Brini’s Real-Life Story: How Travel Insurance Saved My Trip
Hello everyone!!! This morning, I was mapping a dream road trip when my coffee jumped out and spilled all over my beautiful map. It got me to think the little bumps that happen in life are bothersome, but when it comes to travel, what about those?
There are few greater pleasures in life than getting out and exploring, meeting new faces, trying out the best local foods, hearing new accents and dialects, fucking shit up with strangers. However, no matter how you prepare for your relocation there is always the potential for something unexpected. The most fun vacations can go south in an instant, from cancelled flights and lost baggage to medical emergencies. And that is where travel insurance comes into play.
It is not just about costing but giving you security and confidence that if anything goes wrong, someone has your back. In today’s article, I will share my experience and show you why travel insurance became an essential element of any of my travels. If you’ve ever been on the fence about whether or not you should get clean and stay clean, my story will have you sold.
The Start Of My Adventure: Excitement And Expectations
I had dreamed of this Southeast Asia trip for as long as I could remember. Months in Western society meticulously orchestrating the ideal itinerary, curating the perfect ensembles, and researching a semblance of local etiquette later I was boarding the plane. There was a buzz of expectation in the air. I was itching to visit the historical temples, taste street food, and be part of this buzzing corner of the world.
Everything had a kind of magic, from the time I arrived. The hotel was much more than what I had expected, with beautiful views and a friendly atmosphere. The locals too were very warm, always smiling at me, excited to share their culture.
The food was an eye-opener, every meal was a journey, and I felt like I was on a culinary expedition with each dish. So wonderful is this experience, so perfect the feeling I had while in it that there was little to nothing that could ruin this moment.
Yet only three days into my trip, everything shifted. I woke up unwell hot, dizzy as if about to faint like a drunkard, actually fatigued more than I could remember feeling. Initially, I blamed it on jet lag or the thrill of days filled with adventure. However, as the day wore on, my symptoms worsened and this was not just travel sickness. Having to go to a doctor, somewhere where I didn’t know the language or how the healthcare system worked was scary. That was a half-second that changed my dream trip to suddenly challenge.
What Travel Insurance Covered For Me?
So, here is how my travel insurance policy saved lives in a medical emergency:
- After filling out my paperwork they paid 100% for every dollar of my hospital stay, medications, diagnostic tests, and follow-up care.
- Prevented me from potentially shelling out thousands on surprise medical fees.
- The team on call is calm, collected, and professional at all hours of the day.
- Direct me to a trustworthy hospital and arrange all payments directly with the hospital.
- Sprung for some more space during recovery time.
- So, for my return flight, I covered rebooking fees to make sure I could go home only when I was able to fly safely.
- Arranged for everything so that I could concentrate on getting better without having to stress about anything.
- Paid back for incidental expenses quickly, and was a fully hands-off experience.
These features are included in travel insurance to help you navigate what could otherwise be a daunting situation with confidence and peace of mind.
The Medical Emergency: A Turning Point
Remembering the time I woke up as the symptoms of a stroke were unbearable and I just got that feeling, that something was terribly wrong. Feverish, fainted, and weak, I figured this was too much for me to handle. There was nothing quite so terrifying as being abroad in a state of panic and one simple phone call to my travel insurance provider hotline was able to provide the relief I desperately needed. The Phonical agent was calm, professional, and understanding. In less than a few minutes, they guided me to the closest hospital where I could avail my policy and assured me that every cost would be taken care of, right from my policy.
An examination at the hospital confirmed I had developed a really bad bacterial infection, likely through something from food or drink. The doctors said that with the right treatment, my situation would not be so severe. I needed IV antibiotics within minutes and was in the hospital for three days recovering.
Lying there, I thought about how financially devastating this whole experience would have been had I not purchased travel insurance. Hospitals, medications, and other travel expenses would have easily added up to thousands of dollars of money I was not honestly budgeting for in terms of an emergency.
Rather, my policy took care of everything at once, and I could just think about getting better. From that moment on, I will never forget the importance of travel insurance.
Why This Experience Changed My Perspective?
I personally used to see travel insurance as an expense that could be avoided until this trip. What is the probability that something will go wrong? I’d often tell myself. As with any detail-oriented child, I was proud of myself for being such a planner and thought that my carefulness would keep me from trouble. However, as I discovered the hard way, you cannot plan for life.
It Was A Lesson Learned: how fast things can get out of hand when there are thousands of kilometres between you and your loved ones. My horrible medical emergency not only struck terror into my psyche but also proved a financial quagmire.
I would have been thousands of dollars behind on hospital bills, accommodation costs, and flight rescheduling fees for my journey home if I had not had travel insurance. Nobody wants to run into this situation and yet it happens more than we want to believe.
This was only a fraction of what my home and travel insurance paid for, which reassured me during one of the most traumatic parts of my life. This ensured I could focus on recovery, instead of how I would pay to recover, which provided great peace of mind. This experience altered my perception of travel insurance completely. It is no longer optional for me with each trip I take it has become a necessity.
Conclusion
Looking back on my experience, I can say that travel insurance is not an extravagance, it is a necessity. And that single option not only kept me from bankruptcy, it also gave me back my confidence in being able to handle a situation halfway around the globe. But place your faith in its absence and travelling becomes like walking a tightrope walk sans the net.
But life is unpredictable, more so when you are in a new environment and no matter how much you prepare. Buying yourself travel insurance helps you be ready for an unexpected medical emergency, missing luggage, or an out-of-the-blue trip delay. Making sure that your hard-earned trip does not end up costing you money or emotionally.
To make matters worse for listeners of my story, this aspect of travel planning is often overlooked by folks. It is not merely a financial safety net, it is your emotional security blanket. Now, I take it everywhere with me. If you have a trip in the works, be sure to make travel insurance a priority unless you plan on waiting until an absolute crisis to do so. However, smart preparation is the key to safe travels.
FAQ
Trip cancellations, medical emergencies, lost luggage and delays are the main things that are covered most of the time by policies. This is where you once again need to remember that the devil is in the details or read the fine print for exclusions.
You can purchase coverage on a trip-by-trip basis or select annual plans if you travel often.
Absolutely. Travel insurance will set your mind at ease; it can protect you against unforeseen circumstances, even for a domestic trip.
Most policies include some level of COVID-19 coverage for medical expenses, cancellations face no-face-policy or if you were asked to stay in quarantine but do verify the particulars.
It depends (but anywhere from 4–10% of the total cost of your trip). The peace of mind it gives you is priceless.
