Although people often do not consider a one-day cruise to Finland or a week-long road trip through the Baltics to be a real trip, and also consider it unlikely that they will fall ill in neighboring countries, insurance statistics show the opposite. “Often, the proximity of neighboring countries makes people underestimate the risks associated with travel, and it is not uncommon for people to decide to go on a trip at the last minute, which means they have to plan and pack so quickly that they simply forget about insurance,” says Marit Raag, product manager for travel insurance at Seesam. Seesam statistics show that every fifth insurance case requiring medical care occurs in neighboring countries, and sudden accidents often end in thousands of euros in medical expenses even close to home. Return home – 20,000 euros, scooter fall – 7,000 euros Children most often require medical care while traveling, followed by people aged 35 and over, and then travelers over 70. “In Finland, which is popular among Estonians, the average claim for damages in recent years has been 400 euros. The largest recent claim exceeded 1,000 euros due to sudden appendicitis, which required urgent surgery. In other Nordic countries, medical costs also amount to 300–400 euros and are mainly related to illnesses such as colds and stomach problems. However, in the winter, skiing accidents predominate in this region,” the insurer explained. Although the average damage in the near abroad is several times lower than in other countries, obviously no one thinks about such unexpected expenses when going to a flower fair in Latvia or an amusement park in Helsinki for a day. “In addition to stomach problems and colds, falls, allergies and poisonings also happen during a city break. Mostly people fall from bicycles and scooters, and even if they fall without a fracture, the damage in the near abroad is 600-7000 euros,” Raag gave examples of common cases of damage. According to the insurer, in larger cases the amount of damage usually increases the need for special transport. For example, last year, one insured person was hospitalized in Sweden due to sudden heart problems, and since the client was not allowed to be transported within the country for medical reasons, an Air Ambulance had to be ordered to return home, which increased the damage to 20,000 euros. Children are forgotten to be insured “Although according to statistics, children receive medical care when traveling most often, people often forget about insuring the youngest members of the family. For example, people do not insure children who are traveling abroad for competitions or on a class excursion. We recently had a case where one child suffered a fracture during a competition abroad, and an adult family member had to come to discharge the minor from a medical institution. In this case, travel insurance helped both the child and the adult who needed transport,” Raag explained, speaking about the importance of insuring children. For those traveling to neighboring countries and other European countries, the insurer reminds about the existence of the European Health Insurance Card, which people tend to forget about. “In the event of a sudden need for medical care, the European Health Insurance Card gives the right to receive medical care in public hospitals on an equal basis with local residents. Depending on the country, the person themselves bears the costs of transportation to the hospital, the doctor's appointment, and bed days. “That is, the most reliable protection and peace of mind when traveling around Europe is provided by travel insurance together with medical insurance, and everyone can get the latter for free,” Raag reminded.
