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“It’s easy to find a great deal on travel insurance through a price comparison website”

“Depending on your holiday destination, you and your family may need travel vaccinations”

“Sun safety is extremely important when you travel abroad and also when you’re home in the UK”

 

Facts/stats
28% of Brits don’t buy travel insurance
(Co-op Insurance, 2024)

Sunscreen should have an SPF of at least 30, even in the UK
(NHS Live Well)

Every year, people in the UK go on more than 60 million trips abroad
(NHS 111 Wales)

When it comes to holidays, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Whether you’re taking a trip to Europe or jetting off somewhere more exotic, don’t let an illness or accident ruin your trip. From travel insurance and vaccinations to sunscreen, medication rules and first aid kits, you can plan for any eventuality.

 

Buy travel insurance
Holidays cost a lot of money, so it can be tempting not to take out travel insurance because it’s an extra expense. But it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind because if you or a family member has an accident or becomes seriously ill abroad and you’re not covered, it could cost you thousands of pounds for treatment and getting back to the UK (known as repatriation).

It’s easy to find a great deal on travel insurance through a price comparison website. If you take several trips a year, it may be cheaper to buy annual travel insurance (sometimes called multi-trip) rather than single-trip cover.

Always check the small print carefully. If you’re planning any sports activities, or there’s a chance you might want to do some during your holiday, check they are covered in your policy and tick the box. This might include activities such as horse riding, cycling, scuba diving, snorkelling and sailing. You may need a specialist sports insurance policy if you want to do higher-risk activities such as skiing, white-water rafting and bungee jumping.

If you or a family member has a pre-existing health condition, you should always declare it, otherwise the policy might become invalid. The premium will be higher, but it’s essential that the condition is covered. For some medical conditions, it may be necessary to take out a separate specialist policy.

Take a UK Global Health Insurance card (GHIC) with you. This entitles you to necessary basic state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA) and a few other countries, although it may not be free. Always check if your destination is covered by the GHIC; for example, Turkey, which is very popular with Brits, is not included. Don’t think of the GHIC as a free alternative to travel insurance; it’s an addition to it because it doesn’t cover the cost of repatriation to the UK. You can apply for a GHIC via the NHS website (https://overseas-healthcare.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/get-healthcare-cover-travelling-abroad/start).

 

Get vaccinated
Depending on your holiday destination, you and your family may need travel vaccinations. For some places, proof of vaccination is necessary before you can enter the country, so it’s not optional. In these cases, the proof needs to be provided in the form of an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP). You can find out which vaccinations are needed for the country you’re travelling to by visiting https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.

Travel vaccinations are not something that can be left until the last minute because a considerable amount of time is often needed for your body to develop the required immunity. Some vaccines need to be administered in several doses, weeks or months apart. The NHS advises that vaccinations should be given at least 6 to 8 weeks before your trip, but get in touch with your GP to find out how far in advance you need to be vaccinated.

Travel vaccines for typhoid, hepatitis A, cholera and polio (given as a combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio jab) are all free on the NHS. However, vaccinations for hepatitis B, meningitis, rabies, tuberculosis, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis are not available on the NHS; if you need any of these vaccines, you’ll have to pay for them.

The NHS also advises checking that all members of your family are up to date with vaccinations for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) as these infections are more common in other countries than in the UK.

 

Check medication rules
Different rules are in place in different countries if you need to take medication with you for a pre-existing medical condition. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter medicines available in the UK, which may be restricted or even banned in other countries. It’s important to check these rules before you travel to avoid any delays or misunderstandings.

Most countries have an embassy in the UK. You can check the specific rules about travelling with medication by contacting the embassy of the country you’re travelling to from the official government list (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-embassies-in-the-uk). You should also check the rules of any country that you’re transiting through.

When you travel, take medication in the original packaging complete with labels and information leaflets. Pack it in your hand luggage and always carry a copy of your prescription with you for any prescription medicines. If you need to take needles and syringes to administer your medication, you’ll have to travel with a letter from a medical professional (this is another rule that should be checked with the relevant embassy). If you’re travelling with liquid medicine that’s more than 100ml in volume, you’ll need to contact the airline and any airports you’ll transit through. Proof from a medical professional that you genuinely need to carry the medication will be required.

 

Take sun protection
Sun safety is extremely important when you travel abroad and also when you’re home in the UK. There’s no safe way to get a tan, and if you allow your skin to burn, this increases your risk of skin cancer.

You can minimise the risk for you and your family by staying in the shade at the hottest time of the day. In the UK, this is between 11am and 3pm during the period from March to October, but the times are likely to be different if you’re holidaying overseas. If you have children, they should take particular care in the sun because their skin is more sensitive than that of adults.

It’s also important to wear suitable clothing to protect yourself from the sun, including a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses; never assume that your sunscreen offers complete protection. Sunscreen that is at least SPF30 (preferably higher) should be applied to any areas of skin that are not covered by clothing. If you and your family are going in the pool or the sea, sunscreen should be applied straight after coming out of the water, even if it’s labelled as ‘water resistant’. Sunscreen should also be reapplied every two hours, whether or not you’re swimming. If anyone does get sunburn, apply aftersun cream or spray as soon as possible.

 

What to include in a travel first aid kit
Create a mini holiday first aid kit with these handy essentials, all of which will be useful in the UK as well as overseas.

• First aid items, e.g. plasters, elasticated bandages for sprains, antiseptic wipes, gauze, cotton swabs
• Aloe vera gel for minor burns and sunburn
• Antiseptic/antibacterial spray
• Blister plasters
• Travel sickness medicine
• Painkillers
• Insect repellent
• Antihistamines for allergic reactions
• Anti-diarrhoea pills
• Antacids for heartburn and indigestion