Heart treatment in Dubai will set uninsured British travellers back £21,000, according to research published by Gigasure that analysed medical costs across the UK’s most popular winter sun destinations. The figure represents the highest emergency treatment cost identified in the study.
A broken leg in Italy carries a £10,000 bill.
The insurance provider examined average medical treatment costs across five winter sun hotspots, revealing the financial danger facing the estimated thousands of Brits currently escaping grey British January for warmer climates. Gastroenteritis in the United States averages £7,000 without cover. Respiratory infections in Barbados hit £10,000. Even in Tenerife, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims averaged £8,500.
The data reveals a pattern: common winter ailments—pneumonia, bronchitis, gastroenteritis—rack up five-figure bills the moment they require foreign hospital treatment. Heart treatment in Dubai reached £21,000. Respiratory infections in the United States cost £5,000 on average, though the same condition in Barbados doubles that figure.
Yet 24% of British holidaymakers deliberately withhold pre-existing medical conditions when purchasing travel insurance.
Gigasure’s research found that one in five travellers believed their condition wasn’t relevant enough to declare. Another 18% admitted uncertainty about what actually needed disclosing. Seventeen per cent worried that honesty would result in denied coverage altogether, whilst 13% acknowledged they were willing to gamble and “deal with consequences later.”
The strategy backfires catastrophically when it backfires at all. Insurance experts warn that undisclosed conditions invalidate policies entirely—meaning a respiratory infection or fractured bone leaves travellers personally liable for the full cost. Even common illnesses.
That’s tens of thousands of pounds for conditions that feel routine in Britain, where NHS treatment costs patients nothing at point of care. Abroad, the same pneumonia that warrants a GP visit in Croydon triggers a £10,000 invoice in Bridgetown.
Gary Murphy, travel insurance expert at Gigasure, acknowledged the perverse incentive structure driving non-disclosure. “Being uninsured in any foreign country is costly, but as our research highlights, some winter sun destinations will leave travellers with significantly higher medical bills than others if they need treatment. In places like Dubai or the USA, even relatively common medical conditions can result in five-figure bills.”
The winter sun season compounds the problem. Travellers escaping cold British weather often carry the exact conditions—respiratory vulnerabilities, heart conditions, mobility issues—most likely to require treatment abroad. Cold weather exacerbates COPD. Long-haul flights increase deep vein thrombosis risk. Temperature shifts stress cardiovascular systems.
Murphy’s warning grew blunter when discussing the disclosure gap. “We know many travellers are choosing not to disclose pre-existing medical conditions through fear of increasing the cost of their policy, which could effectively leave them uninsured. No one wants to think about something going wrong on holiday, but being uninsured could cost you tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of pounds, so why take the risk?”
The United Arab Emirates topped Gigasure’s cost analysis, with heart treatment reaching the £21,000 ceiling. Italy followed for orthopaedic injuries—a tibia fracture averaging £10,000. Barbados and the United States both recorded £10,000 and £7,000 respectively for digestive and respiratory emergencies. Tenerife, despite being a European destination, still averaged £8,500 for chronic lung conditions.
Those figures represent averages across actual insurance claims. Individual cases exceed them. Complex treatments, extended hospital stays, or medical repatriation push costs into six figures.
The disclosure problem isn’t limited to chronic conditions. Gigasure’s data suggests confusion about what constitutes a “pre-existing condition” drives much of the non-disclosure. Travellers question whether controlled high blood pressure matters. Whether that knee surgery five years ago still counts. Whether asthma medication taken “just in case” requires mention.
Insurance industry guidance remains unambiguous: declare everything. Insurers assess risk individually. Premiums might increase, but coverage remains valid. Silence doesn’t save money—it eliminates protection entirely.
For travellers already committed to winter sun breaks, the window for securing proper coverage narrows as departure dates approach. Those who’ve already purchased inadequate policies face a choice: pay again for comprehensive coverage, or board the plane knowing a respiratory infection could cost more than the holiday itself.
The winter travel season runs through March, meaning tens of thousands of British holidaymakers will make that calculation over the coming weeks. Whether they’ll declare their conditions—or gamble that nothing goes wrong—remains the industry’s annual uncertainty.
