To wonder why people don't buy travel insurance?

[EveningHare]

If you can afford a holiday then you should not look at travel insurance as an optional extra

It's vital that you have it, anything could happen and if you don't have lots of money in the bank, how would you pay for it? Go fund me?

Friends of my inlaws had a son who took the "never buy travel insurance" approach. He was critically injured in a skiing accident and died a couple of weeks later. His widow lost everything (medical bills) and was left destitute with two young children. He didn't believe in life insurance either as it turned out.

An EHIC can be applied for retrospectively too. You just ring a phone line at DWP with NI number and they provide a reference and you give that to hospital. It’s a faff in an emergency abroad but the hospital I was it gave that advice despite being otherwise unhelpful. Nurses opened the back doors in a resus room with patient in situ and stood in doorway smoking. I digress - in my experience the card only gives you minimal discount though.

I lived abroad for many years and I didn't have any type of international insurance, so I had to pay for things myself. Apart from the hospital stay in Thailand in 2012, which included me having to be taken by ferry with the doctor on an IV from Kohtao to Ko Samui and then an ambulance to the Thai government hospital, and then a week stay in the hospital. I had to stay in the government hospital because the nice foreign hospital would have been much more expensive. I didn't mind, my tie is pretty decent and I was already so used to Southeast Asia that the government hospital was no problem. No-frills, very crowded, and very loud, but I was OK. Another patient's family bought things for me from the shop, thankfully, as I was on my own.

Now, when I travel and I can find where to buy the travel insurance, I buy it. In December, I was flying back from Greece the day it snowed and my flight was canceled. But we were treated very well So again not a problem. I speak Greek though, so I think that helped a bit! Our hotel and everything else was paid for, I think four 100 passengers.

I cannot understand why people wouldn’t get it. In the future, I hope in the future it will become mandatory not least for all the drug resistant bacteria more prevelany elsewhere...

For those with preexiisting conditions the following is dead useful from cancer research uk, I’ve used it for companies to insure my crohns...

www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/practically/travelling-with-cancer/travel-insurance/specialist-policies-and-insurance-companies

I had completely forgot to sort insurance when we went abroad last year. We'd had a few awful months and my mind was elsewhere half the time (never travelled without it before). 3 days in we were in a bad car crash which wasn't our fault, and I ended up with a lot of injuries! Never again will I "leave something until nearer the time" and then forget to sort!!

"Gwen neither the EHIC nor NHS would have got you a medical escort home, from France for instance"

Yes, but if I was ill, I'd rather stay in France! Issue would be whether the EHIC would pay for my continued care there.

Gwen see my subsequent post re resus room. That was just one example of the low level of care. Couldn’t get the patient out of France fast enough. The ambulance and 6 day long stay totalled over £3k euros after EHIC discount and had to be be paid before leaving plus £4K medical escort cost. All repaid by insurance.

You’d need insurance.

Amelia, your choice, your decision, but mine to judge as I like.

Do without all those insurances, sure. The impact of any of them being needed is minimal compared to the potential cost of a broken leg (requiring surgery and pins or a plate, for example) or a simple accident causing brain injury.

Well, I've just bought an annual insurance policy for the family and it was really helpful having read through this thread first.

Between our private health insurance here in the US, and booking everything using a credit card that has coverage for things like trip cancellation, lost luggage, collision damage, etc, it turned out that all we really needed to insure ourselves for was the medical insurance excess, medical evacuation, and repatriation of remains.

Cost $285 for the year and covers pre-existing conditions.

I do feel better now especially as DD is going to South America on Thursday.

Gwen
You're incredibly naive if you think the
French would let you stay in a French hospital at your leisure until you were well enough to travel home.
Ehic would get you to hospital and stabilise you, and then you've be on your way if you didn't have insurance

Our daughter has a complex medical history, and has been hospitalised three times while we've been on holiday, (Europe & Aus) and we had no issues or charge whatsoever.

I had a c section, week long hospital stay and follow up appointments for me, paediatrician for baby all on ehic. It cost me €2 for regular appointments and nothing for the birth. They don’t just stabilise you and kick you out, indeed they are happy to continue to treat in the knowledge they are not funding it. Obviously it depends on the country as to what the locals receive

Holiday in USA with insurance. DH developed ear infection was in a remote place only healthcare was hospital, kind of cottage style place. At reception asked how we were paying. Informed insurance. Gave document then told they don't make claim, It's up to you. Had to give credit card details for payment. Did receive full details of treatment and cost. Also prescription for antibiotics pills and eardrops - horrendous costs. Pills $60 and drops $92. Again we had to pay. All costs claimed on return home but took about 6 months. Insurance is great but be prepared to have to pay up front and reclaim unless you have a huge amount to claim and insurance company willing to liaise with hospital to pay costs.

@manicmij that is typical. Insurance usually only pays upfront for inpatient treatment and transport.
GP appointments, prescriptions etc have to be paid for and are reimbursed on submission of receipts and medical report proving the treatment was justified.

Another good reason why having a credit card is a must for holidaying in the US.

Never travelled without it and never would especially as my dad had a heart attack whilst on holiday in Portugal. Hospital coats alone
(for op, tests and room etc) were250k. He also had to have an accompanied flight home with a nurse so that was more cost. Luckily all covered by insurance. No way on earth my parents or me or my sibling could have covered any of that

ScattyCharly I agree. I only insure against potential catastrophe. So House insurance and travel insurance but not things like white goods and mobile phones.

UndomesticHousewife Thanks for the recommendation of AllClear. I got a quote for them for £100 cheaper than my so called free bank insurance!

" I only insure against potential catastrophe. So House insurance and travel insurance but not things like white goods and mobile phones."

Same here, and of course car insurance, and life insurance.

Another good reason why having a credit card is a must for holidaying in the US

I don't have a credit card. Am I not allowed to travel to the US.

Frazzled that is nonsense. DF spent six weeks in a French hospital after complications from peritonitis, only on the EHIC. There was never any question of being shipped out until he was better. All upfront costs subsequently reimbursed, too. There's fair warning, and ignorant scaremongering, so let's not slip into the latter.

Yesyouarebu You must be very well off if you think that the £850 we paid for my husband's insurance for our two week cruise is really cheap. We didn't think it was cheap but we paid it anyway. Likewise, the £2,500 - £3,500 we have been quoted for a holiday to America isn't really cheap. But we will pay it if we want to go because only idiots travel without insurance.

That is a fatuous remark

Of course you are, but using a UK debit card over there is expensive, and hiring a car without a credit card is much more difficult. Credit cards are much more widely used in the US and are a really useful safety net in case things go pear shaped as so clearly described by manicmij

I don't have a uk debit card, and have no need to hire a car (like the majority of tourists to the US).

You said a cc is a must. It is not.

Having an EHIC card entitles you to any state provided health care in that country. Provided you haven't specifically travelled there for that reason of course. So when our daughter has been hospitalised in Europe, we have not had to pay anything. Likewise with Aus, they have a reciprocal arrangement for state provided healthcare. I'd imagine where insurance is in place, your claim is a private care arrangement, and naturally, private healthcare costs can be extortionate, as seems to be case with some experiences mentioned here. So having an EHIC card or being in a country like Aus, does entitle you to whatever healthcare is state provided, but it won't of course, fly you home!