Fallen sick or hurt yourself overseas? Here’s how to make a claim at InsureandGo

Falling sick or becoming injured overseas can put a lot of strain on your holiday, particularly if medical expenses are building up. If you’ve taken out the correct travel insurance policy with InsureandGo, seeking help to cover the costs of your overseas treatment is quick and easy!

Below, we have put together some simple scenarios and claims processes to help you understand what you need to do if you fall sick or hurt yourself while travelling.

Scenario 1: General illnesses

If you’re unwell but still able to travel, you may be experiencing something like allergies, colds, headaches, gastro problems or even food poisoning. At this stage, you’ll need to decide whether you are able to continue travelling or whether you should seek medical advice from a doctor.

1. Contact InsureandGo as soon as you feel you need medical treatment
2. We will locate your nearest medical facility and arrange transport for you if needed
3. If required, we will then send a ‘guarantee of payment’ to the medical facility to cover your costs
4. We’ll also send any information about any pre-existing medical conditions you have, so make sure you inform the attending doctor if you have a pre-existing medical condition

Scenario 2: Medical emergencies

In an emergency, your health and wellbeing is the top priority. You may be involved in an accident, you may have suffered an illness like a heart attack or stroke or you might have broken a bone.

Here’s what to do if you experience a medical emergency overseas:

1. Seek help immediately and head to the nearest medical facility available
2. Take your passport with you if you can, as most hospitals will require this to treat you and ensure payment
3. If possible, ask your travelling companion to contact InsureandGo to explain the situation (or call us yourself if possible)
4. Undergo medical treatment as necessary and do everything the doctors tell you
5. If you’ve contacted us prior to your release, we’ll send a ‘guarantee of payment’ to the hospital to cover your expenses, which may include costs for scans, x-rays, consultations, drugs and even equipment like rubber gloves

Note: If you haven’t contacted us and you don’t have your passport with you, you will need to pay for your medical expenses when you are discharged from the hospital. You can then Contact InsureandGo and submit a claim to arrange for a reimbursement of costs.

Scenario 3: Non-urgent claims

If you receive medical treatment overseas, you are not obligated to submit a claim while you are still travelling. If your claim is not urgent, you still have 30 days to submit your case after you arrive back in Australia.

1. Submit your claim by filling in the relevant claims form and emailing it to InsureandGo at assistance@insureandgo.com.au
2. Post the original form and your original receipts/documents to us at InsureandGo Australia, PO Box 4860, Sydney NSW Australia 2001 (make sure you keep copies of all your documents for your own records)
3. Send your documents by registered or traceable post to ensure delivery
4. Our friendly Customer Service team will then contact you to request further information or let you know the outcome of your claim

Tips for a successful claim

• Keep all travel insurance documents with you at all times while travelling; keeping them in your bag or wallet is a good idea
• Keep InsureandGo’s contact details on hand as well, so you can access them easily if something happens
• In most cases, you should contact InsureandGo before you pay for any medical costs yourself or if your costs exceed AU$500
• Keep all receipts, reports and doctor’s notes with you until you return home to Australia; these will be essential for completing your claim
• Remember, we can only cover your expenses for the amounts and circumstances listed in your individual travel insurance policy

Learn more about claims by downloading the relevant claims form or contacting InsureandGo on 1300 401 177 (or Reverse Charge +612 9333 3999 if you’re still travelling).