Accidentally saying “hi” to the wrong person, opening the fridge and forgetting what you wanted…weird things happen every day, whether you want them to or not! When travelling, it’s always best to expect the unexpected, but what if it’s really, really unexpected? Will your travel insurance cover it?
We can confidently tell you that TuGo does, because some of our travellers have shared their unusual medical stories with us. And today we’re sharing them with you—it’s not super gross, we promise!
Foot worms
Ok, maybe this one is a little gross. After a major downpour in a small Guatemalan town, a traveller sloshed through the mud in sandals. A few days later, in a Belizean jungle lodge, the traveller woke up with the soles of their feet itching.
Much to the traveller’s horror—tiny worms were wiggling beneath the traveller’s skin. After visiting a local medical clinic, they found out they had hookworm, and were prescribed strong medication for treatment. Luckily, their Emergency Medical Travel Insurance plan covered all costs!
Meningitis
A traveller contracted meningitis in India. They were confined to a local hospital, where their employee benefit plan travel insurance expired after only two days of treatment. Luckily, their TuGo Top-up Travel Insurance paid for the remaining two weeks in hospital, while their Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption plan also paid for the flight they missed to Europe, due to their condition.
Sciatica
Arriving in Tucson after a 27-hour drive from Vancouver, a traveller found themselves paralyzed with pain. After going to the nearest ER, the traveller was diagnosed with sciatica and was given painkillers. It turns out that all those hours of sitting had played a number on their back! After returning to Vancouver, the traveller filed a claim, and their hospital visit and medication were fully covered by their Emergency Medical Travel Insurance plan.
Gangrene toe infection
A traveller in Seattle had blisters on their toe that quickly became infected. After being on IV antibiotics for 5 days, the infection got worse, becoming gangrene. The infection was especially dangerous to the traveller, as they had diabetes. In the end, the traveller’s toe had to be amputated to prevent the infection from spreading further into the bone and blood—which could’ve been fatal. Luckily, they had purchased Emergency Medical Travel Insurance coverage, so all of their medical expenses were covered.
A few tips to make sure your claims go smoothly
- Keep records of your incidents, big and small. Remember to keep all receipts leading up to and following the medical event.
- Be careful with alcohol. Often on vacations, travellers let loose and have a couple drinks. Most travel insurance policies, including TuGo Travel Insurance, won’t cover you if your claim is in any way related to excessive alcohol use or participation in illegal activities.
Check out How to Speed Up the Travel Insurance Claims Process or Claims Tips for Travellers to learn how you can ensure your claims always goes through!
Questions or strange travel stories of your own? Please share yours below!
Happy travels,
Suki
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2013 and has been updated for freshness and/or accuracy.
