Serious accident in Bali, collection to save 22-year-old Italian woman. Why traveling without insurance is an insane risk
This is not the first time I have read such news and it will not be the last, but each time I am amazed at the levity [...]
Indonesia
This is not the first time I have read such news And it won't be the last one, but Every time I am amazed at the levity with which young people and fathers of families, with offspring in tow, travel around the world without adequate coverage unforeseen events. From a delayed flight, to lost luggage, to a health problem.
In this article:
Traveling without insurance is like playing Russian roulette. The story that is on all the home pages of major Italian websites today is a shining example of how it is a gamble to travel, outside European borders, without any kind of health coverage.
The incident in Bali
We just got back from Bali, a magical place where, however, traffic is crazy, and serious accidents a form of tragic everyday normality, but Even a bite from one of the monkeys in Ubud's Monkey Forest can cause extensive damage.
In a race against time, the Valchiavenna community showed extraordinary generosity, quickly raising 95,000 euros to support the medical expenses of Nicole Del Curto, 22, who was involved in a tragic accident in Bali. The young woman was run over by a hit-and-run car while on vacation, suffering severe fractures to her face and limbs.
The incident, which occurred in the night between Saturday and Sunday, triggered a prompt response from Nicole's friend, who started a fundraiser on the "Gofundme" platform. The mayor of Chiavenna, Luca Della Bitta, along with the mayor of Piuro, Omar Iacomella, shared the appeal, ensuring its reliability.
Nicole Del Curto's fate is now in the hands of online solidarity as she prepares to undergo two expensive surgeries at a private hospital. The only doubt I have about the story is that the car got away; in Bali traffic, you don't go 200 meters without stopping, let alone running away.
Traveling without insurance coverage
The point is precisely that the 22-year-old traveled to Indonesia without adequate health coverage, a few hundred euro expenditure that could have avoided the current situation.
Of course here at TFC we have explained how being an American Express Platinum holder protects the whole family from these situations, but in the 22-year-old's case perhaps the expense of such a large card (60€/month) may not make sense. Better, therefore, to aim for products such as travel covers bought from major suppliers on the Internet and able to intervene in such unpleasant situations.
I travel often and I like to chat with people, it's amazing how many people travel "at risk". The response from young people is usually "I'm 20 years old what do you want to happen," while recently at the airport in London a reader recognized the bum (but he wasn't on my plane). and with his family was going to the Caribbean. His response left me dumbfounded, "We're staying 7 days at a resort, what do you want to happen!!!"
The point is that in my opinion it is just like playing in a casino, but knowing that if the dealer has an ace, there is no "surrender" possible if you travel without insurance.
How much does travel insurance cost
I simulated a A quote with AXA, one of the leading providers in this area.
I simulated a trip to Indonesia for a 22-year-old solo traveler for a 3-week period, estimating a vacation cost of €5,000. The cost for coverage with AXA ranges from 52 and goes up to 82 euros, nothing compared to the guarantee of having medical expenses and ancillary costs covered up to over 3M.
Not much different is the estimate with Allianz offering up to 200 thousand maximum for medical expenses, including surgeries as well as fringe benefits such as transportation, pharmaceutical and rehabilitation expenses.
It is therefore clear that Traveling away from home without insurance is a risk and the savings virtually nonexistent. Yes true nothing ever happens, but the problem is that a doctor's visit for an upset stomach in the U.S. can lead to a bill of several thousand euros, so why take the risk?
