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Category:
Insurance
News /
Short Term
Insurance /
Santam
/ May 2007
Travel cover will bail you out of holiday mishaps
One never expects to be involved in any kind of holiday blunder
Most regard travel insurance as a way of covering the costs should
you require medical attention while on holiday, however, it also
provides the added benefit of being there for other little ‘mishaps’
– not necessarily of a medical nature.
George Novis of Santam’s Travel Insurance underwriter TIC says, “One
never expects to be involved in any kind of holiday blunder but
travel cover has bailed many holidaymakers out of bizarre and costly
situations.
“A
basic insurance package can cost as little as R285, depending on the
duration of your trip, paying out as much as R25 000 000, no matter
the nature of the mishap.”
Novis cites an example of a client travelling in
Europe,
who was walking down a flight of stairs in her hotel when she lost
her footing and tried to regain it by grabbing on to an expensive
painting on the wall beside her.
“Unfortunately she continued to tumble down the stairs, knocking
over an expensive vase, in addition to the painting, as she went.
“Luckily our client wasn’t injured and she had taken out a youth
policy before travelling which allowed us to foot the bill for the
replacement of the painting and the vase at a cost of R10 000.”
“On
another occasion” Novis recalls, “a client inadvertently knocked a
fellow skier while on the slopes in
Colorado.
Minimal injuries were caused, however he was tracked down in Cape
Town and served with a $100 000 summons.
“The client’s travel insurance allowed us to investigate the
incident on his behalf which revealed that the ‘victim’ was, in
fact, a serial litigant. Although suffering injuries, the victim
causes accidents of this nature all the time, trapping unsuspecting
tourists. We were able to settle out of court (inclusive of legal
expenses) to the value of R430 000.
“Of
course these expenses are insignificant if compared to those that
can be incurred if a traveller requires medical attention –
hospitalisation and operation costs can easily go into the millions.
“These examples illustrate how easily expensive mistakes can happen
and how one can inexpensively ensure that museum entries and
restaurant bills are the only expenses leaving a dent in the bank
account while on holiday.”
Source: ITInews – Insurance
Times and Investments Online
www.itinews.co.za
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