Travel insurance - Tips & Advice - Holiday health

Getting medical advice and inoculations in advance can make the difference between holiday heaven and hell. And it also pays to make sure you are covered with adequate travel insurance. 

People these days are travelling much further and staying away for longer – and travel to different climates and environments brings its own series of medical concerns. As well as the usual health ‘hazards’ – such as accidents and tummy upsets – you may well be exposing yourself to diseases, such as malaria and rabies, that can prove serious or even fatal. That's why you need to get the right medical advice before you go away.

There are certain global regions that carry a higher risk than others for the transmission of insect-related infectious viruses. Definitive lists are hard to find because of how certain diseases ‘travel’. However, according to the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), if you are planning on travelling to Central America, the northern countries in South America, central Africa and certain parts of south-east Asia – or any country you believe poses a risk – you should contact your doctor about vaccinations at least six weeks before departure. This is because it may take that long for the vaccine to become effective within your body.

NaTHNaC has a comprehensive list of infectious diseases that travellers need to be aware of and for which inoculation or pre-treatment may be necessary.

Avoiding malaria

Malaria is one of the most common insect-borne infectious diseases in the world and can be widely found in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania. It is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. In a 2005 study in Nature, estimates indicated that as many as 500 million cases of malaria occur each year.

According to NaTHNaC, approximately 1,750 travellers return to the UK with malaria each year, the majority having acquired it in Africa. These cases lead to about five to 15 deaths from the disease annually.

For UK travellers heading to any area that is endemic with malaria, it is vital that they pay a visit to their doctor in advance to discuss the malaria risk and the appropriate medication. This is not as simple as it sounds. There are certain regions where mosquitoes have become resistant and the medication is less effective. For people travelling for a longer period of time, the medication may also be different.

Of course, it helps if you can avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. The Department of Health offers the following advice:

• Wear clothes that cover your arms and legs
• Use insect repellent
• Sleep in a screened room or under a mosquito net
• Kill any mosquitoes in the room with a 'knockdown' spray

Getting treatment

The incubation period of malaria (depending on the type) can be as short as eight days or as long as several months. Infections due to one type, P. falciparum, can progress very rapidly and can be life-threatening if prompt treatment is not given.

If you develop a fever or feel ill while you're abroad, or for up to three months after you get back, see a doctor immediately. Tell them if you've been to a country where malaria is present. Please remember that travel insurance will only ever cover your overseas medical expenses, not any medical or treatment costs incurred once back in the UK. You should also ensure that you follow your GP’s advice when having inoculations or taking anti-malaria tablets as travel insurance won't typically cover you for overseas treatment if you neglected to take sensible precautions (like taking your malaria tablets) prior to traveling.

Because of the risk of malaria and similar diseases, such as yellow fever, dengue fever and tick-borne encephalitis, the need for the right medical travel insurance is clear. And that's where Direct Line can help. Whether you are taking a single trip, several trips in a year or are travelling for an extended period, you will need travel insurance to cover you for the cost of treatment in the country you are visiting, but, should it be required, repatriation costs may also be covered.

You can find out more about policies and get a travel insurance quote online. And if you buy online you will get an automatic discount.