What to Do If You Get Sick or Injured Abroad: A Step by Step Guide

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I have been injured abroad twice in ways I will never forget. The first time, a sea urchin put me in a hospital I did not trust, with no insurance, and I paid for everything myself. The second time, on a cycling tour, I cut my leg open on my bike’s crankset in Barcelona. That time I was insured. One phone call later I knew the stitches were covered, and I went to a good hospital without worrying about the bill.

Same traveller, very different experience. The difference was insurance and knowing what to do. Here is the plan.

1. Get help first, paperwork later

If it is serious, call the local emergency number straight away. In the European Union that is 112. Save the number for every country you visit before you arrive. Do not delay treatment in an emergency to call your insurer first.

2. Call your insurer’s emergency assistance once you are stable

Most travel health insurers have a 24 hour assistance service. They can find you a good hospital, talk to the doctors in your language and often pay the hospital directly so you do not have to.

With Genki Traveler, hospital stays must be managed by their emergency assistance partner, MCI Assist, which can arrange direct payment. Their conditions ask you to have the hospital confirm your stay with the assistance team.

3. For anything that is not an emergency, check before you pay

A fever, an ear infection or a sprained ankle usually means a clinic visit. Before you go, check two things: is the clinic reputable, and does your policy need approval for anything? A telemedicine call can also help you decide whether you need to see someone in person.

4. Ask for a cost estimate for big bills

This rule catches a lot of people. Under Genki Traveler’s conditions, for treatment costing €1,000 or more you must send an itemised cost estimate to the insurer at least five days before treatment. If you do not, only 50% of what would have been covered is paid. The rule does not apply to emergencies or to hospital stays managed by the emergency assistance team. Other insurers have similar rules, so read yours.

5. Keep every document

Take photos of everything before you leave the clinic:

• Itemised invoices, not just card receipts
• The doctor’s report or diagnosis
• Prescriptions and pharmacy receipts
• Any referral letters or test results

Missing paperwork is the most common reason a claim gets slow.

6. Claim your money back

If you paid yourself, submit your claim as soon as you can, following your insurer’s process. Genki asks you to follow the instructions in their Member Center. Remember that most policies have a deductible. With Genki Traveler you pay the first €50 of each outpatient case, and there is no deductible for hospital stays.

7. Tell someone and plan your recovery

Let a friend or family member know where you are. If it is serious, contact your embassy. Check the official advice for the country you are in, such as the UK’s foreign travel advice or the CDC travelers’ health pages. Ask the doctor what follow up care you need, and whether it is safe to fly.

Before your next trip

• Save your policy number and the assistance contact on your phone and offline.
• Write down the emergency number for each country on your route.
• Check the WHO travel advice for vaccinations and health risks.
• Make sure your cover has no gaps. If it already has, read can you buy travel insurance when you are already abroad.

Doing sports on your trip? Read my guides on travel insurance for surfers and travel insurance for cycling tours.

Be the traveller with a plan

You cannot control when you get sick or hurt. You can control whether it becomes a financial disaster. I never want to be uninsured abroad again, which is why I use Genki. You can check the price of Genki Traveler for your age in a few minutes.

Photo by Mathurin Napoly on Unsplash.