When applying for group or family travel insurance, it is always a good idea to read the fine print before signing anything. Doing so will help you better understand where you are covered and where you are not.
However, there are some events that are simply too bizarre to realistically list in the fine print. Here are seven of the craziest where the claims were paid successfully.
1. Falling Coconuts – A traveler in Sri Lanka was injured due to a coconut falling on his head and was lucky to be insured when it happened. This is actually quite a common problem in tropical regions, which is why nutless coconut trees are often seen on the beaches of resorts and hotels.
2. Buried treasure – Two well-meaning children from Cornwall took it upon themselves to safeguard their parents’ video camera by burying it in the sand. Unfortunately, they forgot where they buried him, but the insurers paid the same. You may want to expand your family travel insurance to include your devices, especially if they are expensive enough to ensure additional protection.
3. Aggressive rodents: A BusinessBalls.com contributor shared how a client of his broke an arm on a bicycle to commute to work. The reason? A herd of guinea pigs took him off the road! A local farmer supported his story, recounting how his daughter’s guinea pigs escaped and were raised in plague-like proportions. Guinea pigs probably won’t get off the road for you, but animals can pose a danger when you’re abroad, big or small.
4. Hungry rhinos: Speaking of animals, an Australian traveler in Africa volunteered to help out at a local zoo. Unfortunately, the poor thing lost a finger when a rhinoceros bit it completely. Clearly, animals are worth not underestimating, whether you are in the wild or in the confines of a zoo.
5. Fatal attraction: A young British man broke his nose while entering a bus stop in Athens. He claimed he was distracted by a group of bikini-clad women, and luckily for him, his insurance provider paid! Sometimes it pays to be honest and straightforward in these cases, although it could be a bit of a problem for spouses to use this excuse when it comes to family travel insurance.
6. Best Foot Forward – A traveler in Fiji was trying spearfishing and in his enthusiasm, he mistook his own foot for a fish. You can guess what happened next! In this case, the supplier was kind enough to cover up the accident, which would have been easy to dismiss as a self-inflicted injury had it been less reputable.
7. No-Show Snow – A woman eager to test her new skis on the piste requested a payment from her insurance company for lack of snow when she arrived. Some providers guarantee specific events during the trip, such as skiing or horse riding, so it is worth checking the contract to see if you will be covered due to factors beyond your control.
While these previous stories sound too strange to happen to you, it’s worth noting that they actually happened. You will be very grateful for the protection of travel insurance packages for singles or families if something so strange happens to you!