Travellers aged 23 to 30 encounters the most strife when travelling overseas, particularly those under the influence of alcohol, 1Cover Travel Insurance today announced.
Compiled data from the insurer highlights 20-somethings as the age group making the most claims – particularly for medical expenses and lost luggage. Managing director of 1Cover, Eddie Feltham, said he was surprised at the results.
“Our recent claims data reveals that young adults are claiming for medical reasons more so than their older counterparts,” he said. “It’s surprising considering that when people hit a certain age they pay a higher premium. The older you are the more likely you are to have an accident.”
Older people also pay more for pre-existing medical conditions, but Mr Feltham believes the general health of travellers is not what bucked the trend – its alcohol and mindset.
“We can assume that the heightened claims amongst 20-somethings are both due to their stronger belief of entitlement as well as binge drinking and the influence of alcohol.”
The 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey found that alcohol is a significant contributor to violence and hospitalisation of young adult and underwriters, Allianz Global Assistance, agree this carries over to behaviour abroad.
Claims Manager at Allianz Global Assistance, Peter Teen, said that they frequently dealt with claims where hospitalisations were attributed to misuse of alcohol and drugs. He warned young travellers about so-called ‘jungle juice’ and drink spiking at popular holiday destinations.
“Keep an eye on your drinks to protect against spiking and be mindful of what you are consuming - drinks can be laced with methanol which is poisonous. People have died from drinking jungle-juice,” he said.
1Cover found that young Australians mostly claim on their travel insurance for:
- damaged personal items (e.g. iPhones, iPads, camera)
- fractures or ligament injuries from ski/snowboarding accidents
- lost passports
- motorbike/scooter accidents (important for travellers to be licensed as according to local laws and they must also wear a helmet)
- gastroenteritis while holidaying in remote locations (South America/Asia).
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