is left to the grieving parents and family to find the thousands of pounds it costs to repatriate the bodies for burial. It can be alarming for parents to read these reports so I can only say that if you have young gappers go around the world would be money well spent if it is sure to have at least the minimum insurance for backpackers before go. The relatively small cost could save thousands and much concern and sadness, if things go wrong.

The same is true for skiers and snowboarders - if you end up needing to mountain rescue, air ambulance and medical treatment costs of these services often jumps back to families unless they pay for ski insurance appropriate.

Many travel insurance companies have reported that they could face having to raise premiums by up to twenty percent due to the huge losses they are suffering with the (often preventable) claims - and the imminent rise in VAT 20% next January will not help.

Through these websites / blogs that are constantly trying to help travelers avoid common problems by raising awareness of the FCO 'Know Before You Go "campaign and the need for travel insurance.

People like to complain about insurance companies being a necessary evil, or ask why they are necessary at all. However, be sure that travel insurance will be there for you as long as you have a valid claim. It is not likely to hear something positive about the travel insurance companies in the news, but it can take from us what they do pay claims and can be considerable!

If travelers would take on a more responsible and serious attitude to travel and do everything possible to avoid problems of preventing this would help lower the cost for everyone involved, including the FCO and the British taxpayer. It will also help keep down the cost of travel insurance premiums and ultimately benefit the traveler.