To think that it should be illegal to go abroad without travel insurance

[AusBoundDD]

A friend has just put a plea for GoFundMe donations on our WhatsApp group as one of her cousins was involved in a car crash whilst on holiday in Spain, ending up in hospital with multiple bad fractures. He was uninsured so the family have been left unable to pay for his hefty ambulance fees, surgery, hospital stay etc. To make matters worse he isn’t fit to fly commercially and instead needs to be medically evacuated home to the UK via private air ambulance.

It feels like a yearly occurrence - someone begging for help to get their relative home after they’ve been stupid/naive enough to leave the country without adequate travel insurance. Surely it should be like having your passport - you can’t board a plane or gain entry to a country abroad without it?!

I haven't been abroad in a while but I thought it was already illegal. I'd never risk driving on foreign roads and anyway, why would I want to drive whilst on holiday?

Personally, I don't think it should be illegal to travel without insurance but very unwise as it can complicate things if you do fall ill or become injured abroad.

Nah, the price would probably quadruple overnight if it was illegal not to have it.

I wouldn't travel without it and I always insist my adult sons prove they're taken out insurance, before I stop nagging 😊

But there'd have to be some sort of legislation to stop insurers taking the piss more than some already do.

To be clear I mean travel insurance, not car insurance

If you can afford a holiday you can afford the insurance. You’re right OP this is selfish. I’d be ignoring the request

I agree.
I just paid for my sons spanish holiday insurance £5 aprox ,any body who chooses not to pay insurance is an idiot.

If the cousin's a UK resident eligible for the NHS, a GHIC card should have covered emergency care (although not medical evacuation).

Some countries do require proof of a certain level of travel insurance as a condition of entry. I went to Belarus in 2017, when they'd basically just simplified tourist visas for about 30 countries, and they checked the insurance at border control; anyone who did not have appropriate proof of sufficient coverage had to buy the available local insurance on the spot or be turned back. Obviously, this was a money maker for them, hence checking only on arrival rather than before allowing passengers to bard the plane. Spain does requires proof of insurance for visa applicants (I believe all Schengen countries do) but if you're eligible for a visa waiver that doesn't apply.

I wouldn't worry about the GoFundMes though; no one's forced to contribute.

My family member can't get travel insurance because of several long term conditions. Are you suggesting he should never be able to travel abroad?

I totally.agree. I was on holiday in Prague with a friend. In passing so mentioned she did not have insurance. I was shocked and angry.

I think the trouble is, that there are so many horror stories of people getting caught out when they have to claim on travel insurance, so a lot of people don't think it's worth getting it. I myself have heard stories of people who have paid for travel insurance, then had an accident, or become really sick whilst abroad, and because they failed to mention, when taking out the policy, that they saw the doctor for something really minor, that happened years ago, the insurer won't pay up!

However, in saying that, I have always taken out travel insurance myself, and was extremely grateful for it, when I had a severe health problem whilst in Spain, which came close to requiring me to be medivaced home. Thankfully, because we had a holiday home in the area, we were able to stay on until I was well enough to travel, but had I needed it, my insurance would have paid for it. To me, it's worth it, just for the peace of mind.

This is very sad, but he should be aware then that if the worst happens he won't be covered.

I think it's more likely that their insurance is very expensive. And yes I do think they should not travel if they can't afford the insurance.

It is illegal for certain less privileged passport holders. You can't get a tourist visa without travel insurance if you are from S Asia, most of Africa and the M East. The logic being that you will cadge off the state.
Ironically, I have only ever seen British or Americans setting up Go Fund Mes for travel accidents.

Not unless he is able to pay for medical treat he might need !

Totally agree. My DF passed away while in a South American country without travel insurance. Was a bloody nightmare from start to finish.

Yes. That's how it is for the global majority.

It isn't that the insurance is too expensive for my family member, he genuinely cannot find a provider who will insure him. We would also fully cover any cost if he became unwell. that is the risk he takes.

However, OP just wants people to be banned from travelling without insurance

I’m off on holiday tomorrow ,
my insurance for a year worldwide has cost me £13 , luckily i don’t have any health conditions hence why it’s so cheap , BUT after reading the horror story re the 28 year old & her heart in Turkey, sorry her name escapes me but it’s been in the news , im wondering whether it worth paying for the best kind of insurance …
But yes I agree in principle,
likewise with pet insurance

Well yes, who'd risk it? I know several people who can't go abroad for this reason.

And worth mentioning that an EHIC card ony entitles you to emergency treatment on the same basis as the locals. Have to pay in France to see the Doctor? You also have to pay.

A neighbour of mine had a traumatic spinal injury when a rugby scrum collapsed.He had travelled about 30 miles from N Ireland into the Republic of Ireland for the game.
This happened when he was in his early 20's and I only ever knew him as a middle aged man.Decades of his life were spent trying to repay hospital fees and it was really stressful for the family.It's a very different scenario but in his case he had to pay every penny back.

From my experience you can get insured no matter what condition you have, but for a hefty pricetag. DD for example is not easy to insure whatsoever due to pre existing conditions - her insurance for 1 month in Australia came in at £500, whilst most of her friends were closer to £50! It’s the price you pay to go abroad, no I would not travel without it nor do I think anyone should be able to. Travelling is a luxury, not a right. To knowingly make yourself a liability is simply selfish.

Does he have sufficient funds to cover any eventuality? If not, then no, sadly he shouldn’t go abroad.

I couldn't get insurance when I was undergoing investigation because I didn't have a diagnosis

I know several people who don’t holiday abroad because they can’t get affordable insurance due to health conditions. It’s really reckless to travel without insurance especially if it’s more likely you’ll need treatment due to health condition / ill health.

Im sure it won’t happen to me but if it does I’ll just put up a go fund me is not a back up plan.

You are incorrect. It is not too expensive, no one will cover him due to a disability and complex health conditions.
If he needed healthcare abroad he has more than adequate funds to pay for it himself.
So why should he be prevented from travelling?