Don’t get sick on holiday! Here’s what it could cost you…

If you ever needed a reason to buy travel insurance, here it is.

Take a look at this graph from consumer researchers Value Penguin, showing the most common health claims, which include ear infections, gastroenteritis and a broken bone…and the cost to get them treated.

In Thailand, for instance, the average cost to treat one of these procedures is high at $9,927. That’s a serious outlay for a common, run-of-the-mill procedure. And we’re not talking major surgery or hospital stays. The cost of those would be much higher. In Bali the cost of one of these common procedures is almost the same as Thailand at $9,729.

It’s well known that some Singaporeans think they don’t need travel insurance for trips closer to home. But it’s important to understand that your health insurance won’t cover you when you step outside our little island no mater how close by and that includes trips across the causeway too.

Other popular travel destinations for Singaporeans, which are on the list of expensive countries to get medical treatment, include India and Australia.

And if you think the cost of medical treatment in South-East Asia is high then compare it to some other countries including the US. Your medical bill for an ear infection, for example, will set you back a whopping $28,276 in the USA, that’s more than three times the cost of treatment in Thailand. 

Other factors to consider when it comes to your health and safety whilst aboard are issues such as poor sanitation, clean drinking water, food safety, infectious diseases and safe swimming waters. We’re certainly more vulnerable overseas.

A spokesperson for Budget Direct Insurance, said: “Travellers must remember that their health insurance doesn’t cover them when they leave Singapore. Everything has to be paid for, including your medication and drugs as well as simple medical procedures. We are more vulnerable to getting ill whilst overseas too. These medical costs show us just how important it is to get good travel insurance.”

Wherever you go, whatever you do, remember it’s vital to have good Travel cover.
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