Another day, another person with inadequate travel insurance

We have used trave insurance for 38 years and made our first ever claim in Budapest last year for emergency dental treatment. Not even particularly complicated and only around E1500 total and all with an English speaking provider. The insurance company were an absolute nightmare. Long prolonged calls from the hospital, then being referred to another Department and starting everything again, sending documents to wrong email account that they were told was not accessible, not phoning back when they promised to, refusing payment on a technical aspect of one page not having a stamp, insisting on Hungarian notes being translated. This all whilst in hospital getting emergency intravenous antibiotics to prevent sepsis. After 6 months complaints and investigation they admitted the service wasn't 'their usual high standard' and gave us 100 Euro compensation which didn't even cover all the calls and transport. It's really hard dealing with them from abroad when you or a loved one is sick, so I have sympathy for those that struggle. But to not have insurance in the first place is neglectful. It's just part of the holiday budget.

I think it's irresponsible to publish these sorts of stories about insurers failing to pay out without the full facts. Surely all it does is lead people to think well why bother with insurance if they're not going to pay out anyway. In this case, there's no confirmation that there is insurance at all.

Surely, if you were actually looking to make people aware you'd say, we bought insurance from the post office, it was their bronze policy and we were unaware it didn't cover repatriation....

That's a really old news story, plus she is not doing a GFM. The story is more about poor standards in CV hotels and healthcare.

I think a lot of travel insurance is a scam, I have never checked if repatriation is included. No idea why people feel better about themselves by chastising others.

Honourable mention to people who get basic travel insurance but don't declare pre-existing conditions then wonder why it doesn't pay out. For those unaware even if the cause of death or injury isn't directly related to the pre-existing condition a lot of policies will be void if not declared.

I have a dp with a chronic health condition that's tricky to get coverage for. I wouldn't dream of going away without arranging insurance though, that seems absolutely irresponsible! Yes, we pay more that another family would have to, but we're adults and it's responsible to plan for emergencies.

Ultimately holidays are a luxury. It probably is unfair that families with health issues have to pay more for insurance, so might go away less often. But, there are so many other reasons people pay more - number of dc, jobs that only allow time off at peak times if year, care responsibilities. I think as individuals we just have to cope with the situation as it is sometimes.

Not the person taking it out, the cruise company checking you have it

People have already answered, but to re-iterate:

Maybe she didn't care- more and more people are having direct cremations and no headstone anyway, so maybe they chose to save money by getting travel insurance that didn't include repatriation.

Maybe she bought travel insurance assuming it would cover repatriation of a body and it didn't. Most people don't thrill at the idea of reading small print, they just want a simple affordable policy (the exact opposite of what the insurance industry offers).

Maybe she was shafted by the insurers. Perhaps he had a glass of wine the night before he died so the insurance have wriggled out of paying by attributing his death to alcohol.

Anyway, the people who post these threads every summer usually wang on and on about consequences. This woman got her consequences- shouldn't you be happy things went your way this time?

In the original post it does not say they didn't have travel insurance but that she believed her husband's travel insurance would not cover the repatriation. So she did have insurance and it still did not cover this.

That is great they claimed for illness, but there is a big difference between and illness and being dead! Do you know for certain they would have paid out if you died?

If u can afford a holiday u can afford insurance.

What on earth makes you assume that? There are plenty of us who could otherwise afford a decent basic holiday abroad, but who have health conditions and disabilities which mean that insurance would slam the door on that opportunity shut to us for the rest of our lives.

We're firmly 'second-class' people in that respect. "Oh, isn't it lovely to have a wonderful, relaxing holiday and making memories with the family after working hard and looking forward to it all year.... oh, no not YOU!!"

Aren't they?

I absolutely do check my insurance and what it does or doesn't cover, including repatriation. I thought that was normal!

Did she even check with the travel insurance? Or just make an assumption?

In an ideal world, ordinary people would be able to understand all of the eventualities in a clear, comprehensive way and ensure that they included everything, or indeed understood what they were excluding; but the reality is that this is impenetrable to the average person.

It's very much in the insurance industry's interests for them to control what they offer; and their lovely, fluffy advertising department that urges people to know that they have peace of mind that they are 'fully' covered is right at the other end of the building - with a huge wall between them - from their department that carefully words the policies to make it look like it's fully comprehensive, but actually to pull back any ground of liability that they possibly can in every way.

Right next to them is the department that looks at scenarios that apparently were covered, but where they can find any tiny reason for refusing the payout - leaving trusting families and individuals heartbroken and destroyed, but a slightly higher figure on their own balance sheet; so that's all obviously just great.

Not to derail the thread and I appreciate it's too late for your lovely old dog's insurance but my insurance company tried that when my older horse got an abscess in her foot from standing on a stone (injury by accident). I asked my vet to write to the insurers to advise in his opinion it was an accident and should be covered. Surprise, they paid out.

Just in case you or anyone else finds themselves in that situation, speak to your vet.

It’s not unknown for a stone on a lair in someone’s home town to refer to mortal remains in a distant land.

But you could get any old cheap policy that was rubbish

But why not?
It must be one of the most devastating things to havs happen.
Surely not having to worry about cost would make it somewhat less dreadful.
If u can afford a holiday u can afford insurance.
And i have claimed for illness. 1250 for a doc to come to the hotel for noravirus. They paid out without question.

Maybe she did not expect her husband to die abroad, and thought the travel insurance would cover health cost because most people when they take out travel insurance would not think they would need it to repatriate their loved one?

Not always expensive, I've just bought mine, it was under £20, does include repatriation.

No cruise cover and Europe only at this point, no skiing etc.

But even my last policy which had cruise and all world was only about £60.

Repatriation also includes getting you back by air ambo if needed. It's not just for those who die abroad.

The first thing i check when i renew my insurance is the repatriation clause.
I dont get why anyone wouldnt.
I dont give a shit about a lost suitcase.
My main reason for getting insured IS repatriation.
Bonkers that anyone thinks not is ok.

It’s all very well saying companies should check if you have insurance but they are not going to know all your medical conditions or if you are going to ride a donkey and have cover for it

I doubt it, for repatriation costs. Most people could not pay upfront costs for that, it's going to run into many tens of thousands if not hundreds?

i t hink you have to go back 20 years for medical history