Festive-season travellers are paranoid about losing their luggage and many take insurance to cover this. But few of them realise how expensive it could be if one gets ill when travelling abroad.
George Novis, of Santam’s travel-insurance division, says: “Many South African travellers head north for the festive season to visit family abroad or to hit the ski slopes of Europe.
“Because of the cold conditions, weather-related illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia are as common as are skiing accidents, which are very costly should South Africans require treatment.
“Medical cover can cost you as little as R230 for a two-week holiday, which will pay you out up to R7,5-million in medical costs and R1-million in liability cover.
“My advice to travellers would be not to skimp on travel insurance. You may need as little as R300 to R400 to take out a fully comprehensive policy, yet not having it could leave you with medical bills of millions — it’s just not worth the risk.
“To give you an idea of medical costs abroad, we recently paid out R2,5-million to a man who needed to have his gall bladder removed whilst on holiday in the United States. His insurance policy cost him a total of R450.”
Novis says many travellers forget that luggage is generally covered through household or all-risks insurance, so it is important to check on this before paying out more cash to cover these items.
“Airlines generally carry liability for luggage and will pay you out per kilogram checked in — the secret is to ensure that you don’t place your valuable luggage in the hold. Rather take your precious items as hand luggage.”