The AA has warned people planning a trip to the continent this bank holiday weekend to make sure they have bought travel insurance in advance.
Britons are forgetting to buy travel insurance in advance before holidays to the continent - and in some cases are avoiding taking out cover completely.
According to AA Travel Insurance, not planning ahead can cause serious problems for holidaymakers. Apart from missing out on cheap travel deals, many people find themselves in such a rush that they often forget vital items, such as travel insurance or even their passports.
AA Travel Insurance director Christian Young cited figures from the Foreign Office which show nearly one in five Britons do not take out any cover at all when travelling to Europe.
"European travel is very easy these days with the euro as a standard currency and 'turn-up-and-go' access to Eurostar, ferries and budget airlines," he added. "But last minute travellers can find themselves badly out of pocket by missing out on advance fare deals and could miss out even more if they neglect travel cover, even for a weekend break."
Britons who fall ill or are injured when in Europe may be treated by the medical services but there will be no money provided for the return journey, Mr Young warned.
"Many will also charge for treatment even if you have remembered an EHIC reciprocal medical card which should never be considered a substitute for travel insurance," he added.
