Research passed exclusively to YourMoney.com by the travel insurer (based on data compiled from 160,000 policyholders for the year ending April 2015) reveals that while shorter holidays (such as long weekends abroad, and standard 7-day breaks) result in fewer claims of significantly lower value, the volume of claims for health and sickness-related incidents significantly increased the longer the claimant’s holiday break.

“We have clearly found that people are far more likely to make claims because of sickness or poor health while away over a longer period,” said Garry Nelson of AllClear.

For a trip lasting no longer than seven days, the number of medical claims made remains low. However, AllClear records a six-fold increase in the number of claims made for those taking holidays lasting a fortnight.

For those going away for between three to four weeks, the claims frequency increases by a further 152 per cent.

Claim numbers peak at trips lasting between 46 and 92 days, where claims are six times the average frequency. The average value of a medical claim also increases significantly the longer the trip duration.

For those on a standard break of up to seven days, the average claim was £1,710. This increases by 33 per cent for those away for a fortnight, leaping up to £2,335.

When a holiday period rises to a month or more out of the UK, that figure then rises by a further 26 per cent, to £2,941. It peaks at £4,190, for holidays lasting up to three months.

“The high frequency and cost of those claims for travellers on longer breaks highlights a clear correlation between time out of the UK and the probability of making a claim,” Garry concludes.

[article_related_posts]