You’ve probably seen the adverts online. Companies telling you that if you’ve been sick or had food poisoning on holiday, then to contact them and they’ll get you compensation for your illness and discomfort. This is the latest income stream from the personal injury companies, and the compensation paid out for whiplash claims in car insurance has pushed up the price for all of us by 15%. So could the same thing start happening with package holiday prices?

What Are People Claiming For?

There is no denying that some people do fall seriously ill on holiday every year, and sometimes this is the fault of the tour operator. An outbreak of salmonella, or a fall caused by poor maintenance or negligence can be extremely serious, and even if you have comprehensive travel insurance and have taken out your EHIC cover before leaving home, it’s reasonable to expect to be compensated if you’ve spend most of your holiday lying in a hospital bed hooked up to a drip. However, in recent years, travellers have been encouraged to claim compensation for very minor illnesses such as upset stomachs. There have been reports of compensation company reps handing out leaflets around the pool to holidaymakers, and aggressive marketing techniques being used to encourage people to make a claim.

So What’s the Problem?

Any money paid out on compensation claims must come from somewhere, and experts are concerned that tour operators and hotels which are paying money to guests claiming to have had a sickness bug will cut corners elsewhere, making food hygiene less of a priority and leading to an increase in food poisoning. Going to court and contesting a claim which the tour operator feels is fraudulent costs a huge sum of money, so often it’s cheaper for them to settle out of court while never accepting fault. Increasing levels of payouts will eventually lead to increased prices for everyone as the tour operators or hotel owners pass their increased costs on to us.

What Should I Do If I Get Ill on Holiday?

Seasoned travellers usually take an emergency first aid kit with, and if you have a minor case of vomiting and diarrhoea, you can usually treat yourself with tablets. If you’ve organised your EHIC cover before leaving home and are in one of the 28 European countries which are part of the scheme, ask your hotel reception to refer you to the nearest state GP or hospital where you will be treated on the same basis as a resident of the country where you are staying. Always keep any paperwork you are given. People who have private travel and medical insurance may choose to be treated privately overseas, but there is often an excess to pay on the policy, and for minor illnesses this could be more than the cost of the treatment. If you fall seriously ill, remember that EHIC will only cover your treatment in emergency situations and won’t cover your travel back to the UK, or other costs for people who stay with you as you recover.