Delhi Belly a reality for many travellers
Why Travel Insurance is a Must Have
Bali Belly, Kathmandu Quickstep, Montezuma's Revenge...whatever name you'd like to call it, or whatever country you are in, getting sick is a reality for many Australian travellers, and an issue that should be taken seriously according to research from leading national insurer, AAMI.
"Nearly a quarter of all travellers we surveyed1 said they had fallen ill while on the road, and the majority of these people had to seek out medical treatment," said AAMI spokesperson Mike Sopinski.
"Of those who got sick while travelling 64% had to see a doctor, 14% had to be admitted to hospital and 9% had to cut their holiday short and return home early, as they were too unwell to go on," he said.
"Travelling does not come without its risks and, try as you might, you can't always avoid getting sick when overseas.
"For example gastro illnesses - and subsequent dehydration - are a big risk for travellers, particularly throughout Asia."
Mr Sopinski said people joked about the likes of Delhi Belly, but those travelling to the Commonwealth Games in India should take these risks seriously.
"Australia does not have a reciprocal health care agreement with India, so Australians who find themselves there and in need of some medical assistance, could have to pay anywhere from $100 AUD to see a doctor through to $1,500 AUD for a hospital stay, depending on their condition," Mr Sopinski said.
"When you consider that travel insurance to India costs as little as $4.40 per day, or just under $100 for a three week trip, it's a small price to pay for peace of mind."
"It's bad enough wasting precious holiday time on being sick, but worse still would be to fall ill and have to pay up for doctors, hospitals, cancellation fees or emergency flights home."
Mr Sopinski said getting stuck anywhere overseas without travel insurance was not a scenario to be taken lightly.
"While most Australian travellers do take the precautions they need and choose to protect themselves with travel insurance, there are still those who are willing to risk it.
"It's important to factor travel insurance into your travel budget, just as you would your airfare, accommodation and spending money.
"In our survey, we asked travellers what they thought their biggest risks were when on the road and the top two were getting sick (24%) and losing luggage (16%). Our claims data shows they are right to be worried about these issues, with the majority of people claiming for illness and lost luggage.
"There are always risks when travelling and we aren't about to stop leaving the country to experience other countries and their cultures, but you can at least leave the country, knowing that your back is covered if something goes wrong."
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Mike Sopinski, 0421 052 598 / 07 3135 3997
1AAMI Survey of Overseas Travellers results are based on a national Newspoll online survey of 1,919 respondents, aged 18 years+ who have travelled overseas. The survey was conducted on behalf of AAMI between 22 February and 3 March 2010.
