A new survey has found that 14 percent of Australians do not use travel insurance on their most recent international trips. This particular figure represents a tragic holidaymaker trend. As geopolitical tensions and safety concerns increasingly influence attitudes towards travel abroad, this trend is worrying. These findings point to an emerging danger within a vulnerable portion of the population, especially for younger jetsetters.
Of course, thousands of travelers think they’re going to safe destinations — which is undoubtedly one of the reasons they don’t purchase travel insurance. In reality, 31 percent of respondents expressed these views. Younger travellers have made their preferences pretty obvious. That’s right—23 percent of the travelers surveyed who were under 30 said they were uninsured on their most recent trip abroad.
Despite the potential risks associated with international travel, many individuals who chose to forgo insurance gave it considerable thought beforehand. About 65 percent of these prospects said they had considered their choice. But nearly a third—27 percent—said they thought travel insurance offered poor value for money. Moreover, 24 percent of respondents confessed that they never considered the need for insurance prior to their travels. It simply wasn’t on their radar.
The current geopolitical climate seems to be making that even less likely. A substantial 41 percent of respondents stated that ongoing tensions had made them less inclined to take international trips. Moreover, 53 percent are apprehensive about studying abroad due to these strains. At the same time, pretty understandably, 56 percent decided to skip out on countries they were supposed to visit to begin with.
Surprisingly, 45 percent of travelers are willing to throw caution to the wind. They do this often in search of adventures sought after in Instagram feeds or travel documentaries. It’s this same sense of adventure that guides their approach to clinical practice. The truth is, 46 percent of us have either traveled for medical treatment or are willing to consider traveling for treatment. Of those who are planning to travel for medical procedures, dental care was the most popular procedure, with 30 percent of respondents interested in dental work.
The decision not to buy insurance is greatly affected by financial considerations as well. One in five of all travellers didn’t understand the importance of insurance with 22 per cent of travellers confessing they were not clear on why it’s needed. An additional 22 percent said they were confident they could pay for any emergency care themselves. Among those aged 18-25, that number was one in ten who said they traveled uninsured primarily because of cost.
“If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.” – DFAT’s Smartraveller website
