A total of £370 million, or roughly £1 million a day, in travel insurance was paid out in 2016, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
This was the highest amount paid since 2010, when disruption caused by the Icelandic ash cloud pushed claims costs to an all-time high of £455 million, said a report by the
Belfast Telegraph.
Analysis conducted by the ABI showed that £17 million was paid on 83,000 claims for baggage and money lost while travelling. Meanwhile, £130 million went to 159,000 claims over cancelled holidays.
As for emergency medical treatment, £199 million was paid out to 154,000 travellers. According to the report, the amount included a £100,000 bill for an abscess treatment in the US as well as £16,000 for treating a fractured leg following a motorcycle accident in Thailand.
Mark Shepherd, ABI’s assistant director, head of property, said: “Falling ill abroad must be the number one worry as medical treatment abroad and repatriation back home can cost tens of thousands.”
The claims paid by travel insurers in 2016 involved a total of 480,000 travellers.
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