• 16
  Oct
  2011

• The High Cost of Medical Bills Abroad

  
  Filed Under: Blogging

People going on vacation without adequate international travel insurance could be in for a shock as the cost of medical treatment abroad rockets. Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance, a UK insurance company, revealed the cost of medical treatment reached an all-time high, leaving travelers without international travel insurance to count the costs.

The average claim made by travelers abroad for medical expenses was £1,333 ($2,100). And some countries were even higher – visitors to the United States paid on average £4,726 ($7,430) for their medical treatment.

Costs varied depending on the illness and the treatment, with heart attacks costing an average of £8,147 ($12,800) to treat. But even small and non-life threatening complaints were expensive - £320 ($503) for an ear infection, for example.

The high charges reflect inflation, and also improvements in the quality of health care abroad. Travelers are advised to protect themselves with international travel insurance to make sure they don’t bring back large bills from their vacation.

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