Young males aged 17 to 24 are the unluckiest travellers, an AA Travel Insurance survey has found. Over 23% of men in that age bracket have at some stage had to seek medical attention whilst on holiday. Meanwhile, just under 15% of their female counterparts have been sick or injured whilst away. In all, more than 35% of those polled said that they or someone they travelled with were sick or injured on holiday and had to seek medical attention.
“Getting sick while on holiday is not only very unfortunate, it can be extremely costly” says Conor Faughnan Director of Consumer Affairs at The AA. “The AA will cover you for emergency medical expenses but having your own health insurance really helps too as you can get a significant discount on your travel insurance.”
Young males are also four times more likely to lose their passport than women in the 17-24 age bracket. When it comes to having belongings lost or stolen, almost 30% of over 65s have said they have experienced this bad fortune. The most likely things for the over 65s to misplace are a handbag, purse or wallet. Young people are most likely to lose their mobile phone or to have it stolen. In fact this is more than twice as likely to happen to someone aged 17-24 compared to those aged 56-65.
“Perhaps age is a factor here” suggests Faughnan. “Those aged 17 to 24 have grown up with mobile phones being commonplace. Older generations consider mobiles to be a luxury and they are more valued. On the other hand it may be to do with lifestyle and the type of holiday that you take.”
Missing flights is a common complaint amongst holiday-makers, with 11% saying they have missed at least one. It’s the 25-35 year olds who miss the most flights, with over 14% saying they’d met that misfortune. The expense paid to buy a new flight can be severe. However, travel insurance can really help ease stress and reduce monetary-strain. For example, The AA covers you up to €1,000 if you miss a connecting flight.
Flights can be expensive but the contents of your luggage can be an awful lot more, when you consider the cost of all your clothes, cosmetics and other personal items. Over 28% of those polled said that their luggage had been lost or delayed. “The cost of delayed luggage can really add up if you are forced to buy new clothes, sun-cream and other items whilst waiting for the airline to produce your belongings. If you have to wait more than 12 hours for your luggage to be returned, The AA covers you up to €300. Just remember to hold on to your receipts to claim” says Faughnan.
Travelling abroad without travel insurance is risky. You could return home unscathed or you could come back having experienced a holiday disaster like over 56% of those who took part in The AA poll. For more information on AA Travel Insurance click here.
