Travel Insurance I know I have written about it before and i am writing about it again and I will continue to write about it until everyone realizes just how important it is and does not travel without. Also so that people educate themselves on what they do have also as unfortunately all insurance products are not created equal.
I know the first thing that comes to your mind insurance is not cheap and for a family you can add sometimes up to $500 more to the cost of the trip by adding it. Who wants to add that much to a trip when you do not see the value of that money. My answer to that is do you have the money should something occur outside the country to covers those costs which can get into the thousands of dollars. Do you want to lose your home to medical expenses incurred that could have been taken care of for $500. Do you want to lose your life's savings? If you answer no to either questions than travel insurance is for you.
There are always travel horror stories in the news, accidents, missed flights, deaths, weather or political events etc.. You listen to many of them and think they are just too outrageous to ever happen to you. So in doing my research for this blog. I cam across incidents that have been included in insurance reports not big news items. Mostly because these people all had insurance and so did not need help paying for these things.
My first story is a young lady travelling in Thailand. She was experiencing a sore stomach and let it go for several hours. She finally could not bare it any more and went to a local clinic to find that her appendix were infected. She was in a remote village and had to take an ambulance (a truck with a bed in the back) 4 hours to a local hospital by the time she got there her appendix had burst. All of this was covered by insurance, even the ambulance ride. Another lady was riding a bike in Bali and a stray dog bit her. She had to get rabies shots for 4 months. Insurance paid for all of them and even paid to replace her jeans. All things that you would not expect to happen.
Another example a UK couple were 30 days into a 90 day vacation. Out in the middle of Turkmenistan when they received news that his mother was dying. They arranged flights back home. Insurance paid for the new flights and covered the unused visa's and 60 days of the trip not used. They would have been out a significant amount of money and no trip had they not. Another women was scheduled for a ski trip when she hurt her knee and had to cancel her trip. Her insurance covered everything she had booked.
Remember a few years ago now when the Iceland volcano erupted and spewing ash all over Europe and wrecking havoc with flights all over Europe. Many people had flights cancelled had to stay longer in countries than anticipated had to travel across Europe by train to try flying out further away. Some could not even leave for scheduled vacations. Anyone who had travel insurance would be covered by this occurrence.
These are all little things that could have become so big and really unexpected and no warning to any of them. Costs for for treatment can add up so quickly depending on where you are. I checked out some average prices for treatment in the United States. Treating a concussion can average $18454 USD. An Ambulance ride can cost between $224 USD to $2204 USD depending on the state you are in. X Rays can run you between $260 USD to $460 USD. An average hosiptal stay is $10,000 USD. A broken leg or arm can cost you $2500 USD. My nephew at 18 months old was walking on an even sidewalk stepped down the wrong way and ended up breaking his leg. Literally in a blink of an eye it could have just as easily happened while on vacation and cost a small fortune to treat.
Contrary to popular belief OHIP does not cover you for medical treatment abroad. It used to cover a few piddly things and those have just been recently removed as well. A women fell in Crotatia and hurt her head a few years back and needed surgery her family asked OHIP to cover the cost of air ambulance home. They of course refused as it is not covered. They then turned to foreign affairs to help with the cost of an air ambulance. They were once again denied. It is not something are government is meant to do. They had to resort to fundraisers and crowd funding sources. Travel Insurance would take care of all that and no need to ask family, friends and strangers to help you get the help you need.
As another comparison I looked at prices for care in Mexico an ambulance ride will cost you $2500 USD or more. Xrays from $210 USD to $1000 USD. Hospital stays are over $10,000 USD.
I use Manuife for all my insurance needs party because I do not like credit and have one credit card with a $5000 limit on it that really would not go very far should something happen to anyone in the family. The nice thing with Manulife is I do not have to pay out of pocket they cover everything up front so again no worries. Many work benefit plans and credit card benefit plans you have to pay out first and then be re-imbursed. I heard a horror story of a women who had work coverage paid $80,000 in expenses for an injury abroad and spent almost 8 months trying to get the claim in order and payouts. She almost went bankrupt over it. Can you afford to have that kind of money in limbo for any length of time let alone 8 months.
Even travel within Canada but outside your province you should have travel insurance. Our health care when not covered by a provincial plan is just as expensive as some of the prices you see for American Health care if you are a non resident.
So please protect yours and your families interest and get a travel insurance policy in place
Where you can find me:
I know the first thing that comes to your mind insurance is not cheap and for a family you can add sometimes up to $500 more to the cost of the trip by adding it. Who wants to add that much to a trip when you do not see the value of that money. My answer to that is do you have the money should something occur outside the country to covers those costs which can get into the thousands of dollars. Do you want to lose your home to medical expenses incurred that could have been taken care of for $500. Do you want to lose your life's savings? If you answer no to either questions than travel insurance is for you.
There are always travel horror stories in the news, accidents, missed flights, deaths, weather or political events etc.. You listen to many of them and think they are just too outrageous to ever happen to you. So in doing my research for this blog. I cam across incidents that have been included in insurance reports not big news items. Mostly because these people all had insurance and so did not need help paying for these things.
My first story is a young lady travelling in Thailand. She was experiencing a sore stomach and let it go for several hours. She finally could not bare it any more and went to a local clinic to find that her appendix were infected. She was in a remote village and had to take an ambulance (a truck with a bed in the back) 4 hours to a local hospital by the time she got there her appendix had burst. All of this was covered by insurance, even the ambulance ride. Another lady was riding a bike in Bali and a stray dog bit her. She had to get rabies shots for 4 months. Insurance paid for all of them and even paid to replace her jeans. All things that you would not expect to happen.
Another example a UK couple were 30 days into a 90 day vacation. Out in the middle of Turkmenistan when they received news that his mother was dying. They arranged flights back home. Insurance paid for the new flights and covered the unused visa's and 60 days of the trip not used. They would have been out a significant amount of money and no trip had they not. Another women was scheduled for a ski trip when she hurt her knee and had to cancel her trip. Her insurance covered everything she had booked.
Remember a few years ago now when the Iceland volcano erupted and spewing ash all over Europe and wrecking havoc with flights all over Europe. Many people had flights cancelled had to stay longer in countries than anticipated had to travel across Europe by train to try flying out further away. Some could not even leave for scheduled vacations. Anyone who had travel insurance would be covered by this occurrence.
These are all little things that could have become so big and really unexpected and no warning to any of them. Costs for for treatment can add up so quickly depending on where you are. I checked out some average prices for treatment in the United States. Treating a concussion can average $18454 USD. An Ambulance ride can cost between $224 USD to $2204 USD depending on the state you are in. X Rays can run you between $260 USD to $460 USD. An average hosiptal stay is $10,000 USD. A broken leg or arm can cost you $2500 USD. My nephew at 18 months old was walking on an even sidewalk stepped down the wrong way and ended up breaking his leg. Literally in a blink of an eye it could have just as easily happened while on vacation and cost a small fortune to treat.
Contrary to popular belief OHIP does not cover you for medical treatment abroad. It used to cover a few piddly things and those have just been recently removed as well. A women fell in Crotatia and hurt her head a few years back and needed surgery her family asked OHIP to cover the cost of air ambulance home. They of course refused as it is not covered. They then turned to foreign affairs to help with the cost of an air ambulance. They were once again denied. It is not something are government is meant to do. They had to resort to fundraisers and crowd funding sources. Travel Insurance would take care of all that and no need to ask family, friends and strangers to help you get the help you need.
As another comparison I looked at prices for care in Mexico an ambulance ride will cost you $2500 USD or more. Xrays from $210 USD to $1000 USD. Hospital stays are over $10,000 USD.
I use Manuife for all my insurance needs party because I do not like credit and have one credit card with a $5000 limit on it that really would not go very far should something happen to anyone in the family. The nice thing with Manulife is I do not have to pay out of pocket they cover everything up front so again no worries. Many work benefit plans and credit card benefit plans you have to pay out first and then be re-imbursed. I heard a horror story of a women who had work coverage paid $80,000 in expenses for an injury abroad and spent almost 8 months trying to get the claim in order and payouts. She almost went bankrupt over it. Can you afford to have that kind of money in limbo for any length of time let alone 8 months.
Even travel within Canada but outside your province you should have travel insurance. Our health care when not covered by a provincial plan is just as expensive as some of the prices you see for American Health care if you are a non resident.
So please protect yours and your families interest and get a travel insurance policy in place
Where you can find me:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor
Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca
Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca
TICO 50021282
55 York Street, Suite 1003
Toronto, On M5J 1R7
Office Phone 416-367-8264 ext 2625
Direct Phone 613-543-3006
Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area
Office Phone 416-367-8264 ext 2625
Direct Phone 613-543-3006
Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area
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