Alice Beer made an appearance on This Morning on Friday, June 19 (Image: This Morning)
Anyone heading abroad this summer has been urged to make one purchase before they travel – or they risk being left with eye-watering bills if something goes wrong. The warning comes ahead of Monday, June 22, the first full day of summer following the summer solstice, when many Brits will be finalising holiday plans or jetting off overseas.
Travel expert Alice Beer issued the advice during an appearance on ITV’s This Morning on Friday, June 19, where she stressed the importance of arranging the right travel insurance before departure. On the programme, Alice explained how travel insurance is “that one thing you hope you never need” – however, she warned that failing to have the correct cover in place could have devastating consequences.
It follows the case of a British man who travelled abroad after developing a chest infection. Although he had seen his GP and was receiving treatment, Alice explained that he had failed to declare the condition to his travel insurer before going away.
“He went on holiday, and when he got to his destination, he became very ill,” Alice said. “Turns out he developed pneumonia and I think he had a punctured lung.”
Despite having travel insurance, the man’s claim was rejected because the medical condition had not been disclosed beforehand. Alice said the result was that he and his family were left facing around £30,000 in Spanish hospital bills.
“There’s no way the insurance company will pay out because he went on holiday with a pre-existing condition that he did not declare,” she explained.
Alice warned that travellers should never assume an existing medical issue is too minor to mention. Instead, holidaymakers should contact their insurer and declare any ongoing conditions, illnesses, investigations or treatments before travelling.
She added: “You can get insurance with your pre-existing condition, but you’ve got to declare it and you’ve got to shop around.”
The financial risks can be even greater outside Europe. Alice pointed out: “If you had a heart attack in the US, with whom we have no reciprocal medical arrangements, that could cost you £100,000 quite easily.”
Travel insurance is a must-have, warns Alice Beer (Image: Getty)
According to the UK’s MoneyHelper service, travellers should buy insurance as soon as they book a trip rather than waiting until departure. Doing so can provide protection if they need to cancel before they even leave the UK.
Meanwhile, figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) show that travel insurance pays out hundreds of millions of pounds in claims each year, with medical emergencies accounting for some of the highest costs.
Alice also highlighted an important rule many travellers may not know about. She explained that if an insurer declines to cover a medical condition, it must direct customers to an alternative provider that may be able to help.
“They have to recommend somebody who will insure you. They can’t just say, ‘Sorry, can’t help’,” she said.
Her message to summer holidaymakers was simple: buy travel insurance and make sure every relevant medical condition is declared before departure. As Alice put it: “It’s just not worth travelling without it.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
