Travel insurance - what's the point??

[stephenT2]

I have just returned from a weeks holiday in Spain, and for the first time in my life, I did not take out travel insurance!

Insurance is all about risk, and I gathered that the risk of anything medical I needed would be covered by my 'EU Health Card':

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcare ... vered.aspx

The other things that insurance covers, like loss of suitcase (I can easily cover the cost of a few t/shirts), loss of valuables (my camera is 4 years old!), etc all involve things I personally am prepared to take the risk.

My girlfriend, who is perfectly healthy, got a weeks insurance for £6, I think a fair price. Because of my Diabetes, my weeks premium would be almost £70, and if I confessed to a recently developed heart issue, it jumps to £174!!

If I was travelling outside Europe, of course I would invest in insurance, but the EU Health Card is one of the true personal perks of being in the EU.

I can understand that many people don't leave the house without being covered for every eventuallity as they are totally risk averse, but really, for many people, what's the point?

 

[lovinglife]

In my opinion travel insurance is a necessary evil - something we need but hope never to use - ok losing a few belongings or having your camera stolen is b****ly annoying and costly but not life threatening. But holiday insurance covers you for so much more - your E1 U health card covers you for basic care.

Many many years ago a good friend fell from a balcony and sadly lost his life - he was young and felt he didn't need insurance - it cost his parents thousands to fly his body home and all the stuff that goes along with it

About 5 years ago my young nephew was taken very ill on holiday - he spent weeks in hospital and had to have a nurse fly home with him - my brother had insurance which paid for him to stay with his son and the expenses incurred with having to have a nurse etc (that was a few thousand on its own) - without the insurance my brother would probably have bankrupted himself!- and my 8 yr old nephew would have spent many more weeks on his own in a strange country - so yes I am a belts and braces woman and never travel without it - but hope I never have any use for it!

 

[phoenix]

I'd agree about the belt and braces.
1) you might have to pay upfront and not be repaid for some time.
2) You only get repaid what is covered under the health care system of that country. So for example many things here(in France) are only covered at 70% of a fixed rate, the actual cost could be more than that. On top of that you will have to pay a board and lodging charge. That unreimbursed part of the bill could amount to a lot of money if an emergency op and post op care was needed.( Thats why I have insurance to cover that sort of eventuality, even though 100% of my diabetes related care is covered.)
The UK website does say that you may be able to seek reimbursement when you are back in the UK. However, it doesn't state what the conditions are or if you'll always get the whole sum refunded.
3) Sometimes the difference between private and public care isn't clear and you may find yourself with a totally unexpected bill.
this below is a warning post from the NHS website

I recently visited Corralejo in Fuertaventura. My son became ill with a urethral stricture (he had had an operation in September to relieve the problem and had not suffered since). The problem caused him to be unable to urinate and required emergency treatment. The nearest hospital was in Puerto del Rosario which was too far away under the circumstances.

We attended the nearest clinic and my son was treated and kept under observation until the morning. We were then given a bill for €780 and when we enquired about the European Health Insurance Card we were told that the hospitals recognised the EHIC but the clinics did not.

 

[stephenT2]

your E1 U health card covers you for basic care.

Yes, that's what I get here - NHS coverage (not private), and it is very good! The health card entitles you to the same type of basic cover that citizens of your host country get.

Unfortunately, young men (your story was a tragic tale), and children are traditionally high risk insurance risks, and I too would probably take out cover under those circumstances.

However, as an increasingly mature, non-accident prone adult, I still feel the risk is one I'm prepared to take.

 

[lovinglife]

I see where you are coming from stephen as you say non accident prone etc - but like pheonix said its basic care of your host country and with respect you do have medical issues with your heart etc so you are not really low risk - in fact quite high risk - but the choice and risk is yours to take - sorry if I sound like I am lecturing - I don't mean too but it's difficult sometimes to put a point forward without sounding pompous when you only have the written word

 

[stephenT2]

sorry if I sound like I am lecturing

You're not lecturing at all

Like I said, its all about calculated risk. We stayed on the Costa Del Sol, where the standard of health care is high, and to be honest, I was nearer a hospital there than I am at my home address!

If I was travelling to a remote place, with limited medical resources of course, the risk would be entirely different.

I just think that all my life I've just taken out insurance as an automatic reflex to travel. The increased premium I was going to be charged simply made me more self aware, and enforced me to re-evaluate what I was potentially buying.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Like I said, its all about calculated risk.

That is exactly what the uncle of my sons friend thought when he went to the Philippines, where unfortunately he was hit by a drunken driver, after several operations there he had to by flown home for more operations here and is now paralysed from the neck down. His family had to sell their house and do all sorts of benefit/charity type things to pay his bills.

Now I know you would get free hospital treatment in the EU but what if you had to be brought back to the UK with nurses and doctors in attendance or worse still if your next of kin had to find the thousands of £'s to repatriate your body should the unthinkable happen, neither of those scenarios are covered by an EU health card as far as I know.

You might want to read this link. About 4,000 Britons die abroad each year Accidents do happen.

Pay for the insurance would be my advice, and hope you don't need it.

 

[stephenT2]

That is exactly what the uncle of my sons friend thought when he went to the Philippines

With all due respect to him, I would NEVER travel to the Philippines without health insurance!!

Look, Spain is part of the EU, as are we. As a member state of the EU, that entitles us to basic healthcare facilities in the same way that they would be if travelling in the UK. The healthcare facilities where I was staying were excellent. I was going for a simple 6 day break, primarily sitting beside a pool and reading a trashy book. Not going on an activity break, skiing, water sports or even walking outside of a pedestrianised town centre location.

The 'risk' I was taking was, and I still firmly beleive it, to me was minimal.

I don't have 'accidental' home insurance, I've never insured a domestic appliance in my life, I've never ever taken out an extended warrenty on a product, and I've never insured a pet in over 20 years of owning one.

I accept that my attitude is different to many people, but I just wanted to highlight the possibility, that taking out insurance, just because you've fallen into the habit, maybe worth examining now & again just to see if you really need it.

 

[phoenix]

For anyone else
This site says what is covered in each EU country.
It also mentions a top-up Ehic which covers the excess you would pay in some EU countries and repatriation costs. This sounds like it could be a sensible alternative to full travel insurance.
(it says it is a price comparison site, I have no idea about the quality of the insurance offered but the details of country health care look to be accurate).
http://www.travelinsuranceguide.org.uk/ehic.html

 

[badmedisin]

£70 to insure a week in Spain sounds a lot. I paid £42 for insurance on 2 weeks in japan. Good job too. I lost my insulin (at heathrow, aka 7th circle of hell) and had to buy stuff in Amsterdam and japan. Cost about £400.

Personally, I wouldn't tempt fate by not buying insurance. I've never actually had a holiday that didn't involve some sort of medical problem! Wish I'd had some kind of private health insurance when we had the motorbike crash. My bf was stuck in hospital in Cheltenham for weeks and it was just rancid. Unbearably hot but you couldn't open windows, the ward reeked of pee and some of the nurses were just scary. Not even gonna get started on the food! But if I could afford £200 a day I could have got him transferred to the private ward, which was considerably less torture chamber-esque and didn't stink of pee. How much does bupa cost?

Anyway, with my luck, I know that if I don't get insurance something unthinkably horrible will probably happen to me on holiday! I really shouldn't leave the house, no good can come of it...

 

[Synonym]

Travel Insurance is vital unless you are so rich that money is no object; you need to be prepared to lose everything without worrying about consequences. There are very few people who can afford to do that and most who could afford it would not risk their cash in that way.

Hospitals and clinics in some countries, however, are much more circumspect and one of the first questions asked is, "Do you have health insurance?" closely followed by a request for the details simply because they want to make sure that they will get paid promptly.

You should always ask yourself, "Can I, personally, afford to take the risk of the worst possible scenario actually occurring, having no insurance, and pay the bills myself?" If in doubt don't! :roll: :shock:

 

[Debloubed]

the whole point of insurance is to provide financial assistance if you have an 'accident' ie: something occurs which you didn't plan and couldn't have planned! Someone pranged my car earlier this year, don't think she had any clue it was going to happen and I'm 100% she didn't do it on purpose 8) it's the same principle for travel insurance as far as I'm concerned, I took my daughter to the USA and had no idea she would develop an ear infection, thankfully it wasn't serious but 1 trip to the Docs and some medicine later, insurance forms filled out, no money handed over and we made our trip home in tmie, phew! ok, so the USA isn't the same as the EU but still, you can't predict these events.

As an aside, the prices they charge for diabetics is silly expensive. There should be more choices from basic cover to top of the range cover so we can pick and choose depending on how accident prone we are :lol: not just are you Diabetic? Yes? Whooosh, the price goes up!

 

[stephenT2]

Someone pranged my car earlier this year, don't think she had any clue it was going to happen and I'm 100% she didn't do it on purpose 8)

Car insurance is a LEGAL requirement, and just out of interest, in the last 30 odd years, I reckon I've paid out over £25,000 in premiums, and never claimed!! :roll:

so the USA isn't the same as the EU

It sure isn't. They covet our NHS system so much, that it is one of Obama's biggest political ambitions to emulate it for all their citizens. Until they do however, anyone who travels to the USA without heath insurance is a blithering idiot

 

[Debloubed]

Someone pranged my car earlier this year, don't think she had any clue it was going to happen and I'm 100% she didn't do it on purpose 8)

Car insurance is a LEGAL requirement, and just out of interest, in the last 30 odd years, I reckon I've paid out over £25,000 in premiums, and never claimed!! :roll:

so the USA isn't the same as the EU

It sure isn't. They covet our NHS system so much, that it is one of Obama's biggest political ambitions to emulate it for all their citizens. Until they do however, anyone who travels to the USA without heath insurance is a blithering idiot

Agree with everything you say! But I stand firm, you can't predict an accident so legal or not, you won't catch me travelling anywhere without insurance :wink:

 

[J4MIE]

The car thing is a good example, if you'd not bothered and saved the 25k, it doesn't mean that next week you won't hit and write off not only your own car but also the car.transporter full of new Bentleys being delivered from the factory. It's unlikely I'll admit but I'd never even think of travelling without travel insurance. I currently have an annual policy through diabetes uk and can take unlimited trips anywhere worldwide and I think it cost about £90, and it covers my diabetes. Well worth it I think. You can never predict accidents, a guy I knew was killed in a car accident in Australia and was luckily insured and didn't give his family any more issues to deal with other than the obvious. Personally I wouldn't be happy looking down from above and seeing my mum have any extra hassle

 

[J4MIE]

PS As I discovered when I checked yesterday my ehic expired back in March so I am lucky that I've not had to claim since then............ lesson learned and replacement on its way

 

[stephenT2]

The car thing is a good example, if you'd not bothered and saved the 25k

With all due respect Jamie, the car is a very bad example. In the UK it's an absolute legal requirement which removes totally the risk assessment off the individual by statute. Also, my point in taking responsibility for your own risks in life, I would always choose to insure my car anyway as there are so many blithering idiots in the road

Travel insurance in not a legal requirement so allows the individual to assess their own risk. As I stated right at the beginning, travelling to a civlised location, with excellent heath care facilities, and the addition of the EHIC, I assessed my own personal risk to be minimal. Had the location been different, or any of the other factors different, I would have assesd the risks on those criteria.

Isn't it amazing how many people know 'a guy' who befell a terrible tragedy whilst travelling without the appropriate insurance - makes you wonder how any of us manage to leave the house on a daily basis without horrible consequence :!:

 

[mehdave]

Went on my first holiday abroad in 2008 Canada. Taken out the best insurance I could find. (not diabetic at this time) but had IBS and some other issues I declaired everything I could think off.

Now some people like my parents thought I was mad as 2 weeks cost me £69 with more than. Fast forward to the last day of my Holiday. I wake up in the morning of my Vancouver hotel with a tight chest and flu like symptoms so bad I could barely move. Muscles cramping and poring sweat. Managed to drag myself to the airport get through all the security sweating like I had something to hide with no one saying anything. 30 minutes before I get on the plane I Collapse to my knees struggling for air and so weak I couldnt shout for help. (in the middle of the airport) someone shouted for a medic.

One ride in an ambulance to hospital. 1 Night in ER struggling to breath. Then 5 days in there biggest private room. 4 Xrays, 2 Sputem samples. 1 other test with a big round machine. checking my brain for infection. 1 infectious desease specialist flown in from Toronto to Vancouver to check me then 4 days solid on anti biotics via IV. And found I had developed severe Bacterial pneumonia. As my Gran was with me the insurance took 1 phonecall. (she went morethan aswell) Put her in the closes hotel which was a best western 2 minutes away. Said dont worry about any bills at all they will deal with it. Total After 5 Days $33125 Candadian dollars. Then 2 nights to recover in the best western paid for by insurance. They then asked me who I wanted to fly home with and where to. So paid for premum seats on an air canada flight for us and a limo. Total $5374.

All with 1 phonecall and nothing to worry about on my first ever trip abroad. Trust me when I say do not ever skip on insurance and expect the unexpected. Bonus of the trip they found I have a heart murmer lol.

 

[stephenT2]

Well done Mehdave!

You see, I told you that anyone that travels to North America/Canada is an idiot if they travel there without travel insurance.

Many years ago when I was 17, I travelled to the States to spend the summer with relatives, something I often did. Unfortunately, I caught mononucleosis (glandular fever), which involved quite a bit of medical intervention. In those days, insurance customer service was appalling involving many, many form filling stints, but eventually I was re-imbursed.

Even at that tender age, I realised the health risk of travelling to the USA & Canada was more than I could afford to take!

 

[Debloubed]

the catch is, if someone steals your bag with your insulin in it you're screwed! :twisted: