Unpacking the importance of Travel Insurance

IGO TRAVEL | 20 November 2023

When you least expect it whilst enjoying your long-awaited holiday in a foreign country, may be the moment that you’re thankful to have your Bryte Travel insurance cover!  Recently we have had several clients who have experienced the unimaginable situations while travelling and were admitted to hospital for emergency medical treatment and literally didn’t have to deal with a medical bill for treatment, scans, operations and ICU and whatever expenses were incurred for medicines, change of flights and repatriation has been covered by Bryte Travel insurance.  Thank you Bryte!

Whether is it is a visa that is denied, delayed flight, doctors visit or hospitalisation, amongst many other benefits, Bryte Travel insurance has exceptional cover.  For most countries, it is a requirement to have medical travel insurance anyway.  Some travellers take out the ‘free’ cover with your credit card however it is important to be aware that this cover is not as comprehensive and one should check the benefits carefully.

Here is a review from Ravella Lambert on their recent experience:

“As a travel agent when booking a trip or holiday for ourselves, we always believe and know the importance of having travel insurance. 

As a client most think it’s just an added non-essential expense and it doesn’t matter where or from whom they get the policy and can be seen as a grudge purchase on top of the trip expense.

You never realize the full potential of why a policy is essential before you travel, as the thought of something happening is the furthest thing from your mind when booking and securing the dream trip or holiday – until something happens… 

Our trip this past month could have turned out even more disastrous than it did if we didn’t have Bryte travel insurance, as not once did we ever think anything would happen to us. Our trip was booked for a month, our youngest daughter’s dream of swimming in the Swimming World Cup was to become a reality and we were ready to explore three new countries that we had not visited before. Berlin, Athens and Budapest.

All was going smoothly until we reached midway of our stay in Athens. We were taking our daily 15 minute walk to the Athens Olympic Aquatic centre on Friday the 13^th at around 5:20pm. Sean, my husband, standing on the road island waiting to cross the road, this car comes flying down the hill – we assume the driver must have been on the phone as he says he did not see Sean and took him out off the pavement. Sean went flying off the pavement hitting the windshield and then flung back off the car into the middle of the road – it was horrific – there was blood everywhere, he was struggling to stay conscious and fortunately the hospital was really close to where the incident took place. We were all in a state of shock, worried sick and were all thinking the worst. 

My first reaction when I got to the hospital was to call Derek directly, who took my call and kept me calm and made me feel at ease with his biggest concern being Sean and his well being and what steps I needed to take. He immediately took action and said he would be in touch with Maria as his first thought was that she could speak Greek.  The head of the legal department was assisting us at the hospital and was really very helpful wanting to make sure we were all ok and assist with the translations to understand what was taking place.

Having an accident in a foreign country where English is hardly spoken at all is the most harrowing and scary experience that you can have – the language barrier, the protocols, what you signing, what is happening in the emergency room, what the doctors are saying, having the police arrive to do a police report and not knowing if what they are writing is actually what has taken place, if they have misunderstood what you have said. Knowing the medications and allergies of everyone you are travelling with. It is actually a complete nightmare along with the worrying that your loved one will survive.

Derek filled Maria in on what had taken place and immediately she reached out to the hospital and also the international insurance to alleviate any stress from my side. Maria too, kept in contact with me, asking how we were, how the patient was and letting me feel so much less panicked. The people that we were travelling with were gobsmacked at the action Bryte was taking and how caring Derek and Maria were through the whole process. This was a friday night and both Maria and Derek kept checking in on how Sean was doing – throughout the entire weekend – this goes beyond, and we can’t be more appreciative of everything that was done for us – the care, the help, the advice and the smoothness in dealing with our horrible nightmare!

I understand this was not the norm and our fortune was having the direct contacts, however seeing the follow ups from WTP and their constant engagement gives me peace of mind that Bryte is by far the superior insurance and dealing with the emergency numbers any client would be looked after and given the direction to follow and peace of mind.

Please ask to your IGO Travel consultant to include your travel insurance policy as part of your trip for your own peace of mind.