A poll by consumer programme Radar shows that more than one in ten people do not take out travel insurance. For example, because they have had bad experiences with a claim. Angela Looyé (Eurocross) points out the risks that people without coverage run.
1. What is the biggest misunderstanding about travel insurance?
"I regularly hear people say: oh well, we don't take that much luggage with us, so it's a shame if something gets lost. But travel insurance goes far beyond those sunglasses or your luggage. Mind you, I don't sell insurance, but we deal with people who don't have enough coverage at least once or twice a week at our emergency center. They can then pay the bill themselves. That can be a small amount, but it can also run into the barrels."
2. Is that why you recently shared some examples on your LinkedIn profile of people who had to dig deep into their pockets after medical care abroad?
"Sure. Without insurance, you can face incredibly high costs. This applies specifically to medical expenses. We have made some calculations and you don't even have to go far for that. Let's say you go to Spain and break a leg. In Spain you have state hospitals and private clinics. It means quite a bit for the price tag you end up in. Private clinics are much, much more expensive than our care and through your basic insurance you often only get reimbursed the Dutch rate. The rate for a leg fracture in the Netherlands is 3,000 euros. In Spain you pay 30,000 euros in a private clinic. If you do not have good additional health coverage or travel insurance, you will pay 27,000 euros yourself."
"The rate for a leg fracture in the Netherlands is 3,000 euros. In a private clinic in Spain, that's 30,000!"
3. Is supplementary health insurance sufficient to be covered abroad against high medical costs?
"You can, but it doesn't have to be. For example, it is also possible that your supplementary health insurance reimburses up to twice the Dutch rate. Sounds good, but in that Spanish example you still lose 24,000 euros yourself. And if you need care in America, you're the one to blame anyway. That is why we keep repeating it: see what your (additional) health insurance reimburses and ensure sufficient coverage. It really pays to not only delve into the weather at your destination, but to check in advance whether you have enough coverage. Maybe not the best job for your holiday, but it can save you a lot of financial suffering."
4. Which file has stayed with you the most?
"It's been years, but a young man went on a solo trip. He died in South America and unfortunately did not take out travel insurance. He could not be repatriated to the Netherlands, because the costs were too high for his family. He is now buried somewhere in South America. I find that so intensely sad. If he had had travel insurance, his remains would have flown back to the Netherlands. Repatriation is covered by travel insurance as standard. This is important in the event of death, but perhaps even more so if something happens to you that requires you to be flown back by ambulance. If you cannot get on a scheduled flight back to the Netherlands and need medical care on the way, an ambulance flight is used that costs about one and a half tons per flight. So you can be stuck with that for the rest of your life if you don't have travel insurance."
"It really pays to not only delve into the weather at your destination in advance, but also to check the coverage"
5. You see a lot of misery every day. What is the most important reason for you to take out travel insurance?
"If something happens to me or my family while traveling, I don't want to be left with a skyrocketing debt. Travel insurance is not expensive and can prevent a lot of misery. For example, it also covers extra travel and accommodation costs, such as rebooking airline tickets and the hotel costs for your partner if you are in the hospital. Furthermore, the return journey of the fellow travelers is covered, often together with the patient. And if you are traveling alone and end up in the hospital, the travel insurance also covers the arrival of a family member. It's those things that you don't think about by default, but it can be so incredibly nice if this is arranged (and covered). And you're right, I'm in the middle of it. I see what our doctors and emergency center can do when you are in need. Just think of something as 'simple' as a translation if you are receiving medical treatment in a Spanish-speaking country and you don't understand what that doctor is telling you. I want to feel assured of the right coverage when traveling, but also of good assistance just in case."
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