Psychologists have long proven that humans have a built in ‘it won’t happen to me’ wiring in the brain. There are actual studies. But whilst we think something won’t happen to us, chances are that it’s just as likely to happen to us as someone else. And this is why you should take out travel insurance.
When comparing your travel insurance options, don’t worry too much about your possessions. Yes it may cost a few thousand dollars to replace the contents of your bag if it gets stolen, particularly if your laptop or iPad and phone have been stolen, but what you really want to look for is good medical cover. You don’t need to be heading to a third world country to need good medical insurance either – you may simply slip on some ice walking around Central Park, New York in winter.
According to the UK ABI, in 2012 over 56% of all travel insurance claims were medical related and the average claim was over 900 pounds (AU$1,600) but costs can go much higher than that. There are cases such as the one where first class seats of a jumbo jet had to be removed so that the person could be repatriated to Australia to continue their medical care. You wouldn’t want to be forking out for that bill without insurance.
The Smart Traveller website says..
- Take care to provide your insurer with accurate information about your health.
- Ensure that medical cover offered under the insurance policy is appropriate for your personal circumstances and will cover the possible medical expenses likely to be incurred in the country you are going to visit.
- Make enquiries about medical expenses in the countries to which you intend to travel. Be aware that in some parts of the world medical costs can be very expensive.
- Be aware that failure to declare pre-existing medical conditions may nullify all coverage and result in you racking up a hefty bill in a foreign hospital that you must pay on your own
So don’t skip on the travel insurance because you never know when it will actually happen to you. Talk to your TTFN Travel Confidante about the best travel insurance option for you. Call us on 61 (08) 6382 5000.