More than half of brits would travel abroad when ill

• Not worth the risk: Less than 1 in 10 (8%) UK adults have cancelled a holiday due to illness - either their own or someone they were travelling with.
• Nearly 1 in 5 (20%) lost money on their trip, averaging £260. Some even lost over £500.
• Almost a third (32%) of UK adults would cancel travel plans out of concern for spreading an illness to others.
• Confused.com’s travel insurance expert, Alvaro Inturmendi, explains more about the current rules when it comes to travelling with an illness, and how travel insurance can help holiday makers - even if they feel well enough to travel.

More than half (57%) of Brits admit they would travel abroad with an illness, whereas 46% would rearrange travel plans, new research reveals.

As we head into the colder months and the UK enters cold and flu season, travellers risk falling ill before their long-awaited trips. However, research from Confused.com has found that this wouldn’t hold many people back from travelling.

According to the data, people are most likely to carry on with their holiday plans if they have a cold. But it also seems people would still travel with illnesses like a sickness bug (8%), or viral infection (6%).

Illnesses UK adults are most likely to travel with:

While only less than 1 in 10 (8%) UK adults have cancelled a trip abroad due to illness, many could rearrange their trip through their holiday provider (51%) or claim it back through insurance (39%). However, almost 1 in 5 (19%) lost money, averaging £260. But more than 1 in 10 (12%) lost more than £500 on their holiday.

Since COVID, common colds and flu may seem less serious, so it’s no surprise that many people are still going ahead with their holiday plans. Of those who would cancel their trip, nearly a third (32%) said it was due to concern about infecting other passengers on the plane.

With a lot of money at stake, it’s no wonder many people would take the risk to travel despite feeling unwell. However this is concerning given the risk of illness spreading, especially on planes where air is recycled throughout the cabins.

Many might not know that, depending on the condition, they may be able to rearrange to a later date through their travel insurance, without the possibility of losing money.

But this isn’t always the case for general illnesses. Medical emergency cover usually only allows people to claim if they’ve been advised by a professional not to travel, or they have medical evidence. And because of this, many people will still go ahead with their holiday plans if they are unwell. However, it’s still important to consider having medical cover on travel insurance, as it can protect you if you are taken into hospital, need to come home earlier or extend your trip due to an illness or accident.

However, if you have COVID then the cover works slightly differently. Most travel insurance providers will include medical cover. This means people could be covered for illnesses such as COVID alongside other medical emergencies. Therefore, people could cancel or rearrange their trip without losing any money on their holiday. However, medical evidence is most likely required for them to do this. But according to Confused.com, having travel insurance isn’t just handy for rearranging trips. COVID travel insurance can also cover you for:

• Repatriation if you’re unwell due to COVID while you’re away.
• Accommodation or travel costs if you need to stay longer or isolate as a result of COVID.
• Medical expenses and emergencies as a result of contracting COVID or treatment required.

But more than 1 in 10 (13%) people have been advised not to travel in the past due to an illness. In this case, they would likely be able to claim any costs lost if they had travel insurance. And this could potentially save people hundreds, if not more, if they’re able to claim for their families too.

Travel insurance isn’t just important for medical emergencies, but it can help people financially if they lose their luggage, or can’t travel for other emergencies. For as little as £2.80¹, the money saved could be worth the investment.

Alvaro Inturmendi, travel insurance expert at Confused.com comments, “If you come down with an illness before you travel, this may impact travel plans.

“While some may cancel, others are willing to travel despite illness. If you have a travel insurance policy, and have been instructed by a doctor not to travel, chances are you could cancel or rearrange through your insurer. This means you won’t lose out financially and can go ahead with your plans when you’re feeling better!

“If this is the case, you’ll probably need to provide evidence to your insurer, but if you’re unsure then it’s best to check with them directly.

“Not all policies will include this kind of cover, and if it’s something you’re concerned about, then you will need to check the conditions before you buy.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors