Travel has always been part of Christina and Barry's story. But after Barry was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, overseas trips required a little more planning and confidence that support would be there if something went wrong.
When their daughter Freya suggested a trip to Vietnam together, Christina and Barry were immediately on board. They planned a multi-stop trip through Hanoi, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc, and carefully decided on 1Cover for their travel insurance. Looking back, Christina says she was ‘very happy’ to have made that choice, noting that “It was just so easy initially to get the insurance. And the unexpected support we got was [so reassuring].”
Barry, pictured with his daughter Freya and his wife, Christina, in Phu Quoc, Vietnam
For most of their trip, everything went perfectly. Christina, Barry and Freya didn’t face any issues as they travelled from city to city, enjoyed food tours, local restaurants and spent quality time together as a family. However, towards the end of their trip, a night stay in an Airbnb apartment block in Ho Chi Minh City changed the course of their holiday dramatically.
After a long day of shopping before their flight the next day to the island of Phu Quoc, the family chose to eat at a nearby pizza restaurant that looked clean and convenient.
“We all had pizza, but my husband and daughter also shared some spaghetti bolognese. That's how we know it was food poisoning, because they were the only two who became unwell."
It didn’t take long for Barry and Freya to start feeling unwell with gastrointestinal symptoms but for Barry, a diabetic, the rapid onset of illness, combined with fluid loss proved especially serious.
“It happened so quickly; we had basically just got back to the room,” notes Christina. “It was really frightening, especially because he was going unconscious more and more quickly.”
As Barry continued to decline, Christina and Freya tried to get medical help.
“It was difficult because we needed to know what the emergency numbers are in different countries, we couldn’t find anyone who spoke English, as of course there wasn’t a reception desk.”
Despite feeling unwell herself, Freya went downstairs and was finally able to get help calling an ambulance.
Eventually, paramedics arrived and revived Barry, who had lost consciousness, before transporting him to the hospital. Christina recalls Barry being administered with fluids and glucose before being taken down the stairs and into the ambulance.
“They came up, and they resuscitated him with a drip and sugar and the whole bit. We all went in the ambulance… and then we got to the hospital.”
“The hospital phoned them [1Cover] fairly quickly and that’s when we got so much reassurance.1Cover also prompted us to think about our plans ahead, which I hadn’t. I was just thinking of the immediate situation.”
The hospital liaised directly with 1Cover to cover Barry’s medical costs while also covering the family’s flight change fees, lost accommodation and additional expenses.
“The hospital told me that everything was covered and it was excellent. I didn’t feel alone,” says Christina.
Barry spent two nights in hospital before becoming stable enough to be discharged. The family could then fly on to their next destination, Phu Quoc. After the emergency and hospital stay, they were able to enjoy the final days of their holiday before returning home.
“He was really good once he got going,” says Christina. “I thought the treatment was a high standard, and I’m a nurse.”
Looking back, Christina said the experience taught them a few important lessons.
“Always stay in accommodation with 24-hour reception, and have your medications, or anything that you need to pass on to people, typed up in the country’s language.”
She also recommends looking up local emergency numbers before travelling, after she and her daughter struggled to find the right number to call in Vietnam.
For Christina, the experience reinforced that travel insurance is about more than covering medical bills.
"It made me realise how important travel insurance is. We would have been really lost without it. It wasn't just the financial side, it was the support, the phone calls, dealing with the hospital and helping rearrange everything afterwards. We'd always had travel insurance, but I'd always wondered how good it would actually be if we needed it. This experience certainly changed my mind.”
While their trip may have included a frightening detour, thankfully, Christina, Barry were able to continue their journey and return home with a renewed confidence in the value of being prepared.
No one plans to get sick or injured while travelling, but knowing what to do can help you get the care you need and minimise disruption to your trip:
Don't ignore symptoms or delay treatment, especially if you've suffered an injury or have severe pain, fever or difficulty breathing. Early medical care can help prevent complications.
If you're admitted to hospital or require ongoing treatment, contact your travel insurer's emergency assistance team. They can help coordinate care, communicate with medical providers and advise what your policy covers.
Save hospital reports, prescriptions, invoices and receipts for any medical treatment or medication. These documents will be important if you need to make a travel insurance claim.
Attend any follow-up appointments and follow your treating doctor's instructions. If you're unsure about your care, your travel insurer's assistance team may also be able to provide guidance.
If you've been seriously injured or become unwell, don't assume you're fit to fly. Always follow medical advice before travelling and speak with your airline and travel insurer if your travel plans need to change.
1Cover ® is a registered trademark of 1Cover Pty Ltd. 1Cover Pty Ltd ABN 91 105 954 265, is an authorised representative of Coffre-Fort Pty Limited ABN 66 125 358 518, AFS Licence No. 472457. 1Cover is located at Level 1, 332 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Before you buy, please read the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination. Any information contained on this website is general advice only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider these having regard to the Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’). Before you purchase, please note in particular, the eligibility criteria, travel warnings in place and limitations to claim under multiple policy sections.
This insurance is underwritten by HDI Global Specialty SE, a company registered in Germany acting through its Australian branch, HDI Global Specialty SE – Australia, ABN 58 129 395 544, AFSL 458776.
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