Why would you take you family on holiday without travel insurance?!

[IsitaHatOrACat]

AIBU to think that this is part of the cost of the holiday.

Yet again there's a family raising funds to pay for medical care abroad. This time for a 15 year old old. This must be a terribly distressing situation to be in however why take the risk?

Because why bother, when everyone else can pick up the bill?

It’s mind-boggling how stupid some people are.

How would you pay for repatriation though?

Well my DD is now doing well, but was hospitalised with anorexia in the past. My DH has type 2 diabetes, again, well controlled. We were quoted £8K for health insurance. DS and I had health insurance, but we went for a package that excluded anorexia and diabetes related complaints. This was still £700.

If you can’t afford the holiday insurance then you can’t afford the holiday imo

Indeed. I've seen people justify it with "We're young and very fit and healthy". Yeah - until you're suddenly NOT, or have an accident.

Yep. Young, fit and healthy me with a burst appendix and peritonitis. Luckily insured.

We had to cancel a cottage holiday in Scotland last year after my partner fell and injured her back, rendering her unable to travel. Our travel insurance paid us back almost all of the cost.

Do you mean travel insurance? health insurance is different. There are specialist brokers for travel insurance with health conditions.

My dad has type 1 diabetes and a number of other health conditions, his insurance was nowhere near those prices, more like £300 for a multi trip policy.

You do know that most countries in the EU don't have free healthcare and somewhere like France they'll check your credit card before the ambulance takes you?! You'll receive the same care as locals, but the locals have mandatory insurance that covers it. You'll get a bill. Even in the UK visitors have to pay for NHS treatment.

To be fair, it's very easy to overlook. Years ago when you went to a travel agent they'd sell it to you at the time. Now if you book on line there are no prompts. I can understand why people who don't travel often or know much about it don't give it a thought.

But there is an agreement with the EU countries. That's why we have the little blue cards.

Do we know for fact that it is a case of no insurance rather than the insurance refusing to pay out?

A relative of mine died suddenly whilst on holiday in a European country. She was in her late forties with no known medical conditions. She had insurance - without it, the whole situation would have been even worse for her husband than it already was.

That's for health insurance, but repatriation, now we're no longer a part of the EU is an expensive business

https://overseas-healthcare.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/get-healthcare-cover-travelling-abroad/start#:~:text=A%20UK%20EHIC%20or%20UK,UK%20EHIC%20or%20UK%20GHIC.

I went to Turkey some time ago and managed to break my ankle on the first day. Without travel insurance the private hospital wouldn't have admitted me - or rather my credit card would have taken a significant hit. The insurance also meant I got assistance to get to the airport/through the airport, which was really helpful as someone travelling by myself. Since then I've always made sure I have a year-round policy to cover all my trips. This year I wanted to go on a big holiday outside of Europe and the first thing I did before I booked was upgrade my policy to cover the world - so that if I had a problem between booking and travelling I'd be covered. I have a few medical issues (mainly hypertension) and that does raise the cost, but it's still nothing like the cost of being uninsured.

No, really not! The arrangement is that you'll get the same treatment as the locals at the same price. The locals still have to pay too.

That's why you get the little blue card. Insurance card, EHIC. This will show them you have an insurance.
And for most EU countries, the healthcare is free for the end user, its just a different funding model. Not like in USA.

That would not include things like repatriation such as the poster’s dh

Not for an emergency surgery! Greece is a very socialist leaning country, no way locals have to pay for an emergency surgery.

Its mainly a prescription costs etc in the EU.

@AllThePotatoesAreSingingJingleBells
Yes, we go through all our existing conditions and add any new ones each April when we get a letter advising us to do so. So far we have never had to pay anything additional to what we pay monthly,

Yes, that makes sense. So you just have to stay for the treatment. Not ideal but its not like you are left to die.

You aren't! GHIC only covers immediate treatment as a local could access, and in many countries locals pay for medication and follow up treatment including every xray, bandage, blood test...

The company who flew the bloke into her is liable.
they should be following that route.

DH is very anti-insurance as we have funds to pay if there is a problem (but I always get insurance when we go away alone!)

Sometimes people think they have holiday insurance but the insurance companies can be very sneaky at finding loopholes to get out of paying.

Yes, that makes sense. So you just have to stay for the treatment. Not ideal but it's not like you are left to die.

And what if treatment is months or years? How are you going to pay for that?