Advice on Stomach Problems Abroad

Health issues are least welcome during a holiday experience, but thankfully medical travel insurance can cover the financial expenditure involved. Knowledge and advice regarding frequently occurring illnesses can help too.

Indiscriminate health problems which can strike anyone on holiday are common diarrhoea and stomach-bug type illnesses. These can so often wreck travel plans, for example, a case of food poisoning preventing day trip excursions which have already been paid for: Travel insurance would cover such a loss.


Holiday illnesses may not be restricted to just a dose of bad luck for the occasional traveller. For example, over 1,000 holidaymakers were affected by infected food and water supplies throughout an entire resort in the Dominican Republic, which subsequently led to a significant legal compensation claim by the ill and hospitalised tourists.


Below we explore the different types of common infection and their properties:

• Cryptosporidiosis is caused by a water-borne parasite which is strongly resistant to chlorine treatment. It is found world wide and can be contracted from contaminated bathing water or drinking water.

• Gastroenteritis causes intestinal and stomach problems including abdominal pains, vomiting, and dehydration. This infection is common and bacteria may be caught from infected food.

• Norovirus is a highly contagious virus which can be spread from person to person, or even from coming in to contact with unhygienic surfaces. It is also caught from infected water and food sources resulting in stomach disorders. Due to the proximity of passengers at sea, cruise ships are particularly monitored for Noroviruses.

Travel insurance for medical issues experienced at sea, on land, during a holiday or business trip, provides the reassurance necessary when the above illnesses strike.

Not having to worry about the repayment of medical fees might also reduce stress and aid the immune system's recovery time!


Technorati tags; ;Cruise ships, holiday health, medical travel insurance, food poisoning.

Medical Conditions During Ramadan

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is disseminating advice ahead of the approaching Ramadan period, where medical complications could arise for Muslim travellers.

In Middle Eastern countries such as Morocco, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, it is forbidden to eat, drink or even smoke in public during the fasting period. In some cases it is actually illegal to do so.

Source: Travel blog.

With habitual dedication such as praying five times per day, during the fasting period there pervades an intense social pressure in these locations, demanding conformity to religious obedience.

As such, many Muslims do abide fully by the terms of Ramadan, and go without food & water for the dictated duration from dawn to sunset every day. However, whether at home or travelling abroad, this pressure to conform could be putting the health of Muslims who need regular medication, at risk.

On the face of it, if there were a medical emergency, anyone would expect their travel insurance policy to hold firm and assist in that situation.

Despite the Qur’an exempting several demographics including the sick from necessarily following the practise, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society encourages this message to be heard, and allow the regular taking of medication to continue unabridged through the Ramadan period, rather than risking medical complications as a result of disrupted timing.

Further, those fasting with pre-existing medical conditions, for example diabetes, run an even greater risk of exacerbating the medical condition, if they continue to risk their health for a single religious event.

A subsequent question which arises from cases of intentionally choosing to ignore pharmaceutical advice during any form of imposed fasting, is whether it would void a travel insurance policy claim for medical complications as a result of that choice.



Video courtesy of: Digital News Agency

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Halifax Survey Reveals Worst Country for Food Poisoning

In a recent survey by Halifax travel insurance, Spain has come top of destinations where travellers experience food poisoning. Spain beats Greece, Turkey and Egypt to win this unwelcome acclaim.

The survey goes on to describe that thirty-eight percent of holidaymakers lose two days of their holiday when suffering illness originating from food poisoning. For travellers embarking on a two week escape to paradise, this would be an unwelcome medical issue. However spare a thought for travellers destined for a cheap weekend city break, and the impact is even more significant!

The findings also reveal how many holidaymakers suffer from food poisoning in Spain to the extent that they require medical help. Now this could arise from complications, dehydration, or other factors such as age or pre-existing medical conditions, but it is a further cost which does not usually form part of a holiday budget.

Vicky Watson from Halifax Travel Insurance commented:

“Our study shows nearly one in five Brits had to visit a hospital when on holiday as a result of food poisoning.”

Does this tell us about the behaviours of only Britains on holiday? Or could this be applicable to other Western nations like Germany, France, Portugal, and Poland? It is interesting that tourists' behaviour and attitude are known to alter somewhat when subject to a change of climate, and why should this be? The people remain the same, it is only the food which has changed.

Perhaps the explanation to the increase in food poisoning could lay in the fact that a more luxurious and perhaps ill-advised diet and intake of beverages combines to lower the travellers' general health, leaving the body less able to beat food poisoning abroad, and thereby necessitating medical assistance.

This serves as a reminder to take out adequate travel insurance before going on holiday, because as this Halifax travel insurance survey has demonstrated, even simple and common illnesses can ruin a holiday experience, and leave holidaymakers out of pocket.

In terms of preparing for and minimising the impact of getting food poisoning abroad, there is some useful advice in this linked article about medical travel insurance.

Technorati tags; travel insurance, Halifax travel insurance, medical travel insurance, food poisoning
, Spain.

Medical Travel Insurance

Everybody knows someone who has needed to claim on their medical travel insurance whilst on holiday. It is a fact of life that although we like to pretend we are invincible, sometimes injury and illness occur, often at the most inopportune times.

Health issues occur with shock randomness, perhaps involving pre-existing medical conditions, sometimes new complications, and even issues arising from travelling abroad, e.g. A car crash on the wrong side of the road.

Being liable for perhaps tens of thousands worth of medical costs, transportation fees, and medical care, in a country which operates its health services in a different format, would spoil anybody’s holiday. Medical travel insurance allows consumers to relax in the knowledge if the worst happens; they're covered.

In the UK, from 2006, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) replaced the E111 paper, entitling card holders to basic health care equivalent to local European residents. Note that having an EHIC card is helpful but not comprehensive.

The requirement for health insurance still remains, because not all eventualities are covered by the EHIC and in some countries the agreement is not free health care, but for a partial reduction in medical costs there. Repatriation on medical grounds is not included with the EHIC, and is a further reason to posses a valid insurance policy.

Specialist Medical Travel Insurance

Sufferers of existing medical conditions and pregnant women are particularly advised to double-check the detail in their medical travel insurance quote. These categories are higher risk groups for insurers, and so levels of cover vary significantly. Some insurers will even exclude cover in certain situations. (e.g. If more than 28 weeks pregnant).

The good news is that some insurance companies offer dedicated products specifically for people in these categories.

Insurance Providers:

For travel insurance for pre existing medical conditions visit GoodToGoInsurance.com.

http://www.free-spirit.com - Free Spirit is a specialist insurer providing tailor-made travel insurance for people who have pre-existing medical conditions.

http://www.sevencorners.com/insuranceplans/travelmedical - Eligible medical expenses will be waived for pre-existing conditions.

http://www.medicitravel.com - For people with pre-existing medical conditions.

http://www.travelbility.co.uk - Insurance for the disabled or people with pre-existing medical conditions.

http://www.snowbirds.org/html/medipac - Canadian Snowbird Association - Medipac Travel Insurance.

Compare Medical Cover

To compare the wider market in medical travel insurance try a comparison engine, some allow for quotes to be returned relating to preferences with or without pre-existing medical conditions:

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/travel-insurance

Check a detailed quote from each insurer and ensure familiarity with the the level of insurance cover.

Policy Documentation

In the event of a medical emergency, the hospital needs to see the policy to assure themselves that the expenses of the medical treatment will be honoured. Therefore it is advisable to carry a copy, or at the very least have an email with those key policy details on, because ultimately when health incidents occur abroad, insurers will play a critical role.

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