by Sithambaranathan Prithiviraj

Created on: September 17, 2008   Last Updated: December 06, 2009

I am a citizen of Australia. After 10 years myself and my family wanted to go to Singapore. I did not at the time know anything about travel insurance and I thought the risk of any problems due to accidents, sickness is very minimal. However, before we travelled to Singapore my daughter became sick. As I did not know anything about travel insurance I wanted to abandon the travel plan. Fortunately, my wife's brother gave me a suggestion to take a travel insurance, which covers the possible risks particularly the possibility of sickness, evacuation, cancellation and accidents. He also advised me to shop around so that I can compare the premiums for the risk covered and also compare the reputation of these companies and experience in travel insurance. I followed his advise because he normally travel abroad for holidays than me and he is very experienced in all overseas travel planning.

I took a travel insurance and booked plane tickets and and arranged all travel plans through a travel agent. We went to Singapore and within three days by daughter continued to suffer from her illness. She was hospitalized and I contacted my travel insurance company and they processed my claims quickly and paid all the medical expenses. If I did not take travel insurance I would not have met these expenses and I only have the option to mortgage my house or sell my house to pay these bills. As well, I have to rebuild my life again and have to live in rental property.

As my experience shows that even you get all protection for sickness and even you have slight possibility of getting sick there is a risk, which can cost you, which you cannot afford and you have to rely on your family members or friends to meet these expenses and even it may cost selling or mortgaging your home. In addition, when buying travel insurance do not buy cheap travel insurance because it may not cover all risks and you have to pay by your own pocket. As well,always shop around to get the best deal or consider value for money as a criteria when you buy travel insurance. In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advise all overseas travel insurance and advises if one cannot afford travel insurance then not to travel is the best option.

In todays world people travel more than ever before and diseases can also travel with them and sickness can happen even you are healthy when you are overseas. Bird flue is a classic example of how sickness can travel from one one part of the globe to another and affect most population including the traveling passengers. Even though the risks are small its consequences if any event materializes is very costly. There fore in the contemporary uncertain world it is better to take travel insurance because of peace of mind as well as to be financially secure and manage the risks prudently. In my experience, travel insurance is vital when planning for holidays work overseas or world travel in the uncertain world we live in. Many things can go wrong and risks may increase or reduce very quickly when you are overseas therefore this is another reason to take travel insurance when you travel abroad.

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