Cosmetic surgery is a growing market. More and more men and women are opting for a nip and tuck to delay the aging process. Procedures such as breast implants, face lifts and tummy tucks are an expensive indulgence, which some people cannot live without. This is why it is becoming more popular to travel abroad for these procedures, where they are cheaper. But what does this mean for their travel insurance?
Breast surgery is the most common procedure, which would cost you around £4500 to go private in the UK (only extreme cases will be done by the NHS). If you were to go any other country in Europe, the price of this procedure would near enough half. Prices of face-lifts, liposuction and laser eye treatment are all cheaper in Europe as well, again sometimes being half the price. With such huge price differences, it is understandable why more people are opting to travel out of the UK for medical treatment.
More than 126,000 British people travel abroad for medical treatment each year, and shockingly, only one third of those bother to check whether their travel insurance will cover them if something goes wrong with their surgery. Unfortunately, for those who do not check, the majority of providers will not pay out on claims made related to surgery. Claims can still be made on lost baggage or cancelled and delayed flights. Few insurers do not cover for a trip specifically for medical purposes. The few companies who obviously charge more for your cover as you are a higher risk than other travellers. Age also determines how much your cover will be, and you are near enough certain to be declined for cover if you are over 70. If you are travelling to get cosmetic surgery it is imperative that you state what the purpose of your trip is, otherwise your policy will be a waste of money. Don’t be tempted to overlook this when organising travel insurance.
As with any travel i
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