My aunt Caroline has been making the most of her retirement. Always the explorer, she knew when she gave up her nine to five gig that her time would be spent pouring over travel websites to plan the details of her next adventure, enjoying the adventure and then doing it all over again. She always jokes that she was a gypsy in another life… and often that theme shows up in her choice of Halloween costumes.
Aunt Caroline’s latest adventure included a visit with some friends in California. They planned to tour some art galleries and immerse themselves in the local jazz scene. Two days into her trip, I got the call. Aunt Caroline had tripped and fallen. An ambulance was called and she was taken to the local hospital. Upon examination it was obvious that she had fractured her elbow and required immediate surgery. After three days, my aunt was able to leave the hospital and continue recuperating in the company of friends until her scheduled return to Canada.
The cost of her little mishap?
- Hospital: $149,845
- Doctor: $14,832
- Radiology: $1799
- Ambulance: $1669
- Prescriptions: $42
A whopping $168,187! And only $1659 of that covered by her provincial medical coverage.
Did I mention that my aunt is a planner, and that I’m her insurance agent? Thankfully she was well aware that mishaps, accidents and the like can happen anytime, anywhere. With that in mind, my aunt Caroline has always made sure she reviewed her travel plans with me or one of my colleagues to make sure that she was covered in case of some unplanned adventures – like a hospital stay.
No one ever plans to have an accident, especially while on vacation but it does occur and what better way to protect yourself than with a policy that is customized to your needs. And you may be surprised at all the options available. From the basics, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, to more complex coverage that is specific to the activities you have planned. Yes, even bull riding and ice climbing can be covered!
A lot of planning goes into a vacation so it makes sense to talk to your local insurance agent to ensure that you are well protected to weather any storms that may be on the horizon. Get in touch. We’d be happy to help.
Cost example sourced from www.togo.com
