Travel doesn’t always go to plan, whether before departure, or whilst you are away.
Multitrip.com, a specialist travel insurance provider, has revealed the most common reasons1 travellers made claims on their travel insurance in 2025, and the potential costs when things go wrong abroad.
Medical expenses were the most common reason for claims, accounting for more than two fifths (43%) of all claims made by customers in 2025. Cancellation claims were the second most common, making up around one in six (16%) claims, usually due to illness or injury affecting the traveller or someone they were due to travel with.
Loss of personal possessions accounted for 10% of claims, while travel delay claims made up 9%, where customers were unable to use pre-booked accommodation or transport due to a travel delay. A further 4% of claims were for curtailment, when trips had to be cut short due to illness, injury or other emergencies.
The most common medical assistance claims were for injuries such as fractures and breaks (34%), followed by internal illnesses such as gastrointestinal, respiratory problems and ENT conditions (33%). A further 10% of claims related to burns, bites and skin or soft tissue injuries.
Examples of individual medical claims1 included
- A fractured leg in the USA costing £280,288
- A motorcycle accident in Thailand costing £101,374
- Injuries to the tendons in both knees after a fall in the USA costing £391,221, including surgery abroad and medical repatriation
- Acute appendicitis requiring emergency surgery in Spain costing £17,450
- A head injury in the British Virgin Islands costing £39,225
- Dehydration treatment in Spain costing £7,267
- Food poisoning in Greece costing £1,611
Treatment in the United States is often significantly more expensive than in many other countries, something reflected in Multitrip.com’s claims data. Previous analysis by the insurance provider3 found claims for relatively minor issues in the USA could still run into thousands of pounds, including vomiting claims exceeding £7,000 and shoulder pain treatment costing more than £3,000.
Christian Bennett from Multitrip.com said: “Unfortunately things can and do go wrong when we’re away from home, and travel insurance provides financial protection if a holiday doesn’t go as planned. A trip to a hospital in the United States, for example, can cost thousands a day before additional treatment or surgery is even added on, and even in Europe medical claims are often over £1,000.’’
He continues: “It’s also important to buy travel insurance at the same time as booking your holiday so cancellation cover is in place4 if illness or injury prevents you from travelling.”
Multitrip.com offers a range of policies to suit different needs and budgets. To get an instant quote, visit www.multitrip.com.
Find out more about UK travel trends and findings of our recent surveys, on our blog, with articles including 'Two-Thirds of Holidaymakers Caught Out By Unexpected Costs'.
Sources
1 Multitrip.com analysed its claims from UK customers between January to December 2025.
2 Prices in the health sector: Health at a Glance 2023 | OECD
Page 168 - “Switzerland and Iceland have the highest health prices in the OECD – on average the same basket of goods and services would cost 62% and 50% more than the OECD average, respectively. Healthcare prices also tend to be relatively high in Israel and the United States. In contrast, prices for the same mix of healthcare goods and services in Japan, Portugal and Slovenia are around two-thirds of the OECD average. The lowest healthcare prices in the OECD are in Türkiye, at 18% of the OECD average.”
3 Multitrip.com analysed claims from their customers from January to December 2022. Claims for COVID were not included in the analysis.
4 T&Cs apply. 7-day moratorium period applies from the date of inclusion, cover is unavailable for trips departing/booked within 7 days.
