That whole 'skip travel insurance to save money' advice backfired hard on our trip to Thailand.

I spent 14 hours stuck in a Bangkok hospital waiting for a doctor after a motorbike fender bender because I listened to folks saying insurance was a waste, and now I wouldn't skip it again for a 3-day weekend, let alone a month-long trip - has anyone else had a similar hospital nightmare change their mind?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix2914d agoMost Upvoted

Read that stat from ray189 too. 1 in 5 sounds cooked up but I've seen the numbers, they're real. A buddy of mine broke his ankle in Vietnam last year. No insurance. Cost him 8 grand cash just to get a cast and a flight back. He still jokes about it but it's not funny. Thailand's hospitals are decent but they don't do charity. A simple cut or a fever can turn into a 5 figure bill real quick. Even a 3 day weekend, if something goes wrong you're stuck.

ray1892mo ago

Read an article that said something like 1 in 5 travelers end up needing medical help abroad... definitely not worth rolling the dice.

terry_thomas2mo ago

Is it just me or does that stat sound like it was pulled from a travel insurance ad? I mean I'm probably the guy who'd trip over his own suitcase and end up needing stitches, so maybe it's not too far off. Still feels like one of those numbers they cook up to scare you into buying the premium plan though.