Half of Belgians go on holiday without additional health insurance

Of the Belgians who travel abroad for their holidays, half do so without any form of health-care travel assistance, according to a study by Belgian insurance company Touring.

Nearly three-quarters of Belgians go abroad at least once a year on holiday, and more than half of them opt for no health-related insurance during their trip. According to the study, nearly four in 10 respondents feel that they didn't travel enough to make the insurance worth it, while nearly three in 10 believe they are sufficiently covered by their regular health insurance. More than two Belgians in 10 claim they simply do not need travel assistance.

But being abroad without travel assistance is risky business, Touring warns. A medical intervention requiring repatriation back to Belgium, for example, can easily cost more than €2,600. "Unpleasant surprises can occur at any time," said Danny Smagghe of Touring, “but we notice a significant peak during the summer months. In July and August last year, we received more than 63,928 calls, 14,000 of them requiring immediate medical intervention.”

The study also shows that the average Belgian family spends between €1,000 and €5,000 annually on travel.