As an American with medical insurance in Hawaii, our medical covers us worldwide. We may need to pay up front (we’re able to do so) and will be reimbursed. (Not all US insurance policies are as comprehensive as ours.) Our credit card provides a level of travel insurance (reimbursement for changes, etc.) and we take these things into consideration – often determining that insurance is not necessary. The question to ask yourself: If something happened during my trip, what costs would I need to cover- and can I – and what activities would be non-refundable.

I was in Queenstown last week, and I fell and broke my leg and ankle. I was treated in emergency (Australian, so that was covered under the Reciprocal Agreement) but was put on crutches and told I couldn’t weight bear at all. The beautiful house that I had booked for us in Fernhill had A LOT of stairs… approx 20 to get from the road to the house and then another 6 – 10 per level spread over 5 levels (lounge room on one level, kitchen on another, bathroom on another etc). Within a few hours of being discharged we had found a unit in Arthur’s Point that was all on one level with lift access and the travel insurer agreed to pay for the new unit as the first place was no longer suitable as there was an increased risk of injury and if there had have been an emergency, there is no way I could have gotten out. I need to have surgery on my ankle next week (I’m back home now) and as the injury happened overseas, I’ll be claiming any out of pocket expenses from the surgery on my insurance. There was talk initially when I arrived at the hospital in Queenstown that I might need to stay there for the surgery which would have meant an additional 3 weeks or more in Queenstown, and the insurance would have covered accomodation, meals etc while there.

Yes!!!
My son just travelled to Jakarta for 6 nights. Day 1 was fine. Day 2 he developed abdominal pains and fever. Day 4 his appendix was removed. Around $6000.
I nagged him to take out Travel Insurance and he did it the night before he travelled. It was $267. He is claiming everything back. Australian Hospitals are overworked and he ended up better off getting it done in Indonesia.