Holiday hotspots for child claims revealed Spain, the United States and France may well be popular family holiday destinations, but in fact they don’t top the list when it comes to medical emergency claims for children under the age of 10.
As thousands of UK families jet off to foreign shores this summer, a list has been compiled a list of the countries where injury and illness claims for children under 10 years of age are more frequent, based on claims data*
Destinations further afield dominated the list with New Zealand taking the top spot when it comes to claims for children’s holiday injuries and illnesses*. Canada was second, followed by Australia, Austria and the Caribbean. Italy and Portugal saw the lowest frequency of claims for accident or illness*.
Common ailments like stomach bugs, bumps, cuts and ear infections required treatment last year but according to Aviva’s claims data, dental problems and illnesses such as appendicitis and pneumonia meant children unexpectedly needed more serious emergency medical assistance in 2008.
Julie Fromant, travel product manager at Aviva, says: “Everyday accidents or common illnesses can happen just as easily on holiday as at home so it’s really important that families remember to take out adequate travel insurance. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will provide you and your family with reduced emergency medical costs but it does not give you the extra level of cover travel insurance can provide nor will it bring you home if you need to be repatriated back to the UK. And don’t forget the EHIC can’t be used outside of the EU.
“It’s very easy to get caught up in the holiday spirit and forget about the serious side of travelling abroad. Aside from taking out proper holiday insurance, it’s important to take a little extra care when you’re on unfamiliar territory.”
Top tips to keep your children safe on holiday this summer :
- Pack the essentials – if your child suffers from allergies, ensure you carry their medication and a basic first aid kit including paracetamol, plasters, insect bite cream, and antiseptic wipes.
- Fun in the sun – to prevent your child from getting sun burnt, apply plenty of high-factor sunscreen regularly, especially if they are playing in the water.
- Get shady – ensure your children get adequate protection from the sun by making them wear a hat and sunglasses to minimize the effect of the UV rays.
- Splish, splash –Swimming pools are great places to play for children, but the surfaces can become very slippery and cause falls. Jelly shoes can help avoid sore toes when playing on a pebbly sea-shore.
- Food and drink – as much as the food in the hotel or restaurants looks appealing to your children, avoid potential stomach upsets by ensuring it has been freshly prepared, thoroughly cooked and not left standing for long periods in the heat. For those cold drinks to help your children cool down, it’s best to avoid ice in drinks in countries when you can’t drink the tap water. And the same goes for salads and fruit – if in doubt check with the restaurant or hotel.
