Travel Medical Insurance for surf injuries overseas?

hotCheetos

OTF status
Mar 28, 2020
294
358
63
Seen a couple gofundmes pop up from people surfing overseas and getting seriously hurt, I assuming leaving them with substantial medical bills. Any recommendations for reputable travel medical insurance for a situation like this? Or maybe you've had an experience like this before? Looking at possibly an Indo or C america trip next year.
 

Truth

Phil Edwards status
Jul 18, 2002
5,896
3,308
113
check your insurance policy at home - most will cover - however, you will need to pay up front then they will reimburse you - kasier did that for my kids bills in indo

if you buy travel insurance read the fine print of what they cover - scooter accidents mostly not covered - and surfing sometimes not covered
 

2surf

Duke status
Apr 12, 2004
15,284
2,053
113
California USA
www.allcare.com
check your insurance policy at home - most will cover - however, you will need to pay up front then they will reimburse you - kasier did that for my kids bills in indo

if you buy travel insurance read the fine print of what they cover - scooter accidents mostly not covered - and surfing sometimes not covered
I used to sell that insurance. One of my best customers ownes a shed full of used surfboards. Never had a claim. The meat of the plan was the 50k life-flight benefit. You can buy it on line and the only restriction is war zones.
 
Last edited:

casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
43,214
17,644
113
Petak Island
Seen a couple gofundmes pop up from people surfing overseas and getting seriously hurt, I assuming leaving them with substantial medical bills. Any recommendations for reputable travel medical insurance for a situation like this? Or maybe you've had an experience like this before? Looking at possibly an Indo or C america trip next year.
The important thing is not whether you have health coverage.

The important aspect you don't want to miss (not to mention the root problem behind many of those GoBeggings) :

*IF* you have medical coverage outside the USA - is a medical transport flight covered? Is a critical care transport flight covered? And how much coverage?

The IRL numbers I've seen for these air ambulances aren't pretty. Think $50K -$200K.

Don't be stupid, buy the insurance, it's not that expensive. And look at the reviews before you buy: https://www.tinleg.com/

You don't want to join the ranks of people who did not do this and ended up hospitalized long term outside of their 1st world home country.
 
Jan 28, 2021
4
2
3
I'm sorry to hear about those surfers getting hurt overseas and facing substantial medical bills. It's definitely a good idea to invest in reputable travel medical insurance, especially when planning a trip to a remote or adventurous location. One option you might want to consider is checking out ibgportland.com. They offer a variety of travel insurance options that can help you stay protected while you're away from home. It's always better to be safe than sorry, and having travel medical insurance can give you peace of mind and help you avoid unexpected expenses. I hope this helps, and I wish you all the best on your upcoming trip to Indo or Central America.
 
Last edited:

PPK96754

Miki Dora status
Apr 15, 2015
4,683
5,824
113
77
Kauai's north shore ~
I'm in the AirMedicare Network Group ( Air-Evac LIfeTeam, Guardian Flight, Med-Trans & Reach ) that works in the continental US of A, Alaska and Hawaii just because. Living on an Island that may not have full medical services and may have to fly you to another Island for better medical attention is costly. $20, 000 to $30,000 +. Hence, my participation with AirMedicare.
 

Clayster

Miki Dora status
Oct 26, 2005
5,646
1,241
113
The important thing is not whether you have health coverage.

The important aspect you don't want to miss (not to mention the root problem behind many of those GoBeggings) :

*IF* you have medical coverage outside the USA - is a medical transport flight covered? Is a critical care transport flight covered? And how much coverage?

The IRL numbers I've seen for these air ambulances aren't pretty. Think $50K -$200K.

Don't be stupid, buy the insurance, it's not that expensive. And look at the reviews before you buy: https://www.tinleg.com/

You don't want to join the ranks of people who did not do this and ended up hospitalized long term outside of their 1st world home country.
The coverages quoted there are surprisingly cheap.
 

SurfFuerteventura

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Sep 20, 2014
8,407
4,588
113
Ribbit
I'm in the AirMedicare Network Group ( Air-Evac LIfeTeam, Guardian Flight, Med-Trans & Reach ) that works in the continental US of A, Alaska and Hawaii just because. Living on an Island that may not have full medical services and may have to fly you to another Island for better medical attention is costly. $20, 000 to $30,000 +. Hence, my participation with AirMedicare.
No. 1 reason I chose the Canary Islands over the Hawaiian Archipelago... Socialized Medicine.

Example: our neighbor had a massive coronary at the beach, and was somehow able to make it to his daughter's home nearby. He called her at work from there, within 50 minutes of that call he was on an operation table one island over. Quintuple bypass. He survived ... English bloke. Mentioned the same thing in his London home would have been the end of him.

Cost? Absolutely Free. ZERO!!!

:socrazy:

Medical transport, operation, hospitalization stay, extended care after he got released.

First world indeed.

;)
 
Mar 2, 2009
123
18
18
I’m dealing with World Nomads right now about a canceled trip to Indo last month. So far they seem great and easy to deal with. But I haven’t gotten my refund just yet. I had to cancel 2 days before my trip due to illness. I got lucky that they require travel insurance for the place I was going in the Mentawei’s because I never get travel insurance. I travel at least a couple times a year. For my 3+ week trip it was only $225. I’ll probably buy insurance for trips more often.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Yewstreet and Truth

Truth

Phil Edwards status
Jul 18, 2002
5,896
3,308
113
At my age, when we go on trips overseas we always spend before hand for travel insurance. Never had to use it but nothing we want to think about when enjoying the new sites or locations.
what are the new sites you guys are seeing?

havent you seen them all already?
 
  • Like
Reactions: john4surf

Clayster

Miki Dora status
Oct 26, 2005
5,646
1,241
113
I’m dealing with World Nomads right now about a canceled trip to Indo last month. So far they seem great and easy to deal with. But I haven’t gotten my refund just yet. I had to cancel 2 days before my trip due to illness. I got lucky that they require travel insurance for the place I was going in the Mentawei’s because I never get travel insurance. I travel at least a couple times a year. For my 3+ week trip it was only $225. I’ll probably buy insurance for trips more often.
Travel insurance for cancellations is a whole different animal than medical travel insurance. Don't confuse the two.

And while I highly recommend medical travel insurance, it can get complicated depending on what your medical problem is.

Case in point: my son was in Santiago, Chile on a project as part of his master's program. The University required everyone in the program to pay for medical travel insurance and had a good policy. He had a heart condition as a kid which cardiac pediatricians treated and said he would outgrow. It seemed he had until the episode in Chile when he started passing out. The local docs diagnosed him with an inner ear problem; I questioned this and called some doc friends who said it wasn't an inner ear problem, it was most likely this heart issue rearing its ugly head. I talked to the docs in Santiago, got nowhere and booked a flight that day to Santiago, and flew back with him the same day that I arrived. His heart rate was around 30 beats per minute which is why he kept passing out.

What was supposed to have happened in that situation, according to the medical travel insurance policy, was that they would pay for his flight home, accompanied by a nurse. Because of the misdiagnosis, that didn't happen. Those same day tickets cost me a pile of $$$, and I went to bat with the insurance company, which eventually coughed up the dough.

If you have serious traumatic injuries, with a clear emergency, then the insurance will pay more readily. If it is some other health issue, particularly if misdiagnosed, prepare for a battle.

Regardless, I still recommend buying the coverage.
 

john4surf

Kelly Slater status
May 28, 2005
8,927
3,569
113
CBS, CA
what are the new sites you guys are seeing?

havent you seen them all already?
Lived in various countries in Asia (3 years) and France (3 years). Working for the oil industry and later, the Israeli’s for 20 years had me global with the exception of India and near-buys. Wife on the other hand loves to travel so…. I donated my 4.5 million air miles on AA to family thinking I would never set foot on another plane. Wife is now the ‘decider’ with a different agenda.
 

manbearpig

Duke status
May 11, 2009
29,772
10,245
113
in the bathroom
Haven’t had to use it ever (knock on wood). I just got an Amex card and was told some stories of medical benefits associated when traveling. So check your CC benefits.
 
Mar 2, 2009
123
18
18
Update from my dealings with World Nomads….they’re very slow and ask for ridiculous info. I’m glad I didn’t include all of my losses for canceling my trip due to illness. I only asked for reimbursement for the 2 losses with the easiest paperwork to find. It should be an open & shut case for my non-refundable hotel cancel in Bali and my 10 day Mentawei trip. Now they keep asking for more of the same paperwork that says the same sh!t. Glad I saved all my emails and correspondence, but I’m starting to sour on World Nomads.
 
Mar 2, 2009
123
18
18
So final update for Global Nomads/Trip Mate. They came through and paid me in full for the travel losses that I had easy-to-find receipts. I’d recommend them, but I’d also make sure to book more refundable stuff instead I order to avoid having to scour the world for receipts. Going through the process was slow and annoying.
 

2surf

Duke status
Apr 12, 2004
15,284
2,053
113
California USA
www.allcare.com
Just a couple of suggestions if you ever file a claim. Always correspond in writing and always send your letters by certified mail. When they request a sworn affidavit from you, sign it in front of a notary. This moves you to the front of the line and should speed up the process.
 

KPindaOC

OTF status
Nov 25, 2012
255
37
28
Answering this while I await my flight from Jakarta to Padang. I booked my travel insurance (medical only) through Dawson Insurance. Very easy to connect and they’ll walk you through all the options. Know them from insurance for long range fishing trips. I paid $85 and I think with trip cancellation coverage it would have been $150 but I forewent that.