Catherine Miroshkina
Economist and editor. profile Facebook.
In late May, my husband and son flew in the holiday. The usual beach holiday, a standard package of services: five-star hotel, "all inclusive", medical insurance.
With a take necessary medicine from everything. All young, healthy, well, a maximum temperature rise or something not eat. And only a six days, that there may happen. My hand always, Power treat carefully for the child follows the sun from overheating, do not drink alcohol. But it took polchemodana medication.
On the third day, at night, I feel bad. I drink something from the stomach, antispasmodic, enterosorbent. I'm getting worse.
We are in another country, a night. With us small child. I put up two hours later realize that starting to lose consciousness. I have a full understanding of that now, I can just die.
And then we remember about insurance. I know that under the contract we have the right to call a doctor, I have to pick up and take him to the hospital. Deductible - $ 30, I, too, remember. We are ready: this sum is cash. We know what number to call, because I, too, found in advance.
The husband ran to the reception to call the insurance. I'm getting worse. Fortunately for us in the same hotel at the same time was my sister with her family. Inviting her to stay with the child. I do not know what I would do if there were no relatives.
The car was sent quickly. I do not understand anything and did not remember. also reached the hospital minutes before five. There is an insurance representative, said in Russian. I was examined by a doctor, immediately put into the chamber, put a few droppers. Immediately taken analyzes, although it was night. To live up to in the morning I did not expect.
Droppers I stood for four hours, it was better in the morning. Analyzes showed an intestinal infection. On the morning of discharged treated and released. The machine is also called free. The doctor gave his recommendations, he issued a prescription. Buy anything without a prescription should not be! Nothing at all. None of the medications my first aid kit does not fit. At least, I did not dare replace antibiotic and saw everything exactly as prescribed foreign doctor.
As a result, we paid $ 30 deductible, even 30 dollars spent on medication after discharge. The insurance included only drugs for the relief of acute condition. Next themselves.
The rest is paid the insurance. Without insurance, I think, even the night at the clinic would cost a pretty penny. And the machine would not have sent for me, and where to find it at night?
It was not all the adventures.
While on holiday my sister's daughter ill chickenpox in severe form. The whole family with two children did not want to let on the plane on the way back. Reasonably, shall have the right, in theory, we were ready for it. But hoped to fly: really need a child was a doctor.
They had insurance against nevyleta. When tickets cost 100 rubles nevylet policy on both sides worth 5000. In which case they would have given the hotel, while all will not work, and would be paid for new tickets. But nothing happened: the commander at the last moment decided to put them on a plane in a mask.
When we landed in Moscow, all exhaled. The holiday is now want to not be soon.
That's conclusions are not the child's mother, not a lover of travel and pragmatic economist.
1. Always buy insurance
Even if you rarely get sick, do not like the extreme and you bring all medications. The question is not about the money. Insurance immediately sent a car for me, and I was saved. And who would have sent her if the policy was not? Where do go to another country when foreign hotels around only the sea? And late at night.
2. Study conditions before an insured event occurs
And the best - before pay. Learn for yourself, and not from the words of a travel agent. I was told that all medicines are included, as it turned out - only emergency. I spent $ 30, is nonsense. And if we had 300 or 3000 dollars and urgently, as in my case?
3. Bring money, even if the ticket is included in general all
Even on the map. I multicurrency. I easily transferred the required amount of rubles into dollars in a couple of clicks in your application.
4. All family members should have an action plan in case of emergency
I could say to her husband, which is an insurance policy and a phone number. Given my condition, I could not make it. A man in paper is not very versed.
Yet we were close relatives and had nobody to leave the child at night. If they were not there, you have to understand who is doing what. That there was no undue expectations and grievances. I was helped by the support of her husband and that he was there in the hospital until I was taken to the ward. Without it, it would be worse.
5. Money should be made available to all members of the family
In the event that your fingerprint is not an obstacle for the payment. This is necessary to think, that's life. In an emergency, you know do not want unnecessary problems.
6. Do not rush to criticize our medicine, and in particular ambulance
We ask when calling the emergency information policy, and we are so used to be angry at it. How so! Rescue us soon. Abroad to me not even touched until the insurance is not confirmed on the phone my policy. And she confirmed immediately.
7. Never assume that it will not touch it for you
Let not touch, but it can happen anything. Of course, going on vacation, I was not going to get sick, lying in the hospital and to say goodbye to life. I'm generally very cautious. But it turned out like this.
8. You do not need anyone except their relatives
How would you not smiling in the population. In my hotel I knew I was in the hospital. But no one asked me if I was alive, and how do I feel. And did not want to return the money for spa treatments, which I paid in advance, but to get to them has not been able for health reasons. And it's five stars.
Even if you are healthy, successful, rich and happy, think about what will close if you something happens. This applies to property, money, contributions and rights.
Take care of yourself!