48% of Brits are concerned about facing a medical emergency or illness while abroad
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Global travel insurance provider World Nomads finds that 48% of Brits are concerned about facing a medical emergency or illness while abroad, with fears heightened by ongoing global health threats, including Covid-19 and Mpox. Despite this, many still travel without adequate insurance.
London, UK - September 1, 2024 – With increasing reports of global health threats, World Nomads’ Travel Anxiety Report 2024 has found that nearly half of Brits (48%) are most concerned about experiencing a medical emergency or illness while travelling.
Sadly, only 40% of Brits can confidently say they will not fall ill abroad, with this anxiety particularly pronounced among older travellers, with 58% of those aged 55 and over citing it as a top worry.
Recent global health threats, including the resurgence of COVID-19, the declaration of the 2024 Monkeypox outbreak as a "public health emergency of international concern" by the World Health Organisation, and the emergence of the Oropouche virus in South America, have intensified these concerns.
Worryingly, despite these risks and concerns, 28% of UK travellers still don’t always buy travel insurance, while a concerning 5.13% never purchase it at all. This highlights a significant gap in preparation that could leave many vulnerable in the face of unexpected health crises.
Jonathan Frankham, General Manager UK and Europe at World Nomads, says:
“It's clear that health concerns are a top priority for British travellers, with almost half worried about falling ill abroad. This anxiety reflects the broader global environment where health risks are more varied and unpredictable than ever. However, it’s concerning that so many travellers still embark on international trips without adequate insurance coverage.
“Travellers should always be prepared, not just by checking the latest travel advisories and health recommendations, but by ensuring they have comprehensive travel insurance. At World Nomads, our policies cover a wide range of unforeseen medical expenses, including hospitalisation, emergency treatment, and even repatriation if necessary.
“We strongly advise travellers to secure insurance before their journey so they can focus on enjoying their holiday, knowing they are protected against the unexpected. An annual policy can be a good option to consider – ensuring protection across multiple trips in spite of ongoing health crises”.
World Nomads launched an annual multi-trip policy in June 2024. To find out more or purchase a policy, visit www.worldnomads.com/uk
*The study of 2,000 UK adults was carried out between 16 and 19 August by Opinium Research on behalf of travel insurance provider World Nomads to look at the immediate motivators and barriers to international travel and insurance considerations for 2024.
ABOUT WORLD NOMADS
Since 2002, World Nomads has been protecting, connecting and inspiring adventurous and independent travelers by offering specialized travel insurance and safety advice.
Our travel insurance products cover travelers from more than 100 countries. World Nomads focuses on what we believe is important to travelers: emergency medical and evacuation costs, baggage cover, trip cancellation, trip delay and trip interruption costs. We offer cover for more than 150 adventure sports and activities, plus tech and gear. We believe travelers have the responsibility to give back, and through our Footprints program, customers can add a small donation to the price of their policy to help fund a community development project with one of World Nomads’ global nonprofit and charity partners.
We are part of a suite of global specialist travel insurers owned by nib Group, Australia’s third-largest provider of travel insurance and a leading global distributor of travel insurance through nib Travel. nib Group also provides health and medical insurance to more than 1.6 million Australian and New Zealand residents and more than 200,000 international students and workers in Australia.
Media Contacts:
Graham Lynch, World Nomads, UK & Europe
+353 876 831 784
LOTUS
worldnomads@wearelotus.co.uk
+44 20 7953 7470