Travellers 'must get recommended jabs'

Expatriates and other holidaymakers are risking having to make a claim on their health insurance abroad when they ignore recommended vaccinations, according to an insurance firm.

Emma Holyer, spokesperson for LV= Insurance, noted: "Getting ill can not only ruin a holiday but could lead to costly medical bills."

She commented that it "isn't worth the risk" of catching something serious when on holiday, so travellers and expats should ensure they are up to date with injections.

The main reason for not having jabs is because travellers do not bother to seek medical advice and so are unaware of the risk, Ms Holyer noted.

She recommended that people do their research and check the country requirements at the time of booking their holiday.

"Not all destinations will require vaccinations, but missing out on them means taking an unnecessary health risk" she added.

Research from the insurance company recently found that a quarter (26 per cent) of holidaymakers going abroad in the last 12 months went without the recommended vaccinations for illnesses such as Hepatitis A, typhoid and diphtheria.