REAL-LIFE TRAVELLER CLAIM STORIES
Disclaimer: These financial disasters actually happened. We just changed the names to protect the innocent (and the mildly clumsy) from internet fame.
When we pack for a trip, we usually worry about losing our luggage or forgetting a phone charger. We generally don't plan on a barefoot beach stroll or a bad climbing decision forcing us to sell our house. But the second we leave Alberta, our provincial health coverage effectively stops at the duty-free shop.
Let's address the elephant in the room right off the bat: Yes, this is a completely shameless plug for our travel insurance partners at TuGo. We are absolutely advertising for them right now.
But we don’t push their policies to make a quick buck. We push them because when things go terribly wrong, TuGo actually steps up and writes half-million-dollar cheques to keep our clients out of bankruptcy.
Infection from walking on the beach could’ve cost Kirkover $130,000 without travel insurance.
Destination: San Juan, Puerto Rico
| Expense Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hospital Fees | $41,943.07 |
| Doctors' Fees | $38,675.11 |
| Pathology/Rad | $2,268.69 |
| Air Ambulance | $56,351.82 |
| Paid by TuGo | $139,238.69 |
Kirk, a 54-year-old Canadian, was enjoying a relaxing vacation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when he stepped on something sharp while walking barefoot on the beach. He initially dismissed the small cut on his foot, but within days, the pain and swelling grew worse, making it difficult to walk.
Concerned, Kirk visited a local clinic, where he was quickly referred to a hospital for further treatment. Blood work and an x-ray revealed multiple abscesses in his foot, which required emergency surgery. However, following the procedure, Kirk’s condition continued to worsen, leading to a second surgery.
Given the severity of the infection, doctors determined Kirk needed to be airlifted back to Canada for continued treatment. TuGo coordinated his medical evacuation, ensuring he received the care he needed as quickly and safely as possible. Fortunately, Kirk purchased TuGo’s Emergency Medical Insurance before his vacation, which helped him avoid a $130,000 hospital bill with additional financial stress during a medical emergency far from home.
17-year-old’s fall from a tree could’ve cost $440K without travel insurance
Destination: Eureka, California
| Expense Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hospital Fees | $286,592.14 |
| Doctors' Fees | $8,082.95 |
| Prescriptions | $93.50 |
| Air Ambulance | $142,224.25 |
| Medical Appliances | $277.41 |
| Attendant/Parent Costs | $1,825.49 |
| Return Airfare | $1,335.00 |
| Provincial Healthcare | -$452.90 |
| Paid by TuGo | $439,977.84 |
Seventeen-year-old Tyler was visiting Eureka, California, when a fall from a redwood tree left him seriously injured. While hiking with friends, he slipped and fell 100 feet, hitting branches on the way down, and becoming unconscious when he hit the ground. His friends carried him out of the forest to the nearest road, where emergency responders arranged for an air ambulance.
Tyler was airlifted to a nearby trauma centre, where scans revealed multiple fractures to his hip, pelvis, arm, and face. His most severe injuries required immediate surgery, including pins and screws to stabilise his hip and pelvis. Further procedures and a long rehabilitation process would follow once he returned home.
Tyler’s parents rushed to California to be at his bedside and made arrangements for his continued care in Canada. After four days in hospital, he was stable enough to fly home. Thanks to TuGo’s Airfare to Return Home for Treatment Benefit for Tyler, and Medical Attendant Benefit for his parents, he was able to return to Canada on a commercial flight with his parents, and was immediately admitted to a children’s hospital for further treatment.
Guillain-Barré left Sonya hospitalized, and travel insurance saved her over $500,000 in medical expenses
Destination: Negril, Jamaica
| Expense Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hospital Fees | $396,088.93 |
| Doctors' Fees | $17,760.54 |
| Lab/Radiology | $672.43 |
| Air Ambulance | $125,154.50 |
| Provincial Healthcare | -$1,560.00 |
| Paid by TuGo | $538,116.40 |
While vacationing in Jamaica with her husband, 72-year-old Sonya began experiencing unusual weakness in her legs and lower back. What started as mild fatigue quickly progressed, and within a day, she was unable to stand or bear weight. She was admitted to hospital, where her condition worsened rapidly.
Sonya began having trouble speaking and swallowing, and experienced facial drooping. Doctors diagnosed her with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare condition where the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, causing weakness and even temporary paralysis. She stayed in hospital for thirteen days under close care.
Due to the severity of her illness and the need for continued medical support, TuGo arranged an air ambulance to return Sonya to her home province for recovery. Thankfully, Sonya and her husband never travel without Emergency Medical Insurance. TuGo covered over $500,000 in medical costs, easing the financial burden during a terrifying and uncertain time.