Being drunk 'could affect insurance claims'

By Tom Farley, Fri 25 Apr 2008 - Published in Travel Insurance

People that have an accident as a result of being drunk while on their holidays may not receive a payment from their insurance company, an expert has warned.

If a claim comes as a result of an accident happening while a person is drunk, then a travel insurance company may knock back the claim and refuse to pay out.

"If the reasons for you being in hospital and needing to make [a] medical claim are directly or indirectly related to drink, the claim will be knocked back," said Peter Gerrard, head of insurance research at Moneysupermarket.com.

He noted that insurance companies may have access to reports about the alcohol levels in a person's blood.

However, if the claim was a result of a genuine accident, with someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time, then a travel insurance claim would more than likely be paid for, he added.

Research from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has found that 41 per cent of people admit to drinking much more alcohol abroad than at home.

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