Foreign Office warns UK holidaymakers could lose out on thousands of pounds

Kate Lally

14 November 2024 at 9:50 am·1-min read

generic image of British Passport — -Credit: (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a warning as holidaymakers and those who travel abroad for other purposes could be forced to pay out thousands of pounds. As the government's Foreign Affairs department, one of the FCDO's many roles is to regularly keeps Brits updated on all things travel.

A new update issued on Thursday, November 14, warns anyone planning to travel internationally that they could "face a big bill" if they don't act accordingly. A post from the FCDO's official X account reads: "Heading overseas soon?

"Make sure you have appropriate travel insurance, or you could face a big bill. Did you know a quad bike accident in Greece could cost over £80,000 for surgery and medical evacuation?"

Further guidance on Gov.uk explains that adequate insurance should cover any existing physical or mental health conditions - including any that are currently under investigation - and any activities you will be doing whilst you are away. It adds: "If you do not have appropriate insurance before you travel, you could be liable for emergency expenses, including medical treatment, which may cost thousands of pounds."

Examples given include the above, as well as if you were to "fall and break your leg in Spain , you will need hospital treatment and possibly medical evacuation/repatriation", costing upwards of £25,000. And if you were to come down with a "stomach bug or infection treated in a hospital in the USA and possibly medical evacuation/repatriation", this could be upwards of £150,000 in medical costs.

Women's Health UK
This is the healthiest type of bread, according to nutritionists
Ever wondered which type of bread is healthiest? We asked two nutritionists to weigh in on healthy breads and whether supermarket bread is really all that bad.
BuzzFeed
Older Adults Are Warning People In Their 20s Of The Things They May Not Realize Will Affect Them Later In Life, And My 20-Something Self Was Not Prepared To Hear These
"You know it's going to happen, but you don't realize how it'll manifest itself until it plays out."
BuzzFeed
People With Quadriplegia Are Holding Nothing Back About What Their Lives Are Like
"I know how desperate and disheartening things can be in the beginning, but many people, including myself, live happy and fulfilling lives despite their condition."
Glasgow Times
Nurse wins award after new approach to pain management sparks national interest
A NURSE has won a national award after her idea for a new approach to pain management sparked national interest.
BuzzFeed
18 "Minor" Symptoms That People Nearly Didn't See A Doctor For — And Could've Killed Them Otherwise
"I think of this doctor often often. I know he could have taken what I was saying at face value and sent me to see a therapist. Instead, he read something between the lines of what I was telling him."
HuffPost Life
6 Things You Should Do At Night If You Want To Be Happier In The Morning
These small changes in the evening will help boost your mood the next day.
BuzzFeed
You Might Be Missing These 5 Major Warning Signs Of Sleep Apnea Without Noticing
Wake up and pay attention to these red flags — even if you don’t snore.
HuffPost
'Still Just Concepts?': NBC's Kristen Welker Presses Trump For Details On Health Care Plan
The "Meet the Press" host asked the president-elect if he has a "fully developed" plan; he promised his option would "be better" than Obamacare.
Women's Health UK
'At 71, I transformed 50% of my body composition into muscle'
Charlene Leibel, 75, started strength training after a body composition scan. Here's how she converted 50% of her body weight into muscle.
BuzzFeed
Americans Are Sharing Their Health Insurance Horror Stories, And Something's Gotta Change
"I pay $400/ month for insurance, and they wouldn’t cover a life-saving medication."
The Telegraph
The six health benefits of magnesium
Magnesium supplements are having a moment. Videos uploaded with #magnesium have been viewed 1.3 billion times on TikTok. Claims about its benefits extend far beyond helping people to stay calm and range from boosting heart health to immunity, fitness and even a better experience of the menopause.
Manchester Evening News
Manchester has among highest rates of Victorian superbug that killed more people than Covid-19 last year
Manchester had one of the highest infection rates in England
The Daily Beast
Trump Still Only Has 'Concepts of a Plan' for Health Care
Donald Trump promised in September he had “concepts of a plan” to deal with health care. Three months and a successful election later, that’s still all he has. Trump told NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet the Press that he had “concepts of a plan that would be better” than Obamacare, though he offered few specifics on what they would look like. Instead, he tried to take credit for the law’s resilience. “We have the biggest health care companies looking at it,” Trump said in the interview released Sun
Euronews
If you get sick this winter, it's likely because of these viruses. Here's how to protect yourself
Here are some of the winter viruses spreading in Europe that could be behind your fever or runny nose.View on euronews
Manchester Evening News
We are among the youngest to die in the UK – and the government is STILL refusing to commit to fixing our crumbling hospital
Manchester residents are in the 10 places in the UK with the lowest life expectancy – and the government will not commit to fixing the crumbling 19th century hospital desperately trying to save them from that dying years earlier than they should
The Guardian
Fentanyl may enter the US from Mexico, but the drug of choice there is different
Use of crystal meth is soaring among workers, partiers and the young and threatening a public health crisis
Isle of Wight County Press
Pedestrian hit by bus in Newport town centre suffers serious injuries
Police and paramedics have been called to the scene of a serious collision on the Isle of Wight.
People
15-Year-Old Volleyball Player Dies After Practice amid Claims That Ambulance Was Delayed
Amanda Sylvester suffered cardiac arrest at a hospital after her mother transported her there following what she and others claimed was a delayed response from Grady EMS
INSIDER
Build muscle and burn fat in less than 20 minutes with 4 kettlebell workouts from a personal trainer
A personal trainer shares his top workouts to save time in the gym while building muscle, burning fat, and getting healthier all at once.
Good Housekeeping
Experts Reveal 10 Hacks to Help You Sleep Better Tonight
Drift off in no time thanks to these expert-approved sleep hacks. Not only will they help you fall asleep faster, but they'll also help keep you asleep longer.

Latest stories