Millions of Britons look forward to a fortnight or so in the sun each year, for some it involves lazing on the beach, for others a high adrenaline, fun-packed trip is more up their street.
Unfortunately, what starts out as your dream holiday can turn into a nightmare if you have an accident. Whether you are on the ski slopes or in a rental car, you can find yourself with serious injuries in a split second, and in need of serious assistance.
Despite most of us having purchased travel insurance, we often don’t think about what we would actually need to do if we are unfortunate enough to have an accident whilst on holiday. It is not the nicest thing to think about, however it is important that you know where you stand and what to do if an accident does occur.
Who to contact first?
If you have taken out travel insurance (which really is essential!) then the first thing you should do is contact your travel insurance company.
They will be able to advise you what the next step is and start the process for financial assistance if required. Give them as much detail about the accident as possible, this will enable them to deal with your case in the best way.
Try to act fast, the sooner you make a claim, the better. Try to gather as much information as you can at the time of the accident. If you’re able to, use your camera to gather photographic evidence. Try to find a witness and ask them to write down what they saw, sign and date it. Report the accident to your holiday rep if you have one or the staff at wherever the incident occurred, ask them to record it in an accident book if they have one.
Can I claim for compensation?
You may want to claim for compensation if you feel your accident was someone else’s fault.
Holiday compensation claims can sometimes be difficult, as they are usually subject to the law of the country where the accident happened. Unfortunately this can affect the value of your claim, or whether you are entitled to compensation.
To avoid confusion, the best thing to do is call accident claim experts who will be able to advise you what to do next.
Package holidays
There is an exception to this. If your accident happened while you were on a package holiday you might be able to claim compensation in the UK. This is thanks to The 1992 Package Travel, Package Holiday and Package Tour Regulation.
Be aware that if your tour operator or hotel offers a solicitor to act on your behalf or makes you an offer of compensation directly, this may mean you are not entitled to apply for compensation when you return to the UK.
