Boozy Brits 'could invalidate their travel insurance'

Boozy Brits have been warned this week that their drunken antics while on holiday could end up invalidating their travel insurance.

According to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), most insurers will not cover intoxicated holidaymakers who end up needing, to have their stomachs pumped in a foreign hospital.

Frances Tuke, spokesperson for Abta, said: "It is an insurance policy issue.

"Most insurance policies are not valid if the cause of an accident is because of drinking. That is the conditions that they set and that is what people need to be aware of."

She explained that this approach is in line with the attitudes of foreign countries, who in recent years have been clamping down on some British holidaymakers' desire to drink until they drop.

Ms Tuke noted: "We do know that over recent years there has been some crack downs … certain destinations have taken a more zero-tolerance approach to binge-drinking.

"I think it is important for policing to be consistent."

Brits abroad are known for having a poor reputation among their European peers; a survey of hoteliers conducted by travel firm Expedia found that while Brits are the third-biggest holiday spenders, they are considered the meanest tippers.

Furthermore, we are thought of as the worst-behaved of all nationalities, as the third most impolite and in the top three biggest holiday complainers.

Hoteliers did not even rate the way we dress, putting our sense of style as second worst - however, Brits did beat the Americans who came last in this category.

While the bad reputation of Brits abroad can be the subject of some light-hearted conversation, on the Greek island of Zante binge drinking has reached a crisis point.

The BBC reports that Greek officials have met with British diplomats this month to see what can be done to curb the enthusiasm of rowdy UK travellers.

And according to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office this bad behaviour is not only annoying the authorities of the nations we visit, but is causing Brits to get in trouble overseas.

It reports that 6,710 passports were lost in Spain last year, 2,032 Brits were arrested in the country and 602 were hospitalised in Greece.

A loss of passport, hospitalisation and having possessions stolen is not just an inconvenience - it can be expensive. Boozy Brits should be aware that insurers have had enough and may well refuse to reimburse the repercussions of drunken nights out.