Travelling during the autumn holidays

Travelling during the autumn holidays: what do parents need to know about their children’s health abroad? 

During the autumn holidays, many families will be setting off on long-awaited trips abroad. Data from BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS (BTA) shows that, in recent years, the highest number of travel insurance claims for children under the age of 18 has been received in October. This year, however, 76% of the claims received relate to the coverage of medical expenses abroad. The Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) reminds parents that, before any upcoming trips, they should assess the health risks specific to their destination, check their vaccination status and, if necessary, consult their GP. 

Over the past year, BTA has paid out a total of 64,329 euros in travel insurance claims for incidents involving children under the age of 18, whilst this year, up to October, the figure has already reached 58,169 euros. 

In recent years, the highest number of claims has been received in October, when schoolchildren are on their autumn half-term break and families also go on trips abroad. Although the claims tend to vary – for example, lost luggage at airports, last-minute trip cancellations and delayed flights – the overwhelming majority relate to medical expenses incurred abroad. So far, the largest claims have been paid out for illnesses in Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey and Canada. 

As Ivo Danče, Director of the Insurance Claims Department at BTA, explains, health problems cannot, unfortunately, be predicted, and they can disrupt travel plans even before departure or whilst being abroad, when medical assistance is required, it may be necessary to change flight tickets or extend the stay for the whole family. 

“When travelling with children, it is important to consider both the possibility of having to cancel the trip due to illness and the assistance that may be required whilst abroad. If the policy includes travel cancellation cover in accordance with its terms and conditions, this can help you recover the cost of tickets and accommodation. However, the cost of medical treatment can vary significantly from country to country, so you cannot assume that medical care for children will be available free of charge everywhere. Before travelling, it is essential to check the availability of healthcare at your destination and to choose an appropriate limit for medical expenses cover. Meanwhile, if a child falls ill while travelling, an increasing number of parents are using eMed’s remote medical consultations, which allow them to contact a doctor in Latvia by telephone or video call and receive prompt advice on what to do next,” explains I. Danče. 

Overall, the average compensation paid out by BTA for travel insurance claims has risen by 46% over the last three years – this year, an average of 371 euros has been paid out per claim. However, the most expensive claims relating to medical expenses can run to several thousand euros. 

For example, in one case, a nine-year-old child suffered an allergic reaction with a high temperature while travelling in Singapore, and required hospital treatment, for which BTA paid out 6,169 euros in compensation, covering both medical expenses and hotel accommodation and rebooked flights. In another case, a four-year-old child, whilst in the children’s play area of a hotel, fell and accidentally bit his tongue and upper lip with his front teeth. The child was hospitalised, and the insurance payout amounted to 3,600 euros. Among the most expensive cases are also respiratory illnesses; for example, a 12-year-old child required a three-day hospital stay due to an upper respiratory tract infection, and the compensation amounted to 2,200 euros. 

The Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) emphasises that whilst travelling, children are exposed to unfamiliar climates, food and potential infection risks; therefore, parents are advised to familiarise themselves with the epidemiological situation at their destination, ensure that the child has received the age-appropriate vaccinations, and, if necessary, consult their GP about additional preventive measures. It is advisable to take a first-aid kit suitable for the child and a sufficient supply of any medication they take regularly. Both the child and the parents should pay particular attention to hand hygiene, safe food and drinking water whilst travelling. Similarly, you should certainly not delay seeking help if your child develops severe or rapidly progressing symptoms. 

When preparing to travel abroad, experts recommend taking several preventative measures to look after your child’s health, namely: 

• Put together a travel first-aid kit suitable for your child. It is worth taking a thermometer, plasters, wound care products, child-friendly painkillers and fever reducers, as well as rehydration salts to restore fluid levels. You should definitely consult your GP or a pharmacist beforehand regarding the choice of anti-allergy medication and dosages. It is also safer to check the destination country’s requirements for importing medicines.
• Find out how to access medical care at your destination. Child healthcare is not free of charge everywhere for foreign tourists. If you are travelling to a country where the EHIC scheme operates, your child must be issued with a card that ensures the necessary state-funded care under the same conditions as for local residents. However, the EHIC does not cover patient co-payments or medical repatriation to Latvia, nor is it intended to cover the costs of private healthcare.
• Assess the health risks associated with distant and exotic destinations. Even if the trip is due to take place in the next few days, discuss with your doctor what preventive measures are still possible for your child and what precautions should be taken whilst travelling. The doctor will also assess vaccination options, taking into account the destination and the time remaining before the trip. You should also choose sun and insect repellents suitable for your child’s age.
• Check the cover provided by your travel insurance policy. Make sure you know what is included in the policy and assess the cover and limits for medical expenses, medical evacuation and the costs of a child’s accompanying adult (a parent or other responsible adult), as well as the risks associated with trip cancellation, luggage issues and flight changes. It is also advisable to inform the insurer of any planned sporting activities and any chronic medical conditions the child may have, in order to clarify the terms of cover.
• Important – while travelling, you must keep the insurer’s contact details and documentation for all expenses. Before setting off, save your policy number and the insurer’s 24-hour helpline number on your phone – BTA recommends using the insurer’s mobile app ‘Mans BTA’. You must also make sure you know the local emergency number. In the event of illness or injury, you should contact your insurer to find out what to do next; however, in an emergency, you must first seek local medical assistance, keeping hold of medical certificates, prescriptions and payment receipts for the purposes of making a claim.