A dream holiday. A sudden chest pain. A $1.7 million bill. One Australian traveller’s story shows just how fast things can unravel when you’re overseas facing a medical crisis, and how having insurance meant the traveller could focus on recovery, not the bill. For travel agents, it’s a powerful real-world example to help clients understand what cover actually does when it counts most.
In the first half of 2025, nib Travel paid out approximately $26.4 million in medical claims. These included everything from emergency surgeries to intensive care admissions and international air ambulance evacuations. The common thread? Every one of these travellers needed urgent medical help overseas.
The $1.7 million warning sign
The largest claim involved a man in his 70s who suffered a life-threatening aortic dissection while in the United States. He was rushed into surgery, admitted to intensive care, and eventually repatriated home with his family, all covered by his travel insurance. The total bill came to $1.7 million.
“Nobody plans to have a medical emergency while overseas, but it can happen anywhere, at any time,” said Dylan Wilkinson, Head of APAC and nib Travel Marketing at nib Travel.
“While only a small proportion of travellers need to make a claim, the financial burden when something goes wrong can be overwhelming.”
When a holiday turns into hospital
The United States wasn’t the only destination to rack up six-figure bills. nib Travel shared details of several other recent high-value claims:
- Qatar: $500,000 – A woman in her 70s became critically ill mid-flight and was hospitalised with pneumonia. She was flown home by air ambulance with high-flow oxygen.
- Vietnam: $195,000 – A man in his 80s suffered a hip fracture, then developed pneumonia and an embolism. His recovery required extended ICU care and several repatriation attempts.
- France: $187,000 – A cruise passenger in her 80s sustained multiple injuries and underwent surgery before returning home under medical escort.
- Indonesia: $170,000 – A woman in her 40s with a history of breast cancer developed sepsis and was urgently evacuated to Melbourne.
- South Africa: $120,000 – A woman in her 60s fractured her femur while on a cruise. She had surgery in Cape Town and was later repatriated with a nurse escort.
“It’s easy to underestimate how quickly costs can escalate, especially in countries like the United States where healthcare costs are significantly higher,” Wilkinson said.
“Without insurance, these types of unexpected events could leave travellers with significant out-of-pocket costs.
“The reality is that the cost of a single serious claim can far exceed the cost of the insurance itself.”
How to sell travel insurance without sounding like a brochure
nib Travel policies may cover a wide range of medical events: hospital admissions, emergency evacuations, repatriation, dental treatment, and some pre-existing conditions. Travellers also receive 24/7 access to a specialised emergency medical team.
“That hands-on support during an emergency, from managing local medical care to coordinating complex repatriations, is a critical part of the service our members receive,” Wilkinson said.
Here’s how agents might position it: “If something goes wrong, you want to focus on getting better, not figuring out how to pay for a medevac from Vietnam or an ICU bed in New York. Travel insurance can give you access to real-time medical assistance, coordination support, and coverage that can run into the hundreds of thousands. Most people don’t think about it until they need it, by then, it’s too late.”
Although most holidays go to plan, nib Travel’s claims data makes a case for preparation. Agents may want to remind clients that the real value of travel insurance often shows up when things go very wrong, very quickly.
Each claim is assessed on an individual basis and subject to the specific terms and conditions of the policy.
KARRYON UNPACKS: For travel professionals, these numbers offer a compelling upsell. A $1.7 million claim is a tangible example of why cutting corners on insurance can be costly. These real-world cases offer a conversation starter about risk, cover levels, and destination-specific healthcare costs.
