The following story illustrates how TIC helped a client in her hour of need.
Traveller: Elzaan
Location:North Lake Tahoe, USA Total claim amount: R75 688
When 20-year-old Elzaan decided to travel to the USA on a working holiday, she wisely took out a TIC Youth policy which proved to be indispensable when
she fell whilst snowboarding after she had found a job working at the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort.
"It was going really fast down the hill when I caught the edge as snowboarders call it - this means I was leaning too much to the back," says Elzaan.
"I fell really hard on my backside and I immediately felt something wasn't right. I had a burning sensation from my back and I couldn't move my legs,
so I just lay there and waited until somebody came. Luckily, the hill was very popular and skiers always look out for each other.
The ski patrol took me down to the emergency room and they wanted to call an ambulance. I wasn't keen and told them I would get up on my own, but I just
needed time. I was in so much pain that I could hardly move or walk. I finally got home with a lot of difficulty. But later that night I realised that
it was much more serious than I had thought and my room mates drove me to the hospital where they took X-rays and I found out that I had broken my coccyx.
I had taken my travel insurance papers along to the hospital and to find out how we should proceed. TIC was very helpful and arranged flights to get
me back home and upgraded me to business class. The service was excellent and fast, and I received superb treatment on the plane plus all the assistance
I required with my wheelchair and luggage.
I would definitely recommend that people take out travel insurance. An accident is called an accident for a reason... you never know what could happen!
This type of stuff is unforeseen. I cannot imagine having had to travel back in economy class or covering the bill for the hospital.