Student Travel Safety and FCO Teacher’s Toolkit

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has announced the launch of a new Classroom Teacher’s Toolkit as part of its excellent ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign.  The aim is to help teachers prepare teenagers for safe, independent overseas travel.

According to the FCO report, four out of ten young people travel without insurance, one in ten admits to having been hospitalised when travelling abroad, one in five admits to having run out of money overseas (through lack of planning), and one in four admitted they did not research their destination prior to travelling.

The new interactive toolkit is an aid for Personal, Social and Health Education teachers (PSHE) to help students plan for their first independent travel experience.  The toolkit is available at www.fco.gov.uk/schools.   The material includes information relating to vaccinations, financial planning, where to go for help in an emergency, and the importance of travel insurance.

Although it is very important to take out travel insurance – it is perhaps even more important to make sure that the correct policy is purchased.  Remember to check that all planned activities are covered by the policy.  In case you did not know, the cost of medical evacuation (repatriation) from the US to the UK could cost a frightening £45,000.  The toolkit also explains the potential consequences of drinking excessive alcohol, or being under the influence, and ignorance of local laws and customs (perhaps ending up in jail). 

Neglecting to research and prepare for a trip overseas could have devastating consequences.  Travellers of all ages should check with the FCO ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign for the latest country travel advice before going overseas. 

Many young people apparently have the misguided idea that travelling without insurance is ‘cool’ but the reality is far from that.  It is decidedly uncool to end up in a foreign hospital, faced with huge medical bills and the cost of emergency repatriation, which could financially cripple the traveller and/or their family.

Travel insurance is too important to just pick the cheapest one you find on a comparison website and hope for the best.  Check the levels of cover and ensure that all planned activities are covered.  We are the first to admit that insurance policies can be confusing, so if you are unsure about anything - call and ask. 

Here at Travel Insurance Direct we are happy to take calls and address any questions or concerns.  Our Backpacker Travel Insurance starts from just 20p per day – obtain a quote here.