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The true cost of sports injuries abroad
September 15, 2015
Last updated: September 20, 2022
Looking forward to playing your favourite sports while you’re away and letting your hair down? Having a sports travel insurance policy that covers your favourite activities can give you the reassurance that should you have an accident, you’ll be covered for medical treatment and repatriation to get you home safely.
Having looked into the true cost of sports injuries sustained while abroad, it’s a scarily expensive risk to go away for an activity holiday without a travel insurance policy to protect you. Here, we cover the risks that come with playing sports abroad without the right travel cover, from medical bills caused by sports injury and repatriation, to potential lost earnings.
Do I need sports travel insurance?
When you’re on holiday, the last thing you want to worry about is something going wrong and ruining your getaway. If you’re planning on playing your favourite sport or trying a new sports activity while abroad, having travel insurance that covers sports can offer you the peace of mind that should you have an accident or medical emergency, you’ll be protected.
Does travel insurance cover sports events?
Often, standard travel insurance can cover you for low-risk activities such as fishing or cycling. But typically, a standard travel insurance policy won’t cover you for high-risk sports and events like skiing. With most insurers, you may need to pay extra to add these activities to your policy. With this in mind, it’s important you check what sports activities you are covered for by your policy before you set off, so you aren’t hit with a large medical bill that you aren’t covered for should disaster strike.
But with specialist sports travel insurance, you can be covered for those more adventurous sporting activities, as well as sports equipment cover to protect your rock climbing gear or skis for example, should they get damaged or stolen. With our Sports Travel Insurance you’ll also be covered for activity and race entry fees, meaning should you be unable to participate in an event or activity you’re travelling for due to injury, we will cover you up to £500 for you to recoup the costs.
How much does a sports injury cost abroad?
We have the NHS to rely on should we injure ourselves when playing sports at home, but the cost of medical care abroad can be expensive. While your EHIC or GHIC may cover you for medical attention when travelling in the EU, it’s important to have protection in place when travelling worldwide – and to cover yourself should the EHIC or GHIC not be accepted.
In fact, Britons spend a shocking £55 million each year on medical bills due to sports injuries abroad. And the cost of medical treatment may not end once you’ve left the hospital. If you suffer serious sports injuries, you may need repatriation – being flown home by air ambulance back to the UK, which can be extremely expensive. With this in mind, having the right sports travel insurance in place can ease both your anxieties and the potential strain on your bank account, should you need medical care when you’re on the pitch or the slopes.
Get the protection you need to enjoy your trip to the fullest
To ensure you’re covered for the sports you want to play overseas, why not take a look at our comprehensive Sports Travel Insurance? Our specialist cover can protect you should you have an accident while participating in sports, as well as trip cancellation cover and cover if your sports equipment is stolen. Get a quote today for instant cover.