Thailand is where Brits are most likely to have holiday emergency and make insurance claim: study

[rooster59]

Thailand is where Brits are most likely to have holiday emergency and make insurance claim: study

 

 

Thailand is the country where British travellers are most likely to need emergency assistance and to make an insurance claim, a new study has revealed.

 

According to the Travel Smart Insurance Index recently released by the Post Office in the UK, more tourists made an insurance claim for medical costs of repatriation after visiting Thailand than any other country.

 

The Post Office teamed up with the Centre for Economic & Business Research (Cebr) and analysed 17,295 claims from its Travel Insurance customers, as well as 27,000 Consular Assistance requests to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 2018 of 49 of the destinations visited most by British travelers.

 

The researchers looked at six categories for claims and consular assistance: accidents, baggage, cancellations, travel documents, victim of crime assistance and emergency assistance.

 

The results were then analysed to reveal where in the world people are most likely to either make a travel insurance claim or require FCO assistance.

 

Each country’s score was compared to the average in each category, which then resulted in a country being assigned an index ranking.

 

The index was scored on a 10 point scale, with a 10 indicating a country with more claims at a higher cost.
 

 

 

Overall, Thailand topped the table with a score of 5.9, followed by New Zealand 5.7 and Sweden 5.6.

 

Thailand also topped the table for the Accident and Emergency category.

 

“Thailand has long had a reputation as a backpacker’s dream, but in addition to a higher rate of accidents and emergencies which led it to the top spot on the index, it also had a higher incidence of cancellations, and the second highest cost of cancellations (£720), the index revealed.

 

Emma Springham, spokesperson for Post Office Travel Insurance said: “Our research showed that one in four travellers have lost money from an unforeseen problem when abroad, but six in 10 UK travellers still regularly travel with insurance – despite the fact that one in four had lost money from an unforeseen problem while abroad.

 

“One in 10 travellers who don’t buy insurance say it’s because they don’t travel to risky countries, but people often conflate ‘risk’ with accident, and not with cost, and as our index illustrates some of the safest countries can land you with a serious bill.

 

“You can’t prepare for everything, but what you can do is make sure that when you’re stuck in a difficult situation abroad you’ve set yourself up to hopefully minimise the impact.

 

“Spending a little now can avoid a large financial shock later down the line.”

 

The index also revealed that 37 percent of Brits go on holiday overseas without buying travel insurance.
 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-06-30

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[YetAnother]

48 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

According to the

Travel Smart Insurance Index recently released by the Post Office in the UK, more tourists made an insurance claim for medical costs of repatriation after visiting Thailand than any other country.

overall level of remarkable stupidity here amounts to danger for non-locals, and locals too to a lesser degree

[ezzra]

That's largely because arriving here and seeing the lacks in orderly behaviour they throw caution to the wind act buffoons like, stupid and irresponsible and the tragic results are not far behinds... and this is goes for many other nationalities as well...

[smedly]

hardly a big surprise is it ? considering Thailands world road and general safety record - it will apply equally to all tourists from all countries not just British

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

The index also revealed that 37 percent of Brits go on holiday overseas without buying travel insurance.

It makes you wonder if the 37% who don't buy travel insurance think that holding up a British passport will exempt them from any traffic accident. Perhaps it's the British equivalent of an amulet?

[CGW]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

It makes you wonder if the 37% who don't buy travel insurance think that holding up a British passport will exempt them from any traffic accident. Perhaps it's the British equivalent of an amulet?

But consider the fact that 36.999% make the right choice and save money by not paying a premium for insurance! ????

[lamyai3]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

It makes you wonder if the 37% who don't buy travel insurance think that holding up a British passport will exempt them from any traffic accident. Perhaps it's the British equivalent of an amulet?

Kept in your shirt pocket, the cover was sturdy enough to used to stop a bullet.

[silver sea]

But how many of these people are on Non Immigrant O-A long stay visas I wonder? i.e. the ones who, it is alleged by the authorities, are incurring huge medical bills and are then disappearing without paying them.

[Kasane]

Wonder why Britishers are so prone to accidents in foreign countries? Is there some incentive?

[lamyai3]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

hardly a big surprise is it ? considering Thailands world road and general safety record - it will apply equally to all tourists from all countries not just British

Right - another way of interpreting this information is that of the common tourist destinations, Thailand is the one with the most dangerous roads, highest risk of bring the victim of a crime, and the greatest chance of unforeseen cancellations. 

[sammieuk1]

I would imagine there are quite a few bogus claims now arising from its a lot more expensive than I thought it was going to be ???? 

[les Dennis]

Thailand is getting quite good at topping unfavourable lists nowadays

 

[bkk6060]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

 it will apply equally to all tourists from all countries not just British

Brit apologist?

You have proof smedly?

[legend49]

Fake news how could NZ be so high?

[MartinKal]

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

It makes you wonder if the 37% who don't buy travel insurance think that holding up a British passport will exempt them from any traffic accident. Perhaps it's the British equivalent of an amulet?

That is not a useful remark, bluesofa. 

[MartinKal]

The study was sponsored by the insurance industry. I am not sure what means in terms of its reliability. But the study is a form of "project fear" because they are saying that if you take risk on your holiday then there is a chance of something bad happening, and so of course you should buy their insurance!

 

It is worth saying that people come to Thailand for the sense of freedom that they get. With freedom comes personal responsibility and risk. No such thing as a free lunch. The more freedom you have the greater the chance of bad things happening.

 

And of course, the more important it would be to manage that risk. Insurance is one of several ways of managing risk. But another is just to take more care when you are planning on going on an adventure holiday.

 

So overall I would not say that this study is bad news for Thailand, on the contrary, it shows that you can have an exciting time here, but it is also cautioning prudence, of course.

Edited June 30, 2019 by MartinKal
Correction syntax

[OneMoreFarang]

5 hours ago, bluesofa said:

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The index also revealed that 37 percent of Brits go on holiday overseas without buying travel insurance.

It makes you wonder if the 37% who don't buy travel insurance think that holding up a British passport will exempt them from any traffic accident. Perhaps it's the British equivalent of an amulet?

As we all know about 52% of the people over there do things which are not in their best interest. And they never learn, even with 3 years of presented facts in the UK media...

[CharlieH]

Post with inappropriate image removed.

[Andrew65]

16 minutes ago, legend49 said:

Fake news how could NZ be so high?

An extreme sports and winter sports destination?

[Vacuum]

5 hours ago, bluesofa said:

It makes you wonder if the 37% who don't buy travel insurance think that holding up a British passport will exempt them from any traffic accident. Perhaps it's the British equivalent of an amulet?

Who needs an insurance these days? GoFundMee is the way to go.

[FarFlungFalang]

4 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

Who needs an insurance these days? GoFundMee is the way to go.

Or even IFundMe?That's the one I use!

Edited June 30, 2019 by FarFlungFalang
Add Text

[White Christmas13]

1 hour ago, CGW said:

But consider the fact that 36.999% make the right choice and save money by not paying a premium for insurance! ????

crap I took out first class insurance which only cost me $119 compare that

with weeks in a Thai hospital after getting insured on the road by some

lunatic

[Just Weird]

31 minutes ago, legend49 said:

Fake news how could NZ be so high?

Do Kiwis not make insurance claims, then?  These are averages, percentages, you know?

[Classic Ray]

No mention of the reciprocal health schemes that the UK and EU countries enjoy which reduces the cost of medical treatment when holidaying in any of those countries. No need to claim on insurance if you’re getting treatment for free. Plus air travel so cheap in Europe maybe a lot of people don’t need cancellation insurance.

[moe666]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

That's largely because arriving here and seeing the lacks in orderly behaviour they throw caution to the wind act buffoons like, stupid and irresponsible and the tragic results are not far behinds... and this is goes for many other nationalities as well...

Agree with you on this see it all the time here in CM. Tourist both farang and chinese doing things that they would not do back home. I would say drinking for westerners is one of the biggest causes of accidents and injuries.

[CGW]

53 minutes ago, legend49 said:

Fake news how could NZ be so high?

Fake news or a good advertisement? 

[RichardColeman]

I imagine the insurance claims would be higher if you could claim fora  dose of the clap.

[aqua4]

Maybe that is just the company and not FCO?

 

https://www.british-consulate.org/fco-british-assistance-abroad.html

 

[smedly]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Brit apologist?

You have proof smedly?

what ?

 

so you think Germans Chinese Australians etc etc are exposed to less danger in Thailand - what on earth are you going on about  

[BritManToo]

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

It makes you wonder if the 37% who don't buy travel insurance think that holding up a British passport will exempt them from any traffic accident. Perhaps it's the British equivalent of an amulet?

Most people don't have a m/c licence, so having insurance doesn't matter as they will refuse to pay.

The survey chickened out on stating where Brits are most likely to die on Holiday.

Edited June 30, 2019 by BritManToo