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I j ll-WATMW-Wedne-hy.my22.2m3 Don’t leave home without it t C I 0 Waterloo couple tells cautionary tale of the Importance of travel msurance . 3!me allukencareofbrher. andoursavings.”saidSandy.“ibu . Omnibfl 'Wecouldn‘thaveafledforbet- justneverknow.” _ ter service or may.” said Sandy. The insurance company even . loyd and Sandy Wilkinson ‘Theyweresouring.’ paid to Mini firetruck the couple ' Lare snowbirders who have At the Largo Medical Centre drove down to Florida to their . V gouetoFloridaforZSyears ondwasadmittedalmou‘illne- W - widtartanymajorpmblems. diateiyandputoninumumd ‘Jfillu‘nourtmcklnmea They took all the same wecau- w. Hi” began mould.“ “Met." said Sandy. 'It was ‘7' 13:}; domiheyalwaysdobdnhmdâ€" ‘3deer “hmedrlvewagaruItwas :':, ing down to Clearwatar for six it was discovered he had mumhedbefore they brought it 7 ‘ ifs: wedxth'nFebnmrytinchulhgpt- dots. hue. . {a ". : tingalltha'rshotsandlnakirgsme His medical condition contin- thoreoouldyouwant?’ ; 1' 31" g a. thetwoWaterlooseniorswerein uedtodeterionte'lbenmrhyhe 'lheyadviseanyoneelsetnvel- . F ’ generallypodheaith. fellaurinandwmsoumeapordve lingoutofoountrytoconsidercov- , in. '3 f 5 "We were prepared.’ said Sandy. the medical team thought he had erage. You an never predict what g. 74'2'évé 5 who is 68. ”Lloyd had a tetanus suffered a stroke and be was Whapputtheywamed W 3? shot. flu shot. pneumonia shot and rushed intointensivemre. “So many people go down: g achestX-rayWethoughtthatwe Sandyhadlustlelttosonsome widtoutm'saidSandy'Asmuchas shouldbepod.” detailsoutattheGulfwaylnnin weprotectedourselvesbeforewe l But the most important pretxu- Cleamter. where the coupld was went down, something can still) . 3 tion theytook was ptudnsing uav- staying. and she returned to the happen. el medical insurance from their hospitaltofindanemptyroom. “Don't go with out it (insurâ€" local branch of the Royal Bank of ‘l thought he was going to be ance)." a, “ Canada. Lloyd had a preexisting alright,’ said Sandy about the Butit's shodinghowmanypeo- . _ g; ' v condition. diabetes. while Sandy shock. '1 got scared for a second ple still take that risk with their ' :6 .532: ' A wastlrepictureofhealdtsoeven beforetheytoldmetheytookhim healthMtentheygoawayonvacaâ€" '7 ., ' t" :32“, ’ though they paid $1,500 they up tothel.CU." tion. A 2012 RBC insurance survey 7 .. ‘ igfi‘ “ g thought it wasa good investmem. Lloyd had an electrocardiogram commissioned by the company is 1:3,...“ ' T... " " “We’ve always trough uhyance and nudw tests on his ham and said about 40 per cent of Canadi- "" "" even though we’ve never had an theveirLsinhisnedtomakesure anstravellingoutsideofCanadain .5» ‘ issue.‘ said Sandy. 'We've even diattherewerenoblockages. the next 12 months were not plan- ll come honieandthougutbatwasa ‘lain‘tthinkofanother test that ning on purchasing travel l waste ofmtmey, but mm 1 and they do on humans that i didn't instu'ance. " I tohaveitthistime' havedonetomedowntherefsaid lsabelleiiorgetaheheadoftrav- They didn’t realize how irnpor- Lloyd. “The insurance company el at RBC Insurance, said people ‘ I "' tantthattravelinsurarmewouldbe justOKedeverything' tltinkaccidentsoremelgenciesWill I until ond fell ill while they were He was in intensive care for six never happen to them, but if it ' onvacation'ltvoweebfierarriv- daysuntiltheydeddedhewassta- doesinsurancecansavebothyour l mgondwasfcdmgweahhadm bleenoughtoflyhometoSt.Mary's lifeandyourfinancas appetite and started falling dorm hospital "navel insurance is something “it was bang." said Sandy about - 'We went straight out of the you wish you don‘t have to use but . thesuddaronsetofsymmm ambulance into the plane,” said it's important to have with you if She called the insurance Sandy, about the air ambulance you dogo." said Forget. 'l‘he unexâ€" ' providerandtheysuggestedthey nighttimwasalsosetupbytheir pectodmnhappensotnvelinsur-9 go to a nearbyclinic or hospital. insurer.'lnlessthan10mlnuteswe anceshouldbepartofyour travel ' Vibrriedaboutthewaittimeatthe “rereairborneandliewupaboveall checkl‘stsoifyoustepoutofthe. hospital, the Wilkinsons chose to the other planes! province or the country you’re well 7 ,. gotothedinic ”This airplane averages 900 protected. quduflSliQMimonaretelling peopleaboutthe importanceof Thedoctor found Hoyd‘s oxygen miles an hour and flies at about “It's easy and it’s affordable, and travel harm after an experience they had on a recent trip to Florida. t‘ levelwasdwntoaboutwpercent 45.000 feet," said ond. “They’re l often ask customers if you can "mmm andthehehadlowbhodpreasure. aboveanyotherairtraflicsoittook affordtonottopurchaseitbeause ‘7 They gave him a chest X-ray and us about two hours to get from the cost of a medical illness hap- side of the country. of the country." ‘ diagnosed him with pneumon'n. ‘ hospital to hospital.” pening. especially south ofthe bor< 'Even if you're going across the Lloyd is feeling much better He was put on antibiotics and “When we landed in Breslau der, and be financially devastating.” border to see a football game or do these days He turned 73 on May 6 told to come back in a week or there was an ambulance waiting John Thain. president of the some cross-border shopping. while and was almost completely on“ his _ sooner if he wasn’t feeling any bet- forus on the runway," said Sandy. Travel Health Insurance Associa- you're out of the country your cov- oxygen before he started cardio- ter. 0n the fourth thy his condition Sandy said they didn’t realize tion of Canada. said when we think erage is very limited. and if you’re rehab at St. Mary's hadn't improved and once again the level coverage they had bony“ about our insurance. travel cover- hospitalized you only get about A long-time car guy. Sandy surâ€" she contacted her insurerWho sug- with their travel insurance. and age is just as imponant as home or $100aday. prised him with a candy-red Mus- gested they go to a nearby emer- estimates the total cost of the care car insurance. "if you have to stay in a hospital tang convertible as a gift for his gency room. was in the hundreds of thousands "This is part of the insurance and have to receive specialized care birthday. Before they got there all oftheir ofdollars. that we should have in our lives." or are in intensive care. bills can “I thought he was still a little ’ ~ insurance infomtation was faxed to If they had to go out of pocket said Thain. “A lot of people don‘t run into the hundreds ofthousands down so i wanted to surprise him." the hospital. and Sandy said she for it. it would have put their per- realize that the government cover- of dollars It's an absolute need to said Sandy. “I'm just glad he's here," never had to worry about coordi» sorta] finances in jeopardy. age we have provides very little have this type of protection "I love it." said [loyd with a big V g natingvapyof the coverage, ltwas , V , .“lt‘could havecostus our home coverage when you're traveling out- when you’re travelling outside smileas he showed off his new ride.