There have been several reports in the media lately of riotous British stag/hen parties being held abroad, heavily fueled by alcohol. Postings on some party websites describe in graphic detail, (sometimes very graphic detail), the wild goings-on at these events most commonly held in Eastern European countries such as Poland or the Czech Republic. Websites and agencies promoting these trips away educate you, not on the culture and history of the country, but on how to go out and get blitzed or find the best brothels on your stag or hen night.

NoClaimsDiscount.co.uk ( http://www.noclaimsdiscount.co.uk ) advises that overseas adventurers of this nature should remember that the police in holiday spots like Spain, Greece and Italy are growing less tolerant of drunken Britons. Their counterparts in Eastern Europe also may not always be so forgiving of British tourists being under the influence or behaving raucously.

The Foreign Office constantly puts out reports of serious accidents and deaths abroad each year. Topping the list of places where Britons are most likely to lose passports, be arrested, or be hospitalised, is the Czech Republic. As the Foreign Office says, this is most likely due to the mass influx of stag and hen parties to Prague. It therefore urges travellers to take precautions while travelling abroad, including taking out travel insurance.

So can someone actually be insured against stag/hen party accidents?

The catch here is that, for those who incur a mishap abroad under the influence of drugs or alcohol (or both), there's a strong chance that any travel insurance cover will be withdrawn and any claim rejected. The small print of most travel insurance policies will state that, should you get injured or cause damage in any way whilst drunk, the insurer is within it's rights to turn down the claim.

Travel insurance offered by the overseas stag/hen agencies themselves may not automatically cover you for drunken accidents either. Just because they sell party-goers insurance before telling them where all the pubs and bungee jumping spots are does not imply coverage for those activities.

Nobody is denying that stag/hen parties are fun, especially when they are coupled with a holiday and the  pound goes further in Warsaw than in Madrid or Paris, but it's appropriate to check all travel arrangements, including insurance cover, before leaving. Be aware of surroundings and of possible risks when drinking while away. Most of all, avoid situations that could result in insurance cover being invalidated