Holidaymakers Urged to Protect Themselves Fully When In the Sun

Europe-wide travel insurance provider, Europesure Travel Insurance (www.europesuretravelinsurance.com), which provides comprehensive insurance protection for residents of the EU, EEA, Monaco, Gibraltar and UK, is urging travellers to stay safe in the sun, even if used to life in sunnier climes.

The warning comes after Europesure Travel Insurance commissioned a consumer research survey[1], which highlighted worrying sun-safety behaviours, despite also flagging up many skin cancer concerns amongst Brits.

In Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month (May 2023), Europesure found 27% of Brits saying they worry about skin cancer.  The worry is markedly more prevalent amongst women (36%) than men (17%).

Yet, despite this concern, more than one-in-twenty people (5.5%) declared they never wear any sun protection when on holiday, with this rising to 8% of the 18-24 age group.

A further 7% said they only ever wear a low SPF-factor sun cream or lotion, because they want to get a tan.  In the 18-24s age group, this rose to 13% of those interviewed.

Adding to concern is the fact 11% of interviewees said they would not wear any sun protection if there were clouds overhead. 

Whilst the worry about skin cancer does not translate into good sun-safety practice in many cases, it is also clear Brits are not learning from past mistakes.  27% of interviewees said they had suffered painful sunburn whilst on a foreign holiday, which rose to a third of women.

Poor sun-safety is also attitudinal in part, with 9% of interviewees (as high as 17% in some cities) believing sunburn is just part of the holiday experience.

Europesure Travel Insurance’s sales and marketing director, Paul O’Sullivan, says, “Our survey highlighted worrying attitudes towards sun safety, particularly amongst men and younger generations.  Although we surveyed British travellers, we are sure that the same behaviours are exhibited by travellers from other countries too, so want to extend the warning across Europe.

“As a travel insurance provider, we see holidaymakers hospitalised due to sunburn every year, with the pain being immense for some.  

“However, more serious still is the fact that melanoma cases are rising so rapidly across the globe.  Experts suggest they will have risen 27% between 2020 and 2030, totalling 413,000 by 2030.  Deaths from melanoma are also predicted to rise, by 31%, in this decade, with the total mortality figure projected to be 74,750 by 2030.[2]

“It’s time for all European travellers to take much better care of themselves and their families, when out in the sun, and to appreciate that a tan can come at a huge health price.”

Sunburn is known to increase the risk of melanoma and the more times you suffer sunburn, the greater the risk of suffering from melanoma.[3]

It is also something that underpins a variety of horror stories on social media.  Furthermore, some sufferers have not just paid the price for avoiding sun lotion, but for also not having packed travel insurance.  Their sunburn has caught them out and left them having to cover the costs of their hospital treatment themselves.[4]

Europesure Travel Insurance urges holidaymakers to pack both the suntan cream and a good travel insurance policy, to ensure they have the best possible all-round protection when enjoying time in the sun.  To find the right travel insurance policy for your needs, wherever you live in Europe, head to www.europesuretravelinsurance.com

Notes:

[1] Europesure Travel Insurance commissioned a representative sample survey of 1000 Brits, in early May 2023, through independent research company, Censuswide.

[2] Figures as stated by Melanoma UK - https://www.melanomauk.org.uk/melanoma-and-skin-cancer-awareness-month

[3] https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma/risks-causes

[4] https://ark.media/videos/woman-reveals-how-sunburn-without-travel-insurance-ruined-her-holiday/

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Editors notes

Europesure Travel Insurance is a respected travel insurance provider, offering a range of travel covers to residents of the UK, EU, EEA, Monaco and Gibraltar. With the added peace of mind of having policies backed by Lloyds of London, holidaymakers and travellers can gain peace of mind of knowing their cover will be comprehensive and ready to step in, to offer whatever level of protection was selected, in line with the policy wording and terms and conditions.