Doctor’s visit on cards for 27% of tourists

MORE than a quarter of Irish people have needed medical attention while abroad, with more than one in 30 needing an overnight stay in hospital, according to a new survey.

In response to an AA Travel Insurance survey of more than 4,000 Irish people, 27% of people stated that on at least one occasion they had required medical attention but were able to avoid an overnight hospital stay.

More seriously, the survey also found that just under 4% of those surveyed had required a stay in hospital of at least one night while abroad on one occasion.

Irish travellers to other EU countries will be covered for most medical expenses under the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) system. The card ensures that Irish citizens will get the same access to necessary treatment under public sector health care (e.g. a doctor, a pharmacy, a hospital or a health care centre) as nationals of the country they are visiting.

Anyone travelling outside the EU is not covered, however. Nor are they covered if they travelled to obtain treatment for a pre-existing condition.

‘Required medical attention while abroad can go a long way towards derailing your hard-earned break. While it appears that most people who found themselves in this situation were fortunate enough to avoid a hospital stint, even a trip to A&E could lead to a missed flight or unwanted expenditure during your trip,’ said Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs.

‘For those unfortunate enough to require a longer course of treatment, as well as the annoyance of having your holiday plans significantly affected, it can also damage your bank account. This is particularly true for those travelling outside the EU to countries such as the United States, where medical bills can escalate to cause serious hardship.

‘While your EHIC card may be enough should anything happen during a trip in Europe, for those travelling further afield we would strongly recommend having travel insurance.’

The survey also found that over a third of Irish people have been forced to alter holiday plans due to one of their travelling party requiring medical attention while abroad.

Mr Faughnan added: ‘When something like this happens, your first concern is, of course, getting whoever is suffering from an illness or injury the medical attention that they require.

‘However, there can also be a wider impact of missing a return flight, a connection to a second destination, or missing out on plans you have already paid for. Ultimately, incidents of these nature tend to be unavoidable, but they are something to bear in mind when comparing cover by different insurance providers.’