Wednesday 21 August 2013

Travel Insurance...don't leave home without it


Hi there, Chris here...

I wanted to share  my own personal story which highlights the need to ensure you have travel Insurance every time you leave the country ...because you never know...

The week before moving into my new place (which is now the home of my office), I was offered a FREE trip to Phuket for 5 nights leaving the Monday after I moved. ....Obviously it goes against everything I believe in to turn down a free trip, and with the thought of cheap daily massages, I left the boxes where they were and took off to Thailand.
Naturally I was going for educational purposes - the chance to try out Air New Zealand's 'grab a seat charter beach party flight' from Auckland to Phuket, and to check out the Westin Siray Bay
With 'Dry July' looming I thought a wet end to June was in order!

 

This is when I tell you about the benefits of having travel Insurance....

The flight over was interesting to say the least.  6 hours into our 12 hour flight Air New Zealand had run out of alcohol and at least 4 of the toilets were deemed unusable.  However the 300 of us survived and landed in Phuket.  (some definitely worse for wear!)
So far so good....
The next day I went into Patong (we were about 40 mins away) to have a look around and have a massage.  I love Thai massages and at 300THB (around $12-13) for an hour what's not to love...
Back to the resort, had some dinner and went for a swim.  Coming out of the pool to go down the stairs (to where my towel and things were on a lounger) I slipped on the stairs, crashing back on my backside before falling forward down the stairs.  (....and no, before you ask I wasn't drunk - I wish I had been as then I wouldn't have felt it!)
In this fantastic display of grace and poise I managed to chip my front tooth, and ended up numerous cuts on the front of my leg as well as a massive lump (hematoma) on my backside.
With the help of the staff, who coated all exposed injuries in iodine,I went back to my room to self medicate with panadeine and voltarin (which clearly no experienced traveller should ever leave home without !!) until I went to the hospital the next day.

I had an x-ray at the hospital (Bangkok Hospital in Phuket)...nothing broken just VERY sore and battered.  I would have to say that the Hospital was so efficient - I was registered and into see the Dr within about 15 minutes (safe to say it seemed a lot longer when I was sitting!!)
Lots of drugs later and a letter from the Dr stating that I can't sit for 12 hrs in 3 days time for the flight home (sitting back in a seat or chair was definitely the most painful) I was back at the hotel on the phone to QBE. As I was on a charter flight and the flight was full in all classes , I couldn't be upgraded on that flight.  On medical advice (my doctor's letter/summary) QBE booked me on Silk Air to Singapore and Qantas Business class home at a cost of AUD$3934. (they should have asked me to book it as I am sure I could have got it cheaper!)
I did save them some money however by getting my tooth fixed at the hospital at the same time for a mere $75NZD.....If you are going to damage your teeth anywhere Thailand is the place to do it!

To be honest while it was not the trip I had imagined (lying on my 'heavenly bed' with an ice pack on my backside was not part of the original plan),given the way I fell, I was lucky that I did not shatter my tailbone or do anymore damage.
The bruising is now coming out in all its technicolor glory and I am feeling heaps better.

Moral of the story is to always clutch onto the handrails (in this case there were none) but more importantly ALWAYS TAKE INSURANCE as you never know what could happen.
Over the years I have always had insurance and never really claimed, but have always worked on the basis that it will help me out when I need it most.....
Don't leave home without it!


Call me for all your travel and travel insurance needs.... 021 740 736

1 comment:

  1. Good story. We all need that reminder about insurance sometimes!

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