Most holidays happen without a hitch but others result in unexpected – and exxy – hiccups that completely alter your trip outcome. Cover-More Travel Insurance shared some eye-wateringly expensive injuries for the costliest customer claims it encountered in 2023.
First of all, it doesn’t pay to be clumsy on your trip although there may be a payout if you have travel insurance.
Topping Cover-More’s most costly claim list was a $150,000 payout for a fractured ankle and big bills on a US cruise ship (ouch!) followed by a 1.5m cliffside fall in Greece that resulted in a $60,000 claim and a shortened Europe holiday.
Ankles continue to get the rough end of the stick with a Canadian ski trip accident that required surgery and ongoing medical assistance to the tune of around $50,000 in total and a $18,000 payout for an airlift and surgery after a customer slipped on stones on a Scottish Highlands hike.
It’s definitely worth getting snowsports cover if you’re a skier or snowboarder on vacay – one Aussie boarder injured their shoulder in Japan, totalling a $18,000 payout, while another’s snow gear went MIA, requiring new attire for their France ski trip, racking up a $4,000 claim.
Transport can also derail travel plans such as cancelled flights to an NZ event ($27,000 payout), hire car damages (separate claims of $3,000 and $5,000) and even a fallen tree disrupting an airport train in Europe that caused travellers to miss their flight home to Australia, resulting in a $5,000 claim.
Sometimes other people can make or break your trip. Civil unrest in Peru meant an unexpected change of plans for some Cover-More travellers, resulting in a $17,000 claim as they opted for safer ones to continue their holiday.
One Aussie claimed $40,000 after a loved one’s accident meant a cancelled Canada holiday while another couple saw their cruise itinerary change due to a fellow cruiser’s medical emergency, netting a $2,000 payout.
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Find out more at covermore.com.au