To travel insure or not.......Wow, this is worth a read!

[Pushka]

Friends son hurt his knee snowboarding. Had a cat scan and discharged same day with bandage and pain killers. His parents received the bill in Australia. $12,000.

 

[Daver6]

Not only is travel insurance a must, knowing what you are covered for not covered for is equally important as MrsDaver6 and I found out the hard way recently. Knowing that an activity you might be considering isn't covered is rather important for us now.

 

[SeatBackForward]

If you start with the premise that Insurance will *definitely* pay out for things that *definitely* wont happen, you can then start narrowing down the policies that *might* pay for things that *might* happen.

*Definitely and Might are differing points on the scale of possibilities.

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes it's deeply troubling the way the US dish out invoices from hospital visits. On the contrary, a friend had an accident with a collapsing chair in Denmark last summer that nearly severed a finger. She needed extensive surgery, doctors initially telling her they didn't think they could save the top of the finger but her line of work meant this would have been a catastrophe. So after some begging to the doctor an elaborate operation was undertaken that eventually succeeded. Superb treatment all around and several days in the hospital. As she went to discharge, she asked for the bill. "No bill, treatment is free in Denmark." she was told. "I've got travel insurance, they'll cover it so just bill me something." she told them. "No madam, treatment is free for all patients in Denmark."

Some lessons the Europeans can teach us for sure!

I am constantly amused when "it's free" is used. Someone eventually pays. I'll bet that it's not free to the taxpayer.

 

[Denali]

.... I am also of the belief that you should be home and not doing these type of activities if you are 26 weeks pregnant...
.

She was pregnant, not disabled.

Lots of women are active because its safe and they have spoken to their doctor. And it seems the issue is she delivered early while overseas, not the actual activity, lots of woman swim and/or exercise up until the birth.

A quick google and look at a few airlines sites showed me flights over 4hrs are a capped at 36 weeks and seems a lot of pregnancy sites say the same.

Now... would I be flying off to anywhere at 6mths pregnant, I highly doubt it but there are lots of woman that would do it safely all the time.

As for insurance, I tend to be over insured, I have my credit card insurance travel benefit and my own insurance, work provided insurance and DAN for scuba that might not be covered by the others. Wasteful, most probably but like I said before, Im not really interested in trusting the fine print of just one provider.

 

[Pushka]

She was pregnant, not disabled.

Lots of women are active because its safe and they have spoken to their doctor. And it seems the issue is she delivered early while overseas, not the actual activity, lots of woman swim and/or exercise up until the birth.

A quick google and look at a few airlines sites showed me flights over 4hrs are a capped at 36 weeks and seems a lot of pregnancy sites say the same.

Now... would I be flying off to anywhere at 6mths pregnant, I highly doubt it but there are lots of woman that would do it safely all the time.

As for insurance, I tend to be over insured, I have my credit card insurance travel benefit and my own insurance, work provided insurance and DAN for scuba that might not be covered by the others. Wasteful, most probably but like I said before, Im not really interested in trusting the fine print of just one provider.

But this isn't the way Insurance companies determine risk. She was pregnant and at some stage she most definitely was going to give birth. Of course most women will safely travel until just before the due date but that isn't the way the actuaries see it.
This isnt a discussion on safe activity during pregnancy but understanding the risks you take should something go wrong when overseas.
Travel around Australia and go into premature labour and it isn't an issue. You and the baby will be covered. Overseas and you are on your own.

A quick google on Insurance and pregnancy:

 

[Denali]

But this isn't the way Insurance companies ....

My post was in reply to JohnK who said "she should be home and not doing these type of activities". Most women aren't given the privilege of being wrapped in cotton wool and kept at home for the duration of their pregnancies.

Again. Not something I would do but Im guessing this woman spoke to her doctor before going.

 

[Pushka]

My post was in reply to JohnK who said "she should be home and not doing these type of activities". Most women aren't given the privilege of being wrapped in cotton wool and kept at home for the duration of their pregnancies.

Again. Not something I would do but Im guessing this woman spoke to her doctor before going.

I suspect JohnK meant not travelling overseas rather than at home in the kitchen.

 

[Sdtravel]

I always try to travel with insurance when i go on a holiday myself. Strangely when i visit my father overseas during Christmas holidays i dont even think about insurance.
But after reading this i think insurance is a must. But i havent had to use it.
My brother did once a few years back and it was a saviour. He had an issue with excess fluid on the brain while in London and spend several weeks in hospital. That was one huge bill that i think travel insurance picked up the bill for most off.

On the subject
A friend of mine in the states offered to take me to this shooting range with clay pigeons as he has a couple of riffles.
I have travel insurance with BUPA while im there. Do you think im covered under the standard policy if someone goes Dick Cheney on me?

Looking at the PDS
http://www.bupa.com.au/staticfiles/BupaP3/pdfs/MUC0308TV0174__0512 Travel PDS.pdf
The exclusions dont mention anything about shooting ranges or the like. Closest thing i can find is hunting
Possibly the thing about hazardous work or if they claim we dont have appropriate safely equipment.

 

[amaroo]

Life doesn't get put on hold during pregnancy. Given it's a 40 week term, 26 weeks to me would still seem reasonable for that last holiday as a couple.....before all hell breaks loose! I can understand the reasons and motives in their actions. To me, although the ludicrous medical bill is an obvious discussion point, the real moral of this story is to highlight a little known possibility, that being an unborn child is apparently not covered by the insurance. I think that's a trap that many could very easily fall into.

It's all about risk .. domestic holiday would provide the benefits without the financial risk.

Insurance policies are written in the name and age of "xyz" ..... seems logical that an unborn baby would not be included in your bog standard insurance policy.

 

[Natalie_B]

I've travelled to Hawaii in this and my previous pregnancy. Obviously travel insurance is a must, pregnant or not.

In my first pregnancy,I was 16 weeks pregnant. Travel insurance was easy, and because only I was covered (not the baby) it was a none issue as at 16 weeks the baby would not have survived.

This is time I travelled at 27 weeks and was home at 29 weeks. For those of you who say pregnant women should not travel at this time, you'll be pleased to know that it was no different to any of my other long haul flights, perhaps just a little less room between me and the tray table. Before we booked our flights, we investigate travel insurance as I wasn't boarding that flight without it. We found a company that would let you add an pregnancy extension to 30weeks and would cover the baby. It cost us $925. Some people would be horrified at that cost, but I wanted to go and I didn't want it to cost me $1m.

My dr didn't have a problem with me traveling, he even encouraged it. When I suggested visiting fiji instead if he was worried about the long flight, he told me that he wouldn't approve me to go there as the medical attention wouldn't be to his standard and he would insist on getting me airlifted out of there.

Life doesnt stop because you're pregnant. Qantas will let you fly up till 40 weeks (with appropriate paperwork) for flights less than 4 hours.

 

[dajop]

I generally travel without comprehensive travel insurance. But I always travel with travel medical insurance (now annual).

One thing that moved me to focus on medical was that most policies available here in Singapore for residents had a range of restrictions and caps (the highest cap I actually found was about $750k USD). All I wanted was unlimited medical and not so worried about luggage, delays etc so have gone with an unlimited medical only policy with (in comparison) less restrictive T&Cs on medical coverage, but no coverage for other things.

 

[blackcat20]

I am also of the belief that you should be home and not doing these type of activities if you are 26 weeks pregnant.

Pregnancy isnt an illness. If you havent had any complications and the doctor gives you the all clear, theres no reason why you shouldnt travel. Pregnant women still go to work at 26 weeks, cook, clean, go to gym etc.
As long as you have the appropriate insurance.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

It's all about risk .. domestic holiday would provide the benefits without the financial risk.

Insurance policies are written in the name and age of "xyz" ..... seems logical that an unborn baby would not be included in your bog standard insurance policy.

Yes, I thought after I posted, that a holiday in Hawaii was possibly not the wisest choice of destinations, given the situation. I disagree however with it seeming logical that a dependant is not included in a policy that says it covers all dependants under 21! I'm continuing my insurance comparisons tonight, so I might just read the PDS' with pregnancy in mind (just out of interest mind you........if I thought my +1 was pregnant again, I'd probably need suicide cover rather than anything else )

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

I just read on Ozbargain that the CBA credit card has free insurance with OUT a purchase needing to be made on it. For Gold/ Platinum and Diamond holders. Has anyone looked into this?
Looks correct from 1/7/15.

 

[UP4014]

We always hear about these obscenely expensive hospital bills in the US. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of the costs and the justification!

A bit like infrastructure projects in Australia.

I think one reason it seams expensive is because we don't often pay the full amount here as an individual.

US medical while costly is often the best in the world and what they have is user pays. (The Govt here is working on user pays:shock

If you don't want travel insurance for the US allow $10K per broken limb, $10K per day in hospital is the going rate and $600 per call out for a Doctor to visit you in your hotel.


Matt

 

[Pushka]

Sorry but just because most people are fine to travel at 26 weeks doesnt mean that Insurance companies rate the risk of premature birth in the same way. And that is the issue here - the risk at travelling after 26 weeks is a real one, no matter how well an individual one goes. Insurance companies manage risk. That is what they are about.

 

[amaroo]

Yes, I thought after I posted, that a holiday in Hawaii was possibly not the wisest choice of destinations, given the situation. I disagree however with it seeming logical that a dependant is not included in a policy that says it covers all dependants under 21! I'm continuing my insurance comparisons tonight, so I might just read the PDS' with pregnancy in mind (just out of interest mind you........if I thought my +1 was pregnant again, I'd probably need suicide cover rather than anything else )

FWIW this is one of the exclusions from our annual "family policy" (TID) ... no need for logical assumptions - it's in black & white in quite large letters.

7. Your claim arises out of pregnancy or related complications after 26 weeks of pregnancy with a single baby or after19 weeks of pregnancy with a multiple pregnancy. Expectant mothers should consider whether they travel under
this policy, as no cover is provided for childbirth or the health of a newborn child, irrespective of the stage of pregnancy at which the child is born

 

[Quickstatus]

It's not about whether it's safe during pregnancy at whatever stage to partake in whatever activity.

insurance is about assessing risk and putting a price on the assumption of that risk - which is the medical cost of a premature birth.

I'll bet the couple in question thought that the risk was minimal and worth being uninsured. They probably asked an insurance company to assume the risk- in which case the company would have said no thanks. Instead they self insured.


I won't be surprised if they played the "it's not fair - just because I'm pregnant does not mean I'm a cripple" card and make the insurance companies look like orgres and misogynists.

Sorry no no sympathy from my end

 

[Quickstatus]

Seems like a few are surprised at the cost of overseas medical treatment.

This is partly because in Australia we have been conditioned into thinking that health care is essentially free
we do not see the full invoiced cost of an episode of care.

I wish for for the government to send invoices to everyone who gets treated. The invoice should show the actual cost and a bottom line of the amount the government subsidises. Followed we by a piechart of where that money comes from