Medical claims made up more than 40 per cent of all insurance claims processed by nib Travel for Australians in 2024, including one exceeding $3 million, highlighting the critical need for comprehensive coverage when travelling abroad.
nib Travel revealed the $3 million claim was one of several six-figure insurance claims made by Aussies visiting popular overseas destinations such as the US and Japan and domestically in 2024.
Travel within Australia alone accounted for 2,294 claims caused by medical events, totalling more than $10 million in incurred costs.
Visitors to the USA made fewer claims in 2024 at 674 but recorded the highest total medical claim costs of approximately $10 million, driven by the higher cost of healthcare and currency exchange rates.
The single $3 million claim covered an Australian travelling in the US who fell ill and had to be admitted to hospital for several weeks.
The traveller received ICU treatment, where his care was overseen by specialist clinical teams, including on-call doctors and nurses, to ensure the traveller’s condition was stable before he was repatriated to Australia via air ambulance.
In another nib Travel case, an Aussie traveller hit his head on a reef while diving in Indonesia. He sustained serious injuries, including a mild head injury, a spinal cord fracture and a clavicle fracture.
Due to the severity of his injuries, his family needed to extend their stay before he was repatriated back to Australia.
International medical events processed last year included dental emergencies, medical evacuation and repatriation as well as some pre-existing medical conditions.
Amber Kelly joined as the new nib Travel Head of Sales for Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
Find out more at nibtravelinsurance.com.au
