Why do you need travel insurance?

Perhaps I will now say obvious things, but practice has shown that many tourists do not know or are not aware of this. So, medical insurance is needed in case you get injured (get sick) while hiking and need evacuation and medical assistance. The cost of these services can reach sky-high levels ($10,000 is a lot or a little?). Few people nowadays can afford such expenses. And even more so, few people would carry that kind of money with them in a backpack. And to organize an emergency evacuation, rescuers (helicopter pilots) always need payment guarantees. Having quality insurance solves all these problems.

How my tourists were saved

To make it clear what amounts we are talking about, I will give a couple of examples from my own practice:

• Seven years ago, while hiking along the Lycian Way in Turkey, I was bitten by a scorpion. Calling a local doctor and a couple of optional injections cost about $100.
• Last fall, in Nepal, on the trek to Everest Base Camp, one of the participants became ill. His tooth became inflamed. A doctor's visit cost $200, evacuation by helicopter cost $3,500.
• Two years ago, while hiking in Norway, a tourist broke her leg. Evacuation by helicopter, emergency surgery (not just a cast), initial rehabilitation, ticket replacement and transportation to the airport cost about $10,000 in total.

I think it's time for a completely rhetorical question. So, do you have an “extra” 10,000 bucks? And even if there are, will you take them with you on a hike?

Fortunately, all three comings mentioned above ended well. The tourists were insured, the insurance “worked” and the insurance company paid all expenses in good faith. How much did it cost the victims themselves?

If we are talking about hiking and other active recreation, then a policy covering 30,000 Euros for a two-week trip will cost you about $30. Those. just over $2 per night.

Please note that the cost of the policy greatly depends on what type of vacation is planned. If the purpose of your trip is the beach and excursions, then you can take regular insurance. But we are interested in the mountains (mountain climbing, hiking, alpine skiing and other extreme sports), where the risk is much higher. Naturally, you have to pay extra for this risk. The premium for the “active recreation” mark in your policy can range from 30 to 200 percent. But without it, the insurance company may refuse to reimburse you for expenses, so don’t skimp.

Which insurance company should you choose?

Of course, large and reliable. Let its policies cost more than those of its competitors, but at a critical moment a good company will cover your expenses without any questions asked, and will not refuse or begin to demand more and more confirmation that you really need help. Therefore, if you are making insurance for yourself (and not “for a visa”), if you really count on help, then the cheapness of the policy should scare you away rather than attract you.

There is an opinion that it is better to choose an insurance company specializing in travel insurance (and not CASCO, for example). I don't know how true this is.

But let's return to personal experience (this is not advertising!):

• my scorpion was paid for by the company ERV - "European Travel Insurance".
• for the helicopter in Nepal was paid by the insurance UNIQA (ERV partner)
• evacuation and treatment in Norway was sponsored by the company Prosto-Insurance
• another case in Nepal (just a visit to the doctor) was resolved with the help of AXA insurance

As an instructor, I had the privilege of communicating directly with insurance companies in all of the stories mentioned. I can’t say that the process of coordinating actions always went smoothly and cloudlessly, but on the whole, everyone coped with it and therefore fully deserves my cautious recommendation.

How to apply for a policy?

Now it is absolutely not necessary to look for an insurance company office or go to a travel agency. You can purchase insurance online. You will receive a file with the policy by email, you will print it out (and also save it to your phone and forward it to a reliable friend, just in case). Don't worry about not having a beautiful letterhead. “Wet seals” and other attributes of the last century play absolutely no role. In fact, it is not the possession of a magic piece of paper (policy) that protects you, but the presence of your name in the database of the insured.

What to do if something happens?

Ideally, interaction with an insurance company follows the following scenario:

1. you understand that you need medical assistance
2. you call the insurance company (more precisely, the assistance service) and provide your details
3. assistance finds you in its database and confirms your insurance
4. assistance begins organizing assistance - gets in touch with local clinics and rescuers
5. they save you
6. the insurance company pays for everything without your participation
7. you may be asked to hand over some checks and receipts to your homeland

Not the worst scenario, right? But in order to implement it as smoothly as possible, you will need to take the following steps before the hike:

• obtain insurance on time, i.e. before the start of the trip
• download a pdf file with the insurance policy to your phone
• send the same file to the instructor and some responsible relative on the “mainland”. Then they will be able to call for help even when you are unconscious.
• find out in advance and write down in your phone the assistance service numbers in the region where you are traveling

What insurance doesn't do

• Health insurance does not pay you personally. This is not accident insurance that could theoretically make you (or your heirs) rich. Medical insurance pays for your treatment costs.
• As a rule, dental services are paid within very strict limits.
• The insurance company in the contract also lists a bunch of conditions, if not met, it will not pay anything. For example, if the insured was drunk (alcohol is not allowed on a hike) or deliberately exposed himself to unjustified risk (observe safety precautions). At the same time, the contract takes into account that the insured is going to engage in active recreation (in our case, this is a hike).

Results

• on trips abroad, everyone needs insurance and it is mandatory
• based on personal experience, I recommend the insurance companies ERV, Uniqa, Axa
• don’t forget to send a copy of the policy to the group leader
• be careful, even if you are insured