Over $1 million of US medical treatment has been incurred by a Kiwi traveller who tops the Southern Cross Travel Insurance highest claim list.
The top five “astronomical” medical and transportation bills were released by the insurance company which paid out $15m worth of claims in 2010 related to medical and evacuation expenses.
The company’s CEO Craig Morrison said the cost of becoming ill or injured abroad, even in countries with reciprocal healthcare arrangements such as the UK and Australia, can be huge.
“In the US and Europe, medical costs can be astronomical – and that’s before you take into account the cost of evacuation. In many countries around the world, if an accident or health problem strikes you may also be left with a hefty bill for air, boat or ambulance travel.”
For example, in Victoria, Australia, the fee for an ambulance call out starts at $920 and can rise into the thousands while helicopter ambulance fees in the state start at $3,200.
The top five claims in 2010 all related to costs associated with a traveller becoming critically ill while overseas.
The most expensive claim in 2010 was from a traveller to the US who incurred $1,031,000 worth of medical expenses alone.
The second most expensive of $273,000 was incurred in France, followed by $249,000 and $168,000 in the US and the fifth was $136,000 from a traveller in Switzerland.
Mr Morrison said around one in four Kiwis heading overseas do not take out travel insurance.
3 News