senior Scoops

2 real life experiences

For many retirees, travel is an important part of their lives. This could involve spending a week at a national park, at the beach, going on an African safari, tackling whitewater rapids, or uncovering the wonders of Europe. Regardless of your chosen adventure, careful planning is crucial. Arranging flights, accommodations, meals, and activities are all part of the preparation for a successful vacation. After all, isn’t planning half the fun?

Wherever you may be going, it is probably costing a pretty penny. The type of travel mentioned does not come cheap. Thus, there is another component that should be at least considered in your travel budget.

The following are two real life experiences are worth thinking about.

Number 1

You’re on a two-week river cruise in Europe that you have been planning for a year. The cruise has scheduled stops in five to six ports. Everything is going smoothly, and you’re having a great time. However, one evening after dinner, you develop a persistent cough. Not one to take chances, you decide to visit the ship’s infirmary the next day. Lo and behold, you have Covid! Good grief! Understandably, this comes as an unwelcome blow to your vacation. However, the medical team assures you there’s nothing to worry about. They ask you to come by the infirmary for intravenous treatment over the next couple of days. You miss one port, but after three days, you’re good to go, feeling well, and back to enjoying your vacation. Until…

It’s your last night on the ship, and you’re relaxing in your stateroom. The Covid scare is now a memory. Suddenly, a bill for services rendered on the ship slides under the door. This can’t be right—I pre-paid for everything! You look closer and see a charge of $9,422 for medical services—charged to your credit card on file. OMG!

This very thing happened to a friend on a recent trip. His Medicare did not cover any portion of the bill; it was all on him. However, there is a happy ending to this story—he had travel “medical” insurance. For about $700 ($350ea.), he and his wife were both covered for medical expenses up to $10,000. Careful planning saved them a huge expense.

We have emergency medical coverage while at home, so why should we suspend it when traveling abroad? There are plans with a higher maximum, of course they are more expensive. It may be worth checking out.

Number 2

Another friend had a similar experience. He and his wife were also cruising Europe when one of them tested positive for Covid. There was no medical treatment involved in their case. But, they were quarantined to their stateroom for several days. They missed out on the most anticipated portion of their trip in Italy.

As disappointed as they were, all was not lost. They had “trip interruption insurance” as well as medical insurance— of course It was more expensive at $950 each. Upon returning home, they filed a claim with the insurance company and lo and behold were approved for a prorated reimbursement for the time they were quarantined.

Conclusion

These are two examples of vacations that didn’t go as planned. No one wants to fall ill or have unforeseen events ruin a highly anticipated trip. As previously stated, travel insurance is worth considering. The scenarios I’ve presented highlight the variety of plans available. These range from the medical-only plan used by the first friend to the more inclusive comprehensive plan chosen by the second friend which included emergency dental care, lost luggage, delays, and more.

I did not mention the names of the insurance companies my friends used, as I am not in a position to endorse either one. It’s best to conduct your own due diligence when choosing a company that fits your needs. Seek recommendations from friends, travel agents, or tour operators. Additionally, before shopping for the medical portion of a policy, contact your current provider to understand what overseas coverage they provide, or offer for a surcharge. This will vary from company to company.

Have a great trip!

My thanks to JL and JP for their input for this article.

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