Travel warning: 10 holiday destinations where hospitalisation is very costly

There is a travel warning about some top destinations that could slap a tourist with the biggest medical bills while on a holiday.

One of the worst nightmares for many travellers is ending up in a hospital during a trip, especially in a foreign land. Experts have revealed that in some popular countries, the situation could get worse than in others.

Working with expert Dr. Punam, insurance company Staysure has come up with a list of the top 10 most expensive holiday hotspots to be hospitalised in during a vacation. The report was made using WHO data, which excludes any tests, treatment or medication, according to The Sun.

The top 10 list

The costliest country to be hospitalised in is Monaco, with the average night's stay starting from £2,400. Luxembourg, in Western Europe, is in second place, with prices starting from £1,500 per day – which is the equivalent of the average cost of fuelling a car for an entire year.

With the daily cost for a bed starting from £1,150, Norway is in the third spot in the list of 10 most expensive holiday destinations when it comes to hospital treatment. It is followed by Switzerland (£900), Australia (£700) and Denmark (£700).

The US is in 10th place, with the average per night cost of a bed around £600. Meaning just four days in the hospital could see a person shell out £2,400, excluding any additional costs for the actual treatment. The likes of San Marino (£650), Qatar (£600), and Sweden (£600) are in seventh, eighth, and ninth place respectively.

Speaking about his study, Dr. Punam said not every healthcare system around the world is like the UK's National Health Service.

"It's only when you see the eye-watering high costs for a hospital overnight stay in other countries, that makes you think whether you'd ever want to take the risk to travel without travel insurance protection. Far too often, I see patients who return from holiday having suffered from an unexpected medical emergency abroad who had not bought a prior travel insurance policy.

"Usually those who are otherwise healthy with no other medical history - and later repent how they took their health for granted - are the ones who present to me, experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety due to the financial implications of being hospitalised abroad," added Dr. Punam.

Explaining further, Dr. Punam pointed out that "unforeseen accident, an allergic reaction, a serious chest infection, appendicitis, or even more life threatening such as a heart attack or a stroke" cannot be predicted and it is these times when stress levels of a person is on the high. "The last thing you want to be doing is scrambling around for funds to pay for medical help," he added.

Importance of travel insurance during a trip

Meanwhile, the insurance company also carried out research asking 2,000 UK adults, who had recently travelled, about their past experiences with holiday mishaps and unexpected extra costs.

Nearly a fifth (19%) of those claimed they had given a particular holiday destination a second thought because of possible high-cost medical implications. Quite a few also revealed how they were caught out financially while abroad, leading to unexpected charges, including paying for emergency medical treatment.

However, out of the UK adults the company spoke to, 70% said they always cover themselves with a travel insurance policy before travelling abroad while 68% had never had to make a claim on their travel insurance. Though 95% were sure they would continue to buy a policy to protect their future holidays.

Speaking about the importance of travel insurance, Staysure's Brad May said, "Having a tailored travel insurance policy to protect you and your holiday investment is one of the most important elements of any trip abroad.

"As the hospital cost data shows, it can be an expensive and stressful experience if you need a couple of nights stay in a hospital abroad, especially as these daily bed costs do not include medication, tests, or treatment."