Travel illness or accident

What is a travel illness?

Travel illness is a sudden and unforeseen illness which begins during the journey and that requires immediate medical treatment by a medical practitioner or which, based on medical experience, should be considered as having begun during the journey.

If you fall sick on the way back home or towards the end of the journey you can consult a physician in your home country immediately after you have returned from the journey.

An illness which has shown symptoms, or you have been to the doctor for before the journey is not a travel illness. For such situations there are limitations in the coverage of the insurances and some assignment insurance policies even have a cover for these kinds of pre-existing illnesses.

What is a travel accident?

Travel accident is a sudden and unforeseen external event occurring during the journey, which contrary to your intent causes you bodily injury. Such an event may be, for example, tripping and falling, slipping or being struck.

In addition, the following unintentional occurrences, are considered travel accidents: drowning, heat-stroke, sunstroke, frostbite, gas poisoning, sudden injury caused by considerable fluctuations in air pressure and intoxication caused by a substance taken inadvertently.

In case of loss or an acute situation, please contact us or our assistance partner. Please have the following necessary information at hand:

the date of birth or the identity code
the address of the person who has fallen sick or is injured
the policy number stated on the insurance card (if you don’t know your policy number, ask your employer for it)
what has happened, where and when
the name and contact details of the hospital or clinic where the person is being treated
your own contact details

If you are injured because of a work-related accident during your journey, you should inform your employer about it immediately. Your employer will notify the relevant insurance company, so that the claim is registered also as a worker’s compensation claim. Your 24/7 assistance partners will help you in acute situations abroad.

If you are injured in a traffic accident abroad, please contact our 24/7 assistance partner. In addition to arranging treatment for you, they will determine liability according to local regulations. The travel and assignment insurance will compensate your acute treatment.

If something happens, we will help you

What to do in an acute situation abroad?

Which clinic or hospital should I go to?

We recommend you contact our assistance partner, who will advise you the nearest recommended clinic. The contact information for our partner is on the insurance card.

Should I pay at the clinic?

Unless you have contacted our assistance partner, you should pay for the costs for the examinations and treatment yourself. You will need to buy the medication from the pharmacy. You can show your insurance card at the clinic and they may be able to contact our assistance partner for billing.

If you have the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your European home country’s authorities and you go to a public hospital in Europe, show the card at the hospital and you will get the treatment for the local price.

If you belong to the Finnish social security system (KELA) and visit a clinic in Finland, you should show the card, so that they can deduct the social security cover directly from the cost.

Only examinations and treatment prescribed by a physician and performed by a health care professional are compensated. Treatment must be necessary, based on medical evidence and in accordance with generally accepted medical knowledge, for the examination or treatment of the travel accident or illness in question.

You can claim for the costs from us

Can I get a guarantee of payment for my treatment?

In case you need more expensive treatment or hospitalization, contact our assistance partner, whose contact information you will find in your insurance card. They will assist you in finding a suitable clinic or hospital for you and arrange a guarantee of payment.

What to do if someone dies during a journey?

Always contact our 24/7 assistance partner – you will find the contact information in your insurance card.). They will activate their local partner to assist in all the practicalities, arrange a transportation for the deceased to the home country and advice you further.

For further claims, you should contact us directly. You will find some information about the required claim attachments.

Who should I contact?

In an emergency, contact the local emergency number. Once the situation is calm and you need further assistance, please contact us or check your insurance card for the contact information to our assistance partner.

If you have paid for the costs yourself, you can fill in a claim report.

Travelling while pregnant?

The travel insurance does not cover examination costs due to normal pregnancy, but unforeseen complications and treatment thereof may be covered. Please check the insurance cover from your employer as there may be some exceptions.

If you are included in an assignment insurance, you may have a health care extension to cover the medical costs due to pregnancy. You can read more about the health care extension.

What to do if I’m severely ill or injured and need medical transport?

A travel insurance covers costs arising from the transportation of the patient deemed necessary on medical grounds and approved beforehand by the insurance company.

You should contact us or our assistance partner, whose contact information you will find in your insurance card. They will be able to make the necessary arrangements and confirm coverage from the insurance.

How do I report a claim?

If you have already paid the costs for your treatment or have other costs due to travel illness or accident, you can fill in a claim form and find more information about what information you need and what documents you may need to send us.