I am a big believer in travel insurance. I’ve had to use it on more than one occasion and I’m going to share those two stories with you today. But before I do that, I’d love to ask all of you, do you buy travel insurance before a trip or do you just wing it and hope that nothing happens? I’d love to know your views on purchasing it before a trip.
The First Time I Used My Travel Insurance
Last January I woke up on the second in the most pain I’ve ever experienced (up to that point). My friend who was in the hostel dorm with me told me that I was literally sobbing for an hour before I actually opened my eyes. I had an infection in one of my lower wisdom teeth and it was brutal.
When I finally arrived back in the town that I was living in and teaching English in, I called my supervisor and told her that she needed to take me to the doctor. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to find someone who could help me because I was teaching in a really small town, three hours south of Chiang Mai. But, luckily enough (after four different visits to different dentists), my infection went away and I was going to get my tooth pulled.
Now I thought that meant getting anesthesia and having my wisdom tooth pulled out the way that you would in America. But boy was I wrong. Instead, I sat in the chair, freaked out, with only novocaine on my gums. The oral surgeon literally just yanked my wisdom tooth out. And then she handed it to me. While it was still covered in blood and gum. It was so gross and I was in so much pain (and then they only gave me advil).
So while my “surgery” cost me way less in Thailand than it would have in the states, my travel insurance covered the whole thing. They covered my antibiotics, make believe pain meds, x-rays, and procedure. It was so easy too.
The Second Time I Used My Travel Insurance
In late April, while in Vietnam, I woke up one morning and literally could not stand up. Now I was really experiencing the worst pain I’ve ever felt. I pulled a rookie backpackers mistake and was traveling with a backpack that was way too big for me. It was 70 liters and packed to the brim. I could barely pick it up, and it had finally taken a toll on my back.
Turns out I slipped a disk. So, I spent about a week visiting the chiropractor in Ho Chi Minh City. It was actually the nicest chiropractor’s office I’ve ever been in, but that also meant it was expensive. It cost me about $50 dollars per visit, with my initial visiting being nearly $70. I went four times. That’s expensive for someone who is backpacking around SE Asia and spending less than a dollar on a meal.
Lucky for me, my travel insurance again took care of the bills and mailed me a check about a month and a half later…
But Then I Realized I Could Find Better Travel Insurance
I ended up having to fly home after I hurt my back. I felt miserable and didn’t want to continue traveling like that. So, after two weeks in Cambodia, I decided to book a flight back home to New York for two months. Unfortunately that meant cancelling a lot of plans. Including losing a ton of money on flights that I had already booked.
It turned out that the insurance that I had last year didn’t actually cover travel expenses that had to be changed due to an injury. I ended up losing over $1500 dollars because I hadn’t paid the extra $90 upon signing up for my insurance (a fee that I had never been told about). I was devastated. Not only did I have to cancel my upcoming trips to the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand, but I also lost thousands of dollars which I could have put towards another trip.
I vowed never to make that mistake again, which is why I switched to World Nomads Travel Insurance.
World Nomads
World Nomads is great because they make things easier for you. They have no hidden costs and getting a quote is so simple. I’m covered for way more than I was with my last insurance, and I truly believe that it’s worth every penny.
As a digital nomad I don’t only worry about getting sick or injured, but I also worry about theft. World Nomads understands that and covers stolen or lost (if an airline loses it) baggage, tech, and more. That gives me piece of mind while I’m on the road, since I do work wherever I am.
If you’re into adventure, they probably cover the activity you want to participate in. And if you have to cancel your trip suddenly, you’re covered. If you have an emergency, you’re covered. Plus, they’re available 24/7 to chat if you have any questions.
So why not get a quote today, and start traveling safer.
