By Clay McAdam
I don’t know how many are like me
when they travel and it comes to purchasing insurance. For many years I
traveled without having travel cancellation/interruption /medical insurance,
secure in the knowledge that I would never need it. In recent years I began to
purchase travel insurance thinking to myself what a waste of money it is, but I
bought it anyway, mainly at the insistence of my wife.
This year saw many people stranded
all over North America and Europe, and other areas as well, when the volcano in
Iceland
blew and disrupted the travel plans of many thousands of people. Everybody has
heard a story of someone who was stranded and ended up paying astronomical
hotel bills that the hotel industry saw fit to charge the unfortunates who were
caught stranded. My wife and I were some of the unfortunates who had travel
plans disrupted in April when we were trying to fly from Mexico to Belgium
via Atlanta, Georgia,
U.S.A., and London, England.
We had flown from Guadalajara, Mexico to Atlanta
with no problem. The fortunate part was that we had decided on an overnight
stop in Atlanta to stay with my niece before
going on to London and Belgium the
following day.
The following day brought an e-mail
message from the airline advising that our flights from Atlanta
to Belgium
were cancelled due to the volcanic ash. I looked at the insurance policy prior
to calling the tour company and found that it covered trip cancellation or
interruption “for any reason.’ I immediately called the tour company and
advised of the cancellation of our flights. I was told that it would be at
least five days before the tour company would be able to get us on another
flight and asked what my wishes were. I advised that with the time frame to go
on which I had just been given, we had no option but to cancel the trip as the
tour would be at least one third over before we would be able to join it. I was
advised then to notify the insurance company immediately and advise of the
cancellation, which I did. I had no problem with the insurance company and my
claim was promptly paid. I received the full amount of the tour, less the cost
of the insurance policy.
In late July we decided once again to
take a trip to Europe using the same tour
company, and again purchased insurance. This occasion saw us arrive safely in Prague, Czech
Republic. On our second day in Prague my wife and I went
on a Segway sightseeing tour. About an hour into the tour, my wife’s Segway
tried to climb a wall with one wheel throwing her off with the machine landing
on top of her. She suffered a compound fracture just below the knee and a
broken clavicle on the same side. Surgery was required to repair the leg with
two metal plates and a dozen screws. My wife was in I.C.U. for three days in
the university hospital in Prague
and a total stay of a week. On the day of the accident, once I returned to the
hotel, I called the insurance company and advised of the accident and
hospitalization. The insurance company had someone call me from the United States to Prague each day to enquire about our well
being.
Once the doctor gave the insurance
company clearance for my wife to fly, the insurance company had us booked in
business class on a flight from Prague directly
to Atlanta, Georgia,
and then connecting from Atlanta to Guadalajara, Mexico. The insurance company paid
the airfare for both of us. I had to pay the hospital and medical charges up
front, and thankfully we were not in the U.S. The medical, hospital and
ambulance bills were quite reasonable. Once home again, it was simply a matter
of submitting the bills to the insurance company. The insurance company pays
everything that the primary health insurance does not cover. As you are likely
aware, the primary health insurance coverage is usually quite low.
Travel without travel insurance?
Never again!