One in three young travellers don’t bother with travel insurance despite heading to some of the most off-the-beaten track countries in the world, a new study has found.

Research conducted by Halifax revealed that Britons aged 18-20 holiday overseas an average of three times a year. Yet worryingly a staggering 4.6 million do so without any cover and are risking financial disaster.

Halifax travel insurance senior manager Vicky Emmott said the blase approach is particularly worrying considering the nature and destination of the holidays.

“It is a concern to see that many younger people are going abroad without insurance, especially as they are travelling so far and so frequently,” she said. “Ironically this generation are more likely to be tempted to bungee jump or go off the beaten track and therefore should be thinking more about the need for insurance.”

She estimated the cost of repatriating a patient with a broken leg would be almost £10,000 without sufficient cover. The study also revealed that 90% of travellers visit a different country each year. More than eight out of ten people questioned had visited France while just over 75% had taken in the Spanish sun.

Long haul destinations are becoming increasingly popular however with the US the third most popular country with Australia, Thailand and Malaysia all in the top 20.

• UK holidaymakers pay double for travel insurance
• Brits travel 248,000 miles in lifetime
• Travel insurance required despite E111
• Travel consumers take a gamble with Travel Insurance

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