To be sick of people starting to fund me pages when they go on holiday without travel insurance and can’t afford medical bills when they end up in hospital?

[AngeloMysterioso]

A woman with chronic pulmonary disease and mobility issues couldn’t afford the travel insurance she needed for her four week holiday to Disney World in Florida with her sons and grandson. So she went anyway, without any travel insurance, and you can guess what happens next… she caught covid and flu, then developed pneumonia, and is now in a critical condition in hospital.

And of course, her family has set up a go fund me to go begging to the public to cover the considerable financial cost of this woman’s utter foolishness.

AIBU to think if you can’t afford the travel insurance, you don’t go on the fucking holiday?? Especially if you have pre-existing conditions which make you particularly susceptible to falling seriously ill?

Because if the idiots who tavel without cannot get funding to pay for their treatment or to repatriate them,mthe taxpayer foots the bill
Why should they pay for a selfish greedy person?

I suspect that poster meant a requirement of travel. Like a visa. You need to evidence your valid travel insurance before you fly. It would be difficult to set up and I don’t know if it’s a plausible option but I actually think it is something that could be explored at government level.

I don’t think that’s true. I’m not sure any assistance is being offered to this woman.

It doesn’t need police involvement. It’s simple. You produce your proof of insurance at check in, and if you don’t have any then you’re not permitted to travel.

You don't have to contribute.

The taxpayer only pays for any treatment required once the person us back in the UK, treatment which they are entitled to and the cost of this is the same whether they were insured or not. The taxpayer is not responsible for covering any cost incurred in other countries.

You’re talking about the uk governments granting permission to travel to other countries based on insurance?

why do the uk government care if you end up with medical debt in the another country?

Agree, she's a bloody idiot.

Whilst I completely agree that it's absolute madness to travel without travel insurance, the legislation I'd like to see in is on insurance companies. It would be great to stop them taking the piss with premiums for pre-existing conditions. But vested interests and all that mean I won't be holding my breath.

Meanwhile this thread should be bookmarked for the summer "AIBU to think I don't need travel insurance" threads.

But all that would happen is that the sort of people who dont care about insurance take out cheap policies that aren't worth the paper they are written on. I mean it'd be good if all you are concerned about is covering the cost of lost baggage but for health coverage it's not so simple, especially if there are existing health conditions.

Do they take the piss, or reflect the true potential cost of treatment?

This lady was quoted 3k for holiday insurance apparently, that's a hell of a lot. Except that the cost of her treatment in the US is probably in excess of £1,000,000.

Insurers are businesses, not a public service - they have to make more money than they pay out in order to survive - would you want to pay more for straightforward travel insurance so that people with multiple or complex health conditions paid less?

This lady was quoted 3k for holiday insurance apparently, that's a hell of a lot

That's less than the cost of a week in Disney World, and she went for four weeks!

She travelled to the USA without insurance?!
Oh my word. Stupid dies not even begin to describe her.
I wouldn’t donate a penny.
Stupid, stupid woman.
When I worked in the travel industry you either had to fake out our insurance or provide us with the name if the insurance company you were using.
I know times change and I’m guessing she probably booked everything separately to penny pinch there too.
No sympathy from me.
A 4 week holiday to Florida is an absolute luxury.

Arrgh typos. On my phone without my glasses.

Yeah you need to read the second half of what I said. Go on - its just 1 more sentence.

Of all the places to go without travel insurance as well - the US.

Yes you are right - no one should go ANYWHERE abroad without travel insurance. There is no excuse for not going. It doesn't matter if you are fit and healthy, any random accident could happen - as the incident where a paraglider crash landed on top of a fifteen year old proves.

Do people just not realize how much health care actually costs? Or do they just feel confident that the people from their home country will foot the bill if something happens?

Insurance could be made a requirement for a visa. No insurance no visa.

Just don't donate? There are lots of charities / go fund he's etc that I don't agree with so I just don't donate. If the lady has made a poor decision that sucks for her family, but you can't blame them for trying to sort it out regardless, however you can just scroll past

If have some sympathy if she was having a cheap holiday in France but if she can afford to go to Disney World, which most of us can’t do, then yes, she should have bought her own insurance.

It's like the poor teenager that was hit outside a restaurant by a paraglider in Turkey. A totally freak accident and I hope she is doing well, but they had no insurance and had to set up the fund page to cover.

I have only ever done abroad once without insurance, was an oversight on my part, and I was lucky but would never do it again, you never know what is round the corner.

I’d try a different insurer. I’ve added loads of things like that to policies and never been charged extra!

I saw this story and didn't really feel any sympathy for them.
I understand that it's disappointing if the insurance cost means you miss out on a family trip, but that's just how it is. They could have saved for a bit longer to make sure the cost was covered.

My travel insurance costs are starting to increase for various reasons and I factor it in to the cost of the trip and budget accordingly. No sympathy for those who don't and then want others to pay.

The cost of insurance is frustrating if you have pre existing conditions- but there are specialists companies you can engage with for quotes.

I have a medical issue from 28 years ago I still have to declare it and find a specialist company even though the risk of it happening again is the same as anyone else!

Recently went away for the family insurance was £30 for me the same trip around £300 - but I would never travel without insurance so know I have to pay the extra!

I did - it was Except that the cost of her treatment in the US is probably in excess of £1,000,000 - that has no bearing on the cost and duration of her holiday, which is what I was comparing the cost of her insurance to.