Foreign Office urges holidaymakers to buy comprehensive travel insurance

The Foreign Office is reminding holidaymakers to buy comprehensive travel insurance after its British Behaviour Abroad report revealed that more than 3,000 Brits received hospital treatment overseas last year.

A further 5,629 died abroad while almost 7,000 were arrested or detained overseas, according to the report.

The Foreign Office believes that many problems could be prevented or made easier to deal with if travelers are better prepared for their trip.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office Minister, Meg Munn, said: Simple precautions like researching your destination, getting comprehensive travel insurance, checking out medical requirements and taking copies of important documents could help avoid common travelling traumas risks and dangers in the long-run.""

The report reveals that the hen and stag party capital Prague is one of the places where most consular assistance is required with a disproportionate number of lost passports, arrests and hospitalisations.

India, Thailand and Australia also appear in the top 10 countries where Britons required consular assistance, perhaps suggesting that although Brits are getting more adventurous with their travels, they are not doing enough preparation before they go.

The high figures in India might well be a result of many British Asians visiting family members and foregoing usual travel preparations such as vaccinations or travel insurance, said the Foreign Office.

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