Is GoFundMe the new travel insurance?

We still have a reciprocal health care arrangement with the EU.

Yes, but we’d be paying the same as them AKA not free…, and be careful of anything judged ‘pre-existing’.

In an earlier life, when I was travelling non-stop with work I always had world-wide cover through work for all of us but since then we just pay for travel insurance – see it as just another holiday cost (and in reality about the price of a decent lunch).

It’s also only fair on your family. If you end up in a coma, having emergency surgery, or worst case coming home in a box, the last thing I want is my parents having the mega stress and financial implications, of an already terrible ordeal, just because I choose to go mountain biking.

We’ve just paid £160 for two people, for European annual cover, including mtb, via ferrata and pre existing medical conditions. The flights cost 4 times that and the bike cases 5 times, all of which are part of the holiday budget.

Insurance – x people pay £n upfront for a certainty that in a range of situations (but not all) they can get costs of £x*n  [obviously its a bit more complex to help actuaries justify their salaries! but the essence of it is that the risk is shared amongst all premiums]

GoFundMe – X people donate £N after the event in the hope of covering a now-defined cost of £X*N.

I basically agree with this. But using x for a discreet number of people, and n for a variable amount of money makes my teeth itch.

I certainly have some sympathy for the poor sod.

I feel more sorry for their family. They are left with a magnified version of have a very unwell pet with potential bills of thousands but feeling a moral duty to ‘do the right thing’ and bankrupt yourself (not him) to give them a chance of getting well.

Paying for insurance sucks but for travel insurance where the costs could get so massive that you’d end up putting your loved ones in very challenging financial positions because of your decision, it feels like a no brainer…..

GoFundMe – X people donate £N after the event in the hope of covering a now-defined cost of £X*N.

The irony of course being that many of the X people will have actually paid for their own travel insurance so by being ‘guilted’ into are helping and in effect paying £N twice – once for their own cover and once for the person not willing to pay their £N.

My insurance for mountain biking holidays in the Alps usually comes out at ~£140 per week with £100 excess, so it’s not exactly pennies. Even cutting it back to not cover my bike and it’s ~£60

Generally my policy with insurance is to only get it for things that could bankrupt me, such as medical expenses, medivac and repatriation charges. Otherwise I prefer to rely on my rainy day account.

My insurance for mountain biking holidays in the Alps usually comes out at ~£140 per week with £100 excess, so it’s not exactly pennies. Even cutting it back to not cover my bike and it’s ~£60

How much would you spend on a decent dinner in an Alpine resort, that won’t be “pennies” either.

**Perhaps I’m fortunate to have only made 2 claims on my holiday insurance and both were honoured in full with no quibbles in an entirely reasonable timescale.**

I have made a total of three claims against travel insurance. Two out of the three times I was utterly shafted. The most recent one was when a bag went missing on the outward flight in 2022. The insurance company were obstructive at every step of the way, asking for receipts and photographic proof of ownership which we couldn’t do in some cases – who takes pictures of hair straighteners (expensive ones) that were a gift in the first place. Three months later we were still trying to sort the claim out (and had re-bought most of the stuff that had gone missing) when the bag turned up so (despite contradicting the insurer’s own policy) they wouldn’t progress the claim as they said the bag was no longer lost. However, we now have duplicate items – most of which we don’t need two of. I put a complaint in and it was upheld, but I only got a small amount as an apology, nowhere near the full cost of the original claim.

please name them, Jondoh – we had a thread recently on the awful reviews that even some highly reputed companies are receiving.  Really hard to know who to go with

Even cutting it back to not cover my bike and it’s ~£60

so less than a tenner a day for your peace of mind & more importantly that of your family 🤔

*please name them*
Admiral.

12 months global travel insurance has cost me about £160 this year.

Son of a friend’s partner: walking in the hills in Vietnam, got caught in a landslide and lost his leg (his mates died).

My daughter’s friend: slipped off a wooden walkway down to the beach and had to spend a week in hospital with a smashed ankle.

A friend flew out to the Philippines yesterday to see her daughter who’s had an emergency appendicectomy while travelling out there.

Why wouldn’t you get travel insurance?

Reciprocal health agreements are great… right up until the point you need to get home. e.g;

• airlifted off a mountainside – £££ (depending on location)
• dead in a box – £££
• Still ill, being repatriated to the UK – ££, if a row of seats on a commercial flight. ££££ if air ambulance
• You’ve been in hospital and missed your flight, no longer have accommodation, transport, etc – have fun sorting yourself out

or

• You’re in hospital and on your own as you’d need to pay to fly out a family member

That’s before you look into all the other more minor parts of policies

please name them*
Admiral.

Cheers I got a quote from them yesterday on the back of this thread so they can stick that up their arse!! 🙂

Slight rabbit hole:

I’ve made one claim on European car insurance. Breakdown recovery from France as it goes.

Various French garage fees (three places failed to fix it – nobody did Honda in France at that point, apparently).
French breakdown recovery fees.
Hire car in France for a week.
A weeks worth of hotels / gites / hot dinners.
Fresh pair of ferry tickets back.
Hire car in UK to cover ferry -> home trip.
Car repatriation.
Car moved to local garage for repair.

All covered, with a £100 (ish) excess.

Plus they did a helpline so that all of the above could be arranged by someone who spoke French, because my ability to (just about) order lunch wasn’t going to cover it.

Experiences vary, clearly. Without insurance we’d have written the car off, paid someone to scrap it, and taken the hit on several hire cars and ferry tickets, I guess.

Guessing that was covered by the old E111 card scheme thingy… Reciprocal health service agreement.

Probably in the background. We never actually got asked for anything, but I’m guessing the missus mentioned he was forrin when she gave details.

find this hard to believe unless your wife is a German citizen or a citizen of a country with reciprocal health care arrangements (and even then, the “sorting out of bills” is done behind the scenes. Was this pre-Brexit??

Yep, same as most of the posters on this forum. UK has a reciprocal agreement. Yep was pre Brexit.

We chose the last option as it suited us best. Total cost to use of £50.

@5lab. Just for clarity/ completeness can you confirm that this is the only holiday you have ever taken out travel insurance for ?

Just for clarity/ completeness can you confirm that this is the only holiday you have ever taken out travel insurance for

where this argument falls down is that I have auto-renewing travel insurance which cost about £45 this year, if I’m doing something like skiing/MTB I will add on to it – I could do this twice a year (I wish!) and the total lifetime cost of my insurance wouldn’t come anywhere close to what it would cost to repatriate me/my body to the UK. We are not talking about minor boo-boos/ouchies as in your cases!

are not talking about minor boo-boos/ouchies as in your cases!

I’m this instance I wasn’t talking about them either. I was talking about the scenario 5lab outlined where he might have had to cough up £1200. He seemed to be saying that he only spent £50 on insurance and thus was ahead by £1150..

I was just commenting on how fortuitous it was that the first time he paid for travel insurance he actually needed it …

Or alternatively…..

Just for clarity/ completeness can you confirm that this is the only holiday you have ever taken out travel insurance for ?

no, I have (free) annual trip cover for the family, but its also not the only claim I’ve made. I’ve also (over the years) claimed :

£300 for late bags
£400 for a lost wedding ring
£300 for a mobile phone that got dropped down the toilet by my wife
£150 for new oakleys after I walked into a low beam and scratched the … out of them
£500 for flights we couldn’t use when my wife broke her leg
£300 for a stolen wallet with cash in it

and probably a couple of other things I’m forgetting about. I’m up in net terms for sure

Breakdown recovery from France as it goes.

I can replay exactly the same story from my best friend and her family last year, who had no travel insurance (they forgot) when their van broke down in France. Phoned me in a pretty major stress. Had to pay for all of that (the breakdown to the nearest garage was covered by their breakdown cover), though they couldn’t afford a hire car as they were so expensive in France in August. End up stumping up so many unexpected costs they couldn’t afford a replacement holiday that year. Spent 10 days at home, walking from the door (van took 3 months to come back) trying to entertain the kids.

I’m this instance I wasn’t talking about them either. I was talking about the scenario 5lab outlined where he might have had to cough up £1200

yeah, that’s not what this thread is about though. We’re talking about worst-case-scenario stuff that you cannot possibly self-insure for unless you’re extremely wealthy. The stuff that would financially cripple your family who’d have to sort out your mess unless (and even?) if they start a GoFundMe and beg off strangers. Not a broken foot/lost suitcase/broken down car.

“chrismacFull Member
It never ceases to amaze me that people donate to these pages? What do people who set them up think? That the world owes them a favour because they couldn’t be bothered or chose not to buy appropriate insurance. Perhaps they are hoping for their 15 mins of fame in the Daily Heil  with suitably sad faces and a one sided story of doom.”

Why are you making snotty remarks about the Daily Mail? Your post would fit in perfectly on its comment board.

I got an annual policy with YellowJersey (not sure who underwrites), but it was £110/odd.

It specifically covers actual sporting activities (bar competition obvs). I hadn’t realised that the vast majority of insurers won’t even cover you for just riding down the road abroad..

As for those risking it, well, you ( or donors) obviously have your back..

put a complaint in and it was upheld, but I only got a small amount as an apology, nowhere near the full cost of the original claim

Go to the ombudsman (FOS) if it’s within 6 months of the complaint being closed?

I haven’t been abroad on holiday since the mid-90’s, but I’ve had travel insurance as part of my bank account, along with AA car cover. I’m now in a position to start thinking about a holiday abroad, so it’s not something I have to think specifically about. I won’t be taking part in anything like mountain biking, kayaking or anything like that, so not concerned about those sorts of activities causing an injury. I am looking into a possible trip to New York, so additional health cover is definitely something I’d look into, I’ve read far too many horror stories about how costs can escalate dramatically for even small injuries. The fact that the people I’d be staying with both work at a major hospital, one in A&E, the other as a surgeon probably wouldn’t help me much!

Not every bank account has worldwide cover on their packaged insurance. They won’t cover pre-existing conditions unless notified and a possible extra premium paid.

https://www.rbs.co.uk/insurance/travel-insurance.html

It’s a rabbit hole.  Reading the small print for going bike touring is a nightmare. Helmets required yes/no.  Altitude limits.  Gravel roads covered?

Family of four, annual European cover including skiing and MTB, with a couple of pre-existing named and covered conditions – roughly £250

So that’s about 10 summer days including 6 on the bikes in the Alps, and one or two weeks skiing in the winter for just over £40 per person.

Minor European injuries (eg a broken foot) are of course covered under the GHIC provided you can get to the medics without being recovered from the piste.

Strangely the only time we needed to claim was actually on a planned Canadian trip when some emergency surgery in the UK a few weeks before we were due to go meant canning the lot – flights, accommodation etc. The resort were nice enough to refund the lift passes, but the insurance paid out thousands.

Because it’s often far from small, and it’s often far from necessary.

Every time you don’t claim, insurance is not necessary. It is cheap as chips, at least when you’re under 75.

On the other hand, break your leg in the US and suddenly your £75 ww annual policy is very good value:

Best part of 20k USD.

Need a repat? 50k USD.

Not using travel insurance is either brave or stupid IME.

The cancellation section alone is worth it.

I have little sympathy for those that don’t bother, I’ve always had it.

Colleague of mine (an idiot) didn’t have insurance and was on a stag do in Hamburg, hopefully very drunk, stepped into the road after waiting for two cars to pass, hadn’t noticed the third car. Killed instantly. £25k to bring his body home. I politely declined to donate.

I paid £680 to just cover medical and repatriation for codriving on the Safari Rally in Kenya and that was trundling along slowly at the back of the field with very little risks involved. But I wouldn’t want my parents to sell their house to medivac me home. Just not worth it.

In my 30s I regularly did Alp trips to mountain bike, I completely overlooked travel insurance for a couple of them because I thought I’d booked annual insurance. I hadn’t.

Ive never had insurance for European trips.  Repatriation is the only thing not covered under reciprocal agreements I took that risk

“If you can’t self insure, you’re just sponging of more careful people and don’t deserve to go on holiday“

Well, that’s total bollox really.

How many can self insure to the tune of £100k or £200k or more when they’re 22 or 23 years old ?

Won’t reach £200k ?  See how much it costs when someone you know has a head injury, brain bleed and subsequent stroke and is in intensive care for ages, followed by air repatriation.   That example is unfortunately real for someone I know.

Ive never had insurance for European trips. Repatriation is the only thing not covered

Or mountain rescue. I don’t think helicopters come cheap!  If you can’t drag your shattered leg off the mountain yourself, or you are unconscious and your mates won’t carry you down as your neck seems to be at a funny angle, that could financially ruin you.

And it’s not state funded in the UK either, seems to be predominantly charity funded/volunteer run.

Fun fact, GHIC doesn’t even cover all of Europe, let alone global.

The last major story I read about crowdfunding was a family who left their daughter abroad to stay on and extend her trip into a working holiday (or something), they’d bought travel insurance but because she hadn’t started the trip/cover in the UK, the policy was voided. I think she had a bleed on the brain or something.

Genuine mistake with the T&C’s or trying to save the cost of flying back out a few days later…who knows

Ive never had insurance for European trips. Repatriation is the only thing not covered under reciprocal agreements I took that risk

Cancellation, personal belongings, airline failure, travel disruptions, loss of passport, etc etc etc

On the health front you are also missing out on the assistance piece which is probably as important as the care itself. Plus, the choice of audited providers will be far better and selective. The medical team at the assistance company ultimately has your medical interest in mind. A local provider that you haven’t chosen and won’t be audited might not.

The cost of European travel insurance is derisory too.

Ive never had insurance for European trips.  Repatriation is the only thing not covered under reciprocal agreements I took that risk

Not exactly true. Earlier this year Mrs NBT had an accident on a ski trip that resulted in a hospital visit. Ambulances are not free in France, and they don’t leave until you’ve paid. so she was left waiting for me to return with my credit card after I’d been told to go and dump my stuff back at the apartment. An ambulance to the local health centre then a second ambulance to the valley hospital (the health centre were unable to reduce the shoulder dislocation) cost just shy of €1500.

We’re still waiting on the payout but the claim also covers the curtailment of that trip, plus cancellation of the second trip.

Or mountain rescue. I don’t think helicopters come cheap!

I got specific mountain rescue & medical insurance when I was in the Alps last year. You can buy it by the day and when you’re already in country. Quite reasonably priced too.

Useful to supplement a basic travel policy perhaps.

Just checked my annual insurance, family of 4 is £43. Tripsure Annual Platinum. Covers Emergency and Repatriation to £5m. Sports and Hazardous Activities also included.

I have to admit to having gone on biking holidays and just thought my standard annual cover would be sufficient.

Strange that folk don’t see it as a holiday cost. No chance would I go anywhere without it. My family (and my savings) couldn’t afford to buy an airport meal let along medical costs abroad.

I go away two or three times a year so £43 is money well spent.

On the health front you are also missing out on the assistance piece which is probably , the choice of audited providers will be far better and selective

Made me laugh

The medical team at the assistance company ultimately has your medical interest in mind. 

Really made me laugh.

Just checked my annual insurance, family of 4 is £43. Tripsure Annual Platinum. Covers Emergency and Repatriation to £5m. Sports and Hazardous Activities also included.

Which “hazardous activities are those?  Not mountain biking, not rock climbing, not cycle touring, not even jumping off a 3 m diving board, not kayaking nor rafting, skiing.  They are all add-ons that take it up to £146.

Which is still insanely cheap TBH.  So much so that I would have no confidence in them paying out

It also excluded search and rescue costs, which is useless.

It also excluded needless exposure to peril.

It also stipulates that you need to be supervised and tuitioned by experts qualified in the pursuit of activity in question. You must use all appropriate precautions, equipment and protection.

Then it gets even more pointless:

The availability of the insurance does not in itself imply that we consider such sports and activities safe.  At all times you must satisfy yourself that you are capable of safely undertaking .. etc

More holes than a colander

Also worth bearing in mind that with annual travel insurance, you get cover for any overnight trip anywhere (within the limitations of your cover obviously) so simple overnight stays away from home are also covered. For the difference in cost between paying for a single holiday cover and multi-trip, it’s a no-brainer (just don’t insure with Admidral).

Is Dogtag still popular? Used to be a go to insurer recommendation when I was competing overseas.

It also doesn’t cover skiing off piste, ski acrobatics, sledging, freestyle

Likewise if your 17 year old son skis down a different piste to meet you at the cafe. He is no longer insured.

Cycle touring is only covered if a helmet AND body protector is used !

Ditto cycling.

Kids aren’t covered at all for most of the activities. I ncluding cycling! Or go karting

Or even hiking FFS. They’re not even allowed to go tubing…

That policy is a waste of time