Editorial: controlling the future

Photo: Panther Media

So now we have two stories in a row featuring young people in sudden need of treatment while abroad – occasion enough to talk about health insurance.

As if the Thai moped accident resulting in coma was not enough, and unlucky €100,000 Australian dive serves as a serious reminder. In both cases, local communities stepped in to help and solve the situations. Wonderful with people compassionate and graceful, but let’s not forget to stay responsible – which, while abroad, spells travel insurance.

Regarding the Thai case: after the event, it surfaced the man did have insurance cover – which neither doctors of relatives knew. Adding another twist – let the family know, carry the insurance company business card.

Occasionally we hear people expressing doubts whether travel insurance is a necessity. The likelihood to get hurt is small so why pay in advance, no matter how insignificant the sum. This is a short-sighted and stupid approach. However tiny, the possibility is ever there. With the unknown, there’s not much one can do, but travel insurance is an obvious key to some measure of control over future.

Often, people fail to grasp the vastness of expenses when hurt abroad. Even at home we may not have an idea. With homeland health insurance secured, no need to think too much. Even so, the sum would be a disaster even in native Estonia. To grasp its vastness, it has been considered to show people the bill at hospital exit door – to be paid by Health Insurance Fund, but just for the people to see the size of the costs avoided. Alas, no Fund while in foreign lands. All there would be is the Insurance.

Prudent thus to have the latter in one’s pocket. If not needed, the victory is ours really, not the insurance company’s.