More than one in four (28%) holidaymakers have travelled abroad on a city break without travel insurance, rising to almost half (47%) of Gen Z, according to new research by specialist travel insurance provider, Multitrip.com.

The Opinium survey of more than 1,000 UK holidaymakers also found that a quarter (25%) believe travel insurance isn’t needed for short trips, or don’t know whether it is, increasing to 46% of Gen Z.

Among those who have travelled without insurance, the most common reason was that the trip felt “too short to need it”, cited by 29%.

The cost of travelling without insurance

Medical problems can happen regardless of the length of a holiday. So far in 2026, medical costs have accounted for more than a third (34%) of all Multitrip.com claims, followed by cancellations at 23%.

Recent individual medical claims in popular European destinations include £7,267 for dehydration in Spain and £1,611 for food poisoning in Greece.

City breaks can also take UK travellers further afield, including to US destinations such as New York and Las Vegas, where medical treatment can be considerably more expensive⁴ than in many other countries.

Multitrip.com’s claims data includes US medical claims for a fractured leg costing £280,288, vomiting exceeding £7,000 and shoulder pain costing more than £3,000.

Misunderstanding around GHIC and government support

The Opinium research also reveals confusion about the protection available to UK travellers overseas.
More than a third (36%) believe having a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) means they do not need travel insurance or are unsure whether they do^, rising to 56% of Gen Z.

There is similar confusion around government support if something goes wrong abroad. Almost one in three (31%) either believe the government will pay their medical bills if they become seriously ill overseas, or do not know whether it would, rising to 55% of Gen Z.

A third (33%) also believe the government will cover the cost of getting them home if they become seriously ill abroad, or do not know whether it would, rising to 55% of Gen Z.

Christian Bennett of Multitrip.com said: “The GHIC is a sensible addition for trips to Europe, but it isn’t a replacement for travel insurance, even for a short city break. It provides access to medically necessary state healthcare in eligible countries, but it doesn’t cover everything. Crucially, it won’t cover the cost of getting you home if you become seriously ill or injured, or other problems such as cancellation or lost luggage.”
Travel insurance can provide protection beyond emergency medical costs, including cancellation before departure, lost luggage and missing travel documents.

He continued: “A city break might only last two or three days, but that doesn’t mean things can’t go wrong. The potential cost of needing medical treatment abroad doesn’t become smaller simply because your holiday is shorter.

“We always recommend buying travel insurance when you book your holiday. That way, cancellation cover is in place from the outset if something unexpected means you or a travelling companion is unable to travel.”
Multitrip.com offers a range of travel insurance policies to suit different needs and budgets, including annual and single-trip cover for Europe or worldwide (including the USA and Canada).

To get an instant quote, visit www.multitrip.com