Travel expert warns holiday mistake could cost £25,000

Now that summer is here, millions of Brits will be planning holidays abroad in the coming weeks. Leaving should be an exciting experience, and if all goes according to plan, you’ll have plenty of happy memories to look back on.

But travel can be unpredictable, with a lot of factors out of your control. A tourism expert has warned tourists to make sure they prepare for the unexpected or they could face expensive bills, especially in terms of medical care.

If you don’t buy travel insurance, you could end up paying thousands of pounds in medical costs, especially if you have to be flown home with a medical escort, warns Michael Foote, CEO of insurance comparison website Travel Quotegoat.com. For example, if you were to injure your back abroad and need to be taken home on a stretcher, it can be extremely expensive as it usually requires special arrangements such as an air ambulance or a medical escort on a commercial flight.

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This can cost between £25,000 and £100,000 depending on where in the world you need to fly from. Travel insurance can also protect you in case of trip cancellations or other unforeseen events.

Michael advises travelers to take out comprehensive travel insurance that includes cover for medical emergencies, trip cancellations and other unforeseen circumstances. The insurance itself isn’t that expensive, so it’s a worthwhile payment. Depending on the destination, the cost of insurance can vary from £10 to around £50.

In addition to securing travel insurance, Michael urges travelers to check visa and entry requirements at their destination to avoid any last-minute payments to obtain documents; book refundable options when it comes to hotels and holidays and to avoid withdrawing cash or using a credit card abroad.

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