Travel Insurance Assistance Services Saves Traveler $76,000

Be Prepared with Travel Insurance

Preparing for the worst. It’s a necessary part of life but certainly not any fun. No one likes to think about plans going awry, but we all know it can and does happen. Above all, it tends to occur when we least expect it. Honestly, that’s the whole reason behind travel insurance — you pay a specified amount of money upfront to ensure that you are protected if an unfortunate event takes place.

While it’s good to talk about potential mishaps and the need for planning, it’s not always real to you unless you've experienced a similar event or seen it happen. Hopefully, most people buy travel insurance and don’t have to use it. Their trip continues as planned, and they return home unscathed, but it doesn’t work that way all the time. I’d like to share with you a real life example of how and why travel insurance can make a difference that’s unforgettable.

What do you do?

The phone rings and you find out your daughter, who is half-way around the world, has been seriously injured in a bus accident. That’s exactly what happened to Lawrence G. of St. Joseph, Missouri. Thankfully, his daughter was covered by a travel medical policy from Seven Corners.

While traveling in Peru, Lawrence’s daughter suffered severe injuries in a bus accident, which left her on a ventilator with one functioning lung and a severely broken arm. Several local physicians recommended transportation to a nearby hospital for surgery, but one physician disagreed and instead prescribed a return to the U.S. for specialty thoracic surgery. Upon learning about this physician’s concerns, Seven Corners Assist consulted with our medical advisor. He reviewed the situation and promptly recommended that she return to the United States immediately, and Seven Corners Assist made the arrangements. We’re happy to report our member received the surgery she needed and recovered well!

If Lawrence had been left on his own to handle his daughter’s emergency return to the United States, it might not have happened. That’s why travel assistance services are such an important component of travel insurance. Our multilingual team members have specialized resources at their fingertips, which they can use to quickly assess an emergency situation and work in tandem with the treating physician to provide the optimum solution for the member’s health and well-being.

What about cost?

This is a secondary component of the situation. The primary focus is, of course, the health and well-being of our member. In Lawrence’s case, the evacuation cost to bring his daughter home was $76,000, a high price tag for the average traveler. Most people would not be prepared or able to make a payment this large, especially when unexpected. It’s also possible that without the assistance team’s intervention, the evacuation may not have occurred. Timing is crucial, and resources can be tough to coordinate. This situation is a great example of the difference travel medical insurance can make for travelers, for a small price.

We offer 24/7 travel assistance services on all of our travel products. Whether you’re planning a short trip or a long one, traveling within the United States or far away, we have a travel insurance product for you! Not sure which is the best option for your next trip?

Visit our Interactive Guide, which leads you through the selection process to help you choose the plan you need.