travel insurance gofundme

• This topic has 101 replies, 54 voices, and was last updated 1 week ago by matt_outandabout .
• Is GoFundMe the new travel insurance?

Am I being daft paying for annual travel insurance? I ask as it seems that most weeks I see a story about someone who has fallen off a balcony / taken drugs / been in a moped accident and their family are using GoFundMe to fly them home as they didn’t have travel insurance.

This week it is a lad in a coma in Cambodia, up to £8k per day for intensive care and £200k to fly him home.

How can people justify spending thousands of pounds on trips and not cough out the relatively small cost of travel insurance?

Because it’s not going to happen to them.

GoFundMe also seems to be used instead of a social security or public healthcare system, when some of the athletes in our sport get injured.

The GHIC would not work in your example, but for many trips it covers the general health element pretty well, so things only really get expensive when repatriation is required….. Then the cash starts flowing very fast!

This is based on a number of events in my life over the years and a current “issue”. I rarely every needed to claim on the actual travel insurance

Please enable JavaScript

It is a bit weird.  But then they might not know this stuff!  (although with the internet there’s less of an excuse).

In my 20s I was heading off backpacking with my friend. I didn’t know of the concept of travel insurance, and my parents had never really traveled either. It was only because my friend’s more middle class parents told us how important it was (on the way out the door) that we grabbed a Yellow Pages, phoned up some company and shoved a hastily scribbled policy number in our wallets that we had any insurance at all.

The situation isn’t helped by what I feel is deliberately opaque insurance documents though.

It never ceases to amaze me that people donate to these pages? What do people who set them up think? That the world owes them a favour because they couldn’t be bothered or chose not to buy appropriate insurance. Perhaps they are hoping for their 15 mins of fame in the Daily Heil  with suitably sad faces and a one sided story of doom.

I think you’ll find that in some of the cases they took out insurance, but the insurer refused to honour the agreement. They cite something like an underlying illness or such.

So you can take out insurance, then be left up shite stream without an outboard. In those cases thank god for gofundme.

You can holiday quite cheaply in some Asian countries, using hostels etc. If you are young and can book the cheapest flights rather than having fixed dates, I think you could have a holiday in Cambodia for less than a grand for Flights and accommodation, and live quite cheaply while there. So just because it cots thousands to go to Disneyland, don’t assume that is what these people are paying.

I also had a problem booking holiday insurance recently because I had already booked the holiday  couple of months earlier. Now I already have medical and rescue insurance because I do mountain biking and diving, however I couldn’t get general insurance for my kit and any non medical emergencies, I don’t know if I would have been able to get medical insurance under those conditions.

And of course young people are just not as aware of the consequences, it is a hard way to learn, but is just a societal reality.

They cite something like an underlying illness or such

Or the person ‘forgot;’ to disclose the illness so invalidated the policy and is now crying because they were caught  out. Perhaps I’m fortunate to have only made 2 claims on my holiday insurance and both were honoured in full with no quibbles in an entirely reasonable timescale.

It normally only takes a couple of small, unfortunate events to create a cluster**** of a situation.

Combined with insurance companies desire to not pay out, I wouldn’t be so quick to assume that everyone on gofundme made a choice to not be insured.

Agreed with Tom.

Quite depressing how quick people are to jump on the ” you need insurance, insurance companies are great” bandwagon

What are the actual consequences in these situations?

Has life support ever been switched off due to an inability to pay (for a westerner in a foreign country, I suspect the locals might get treated worse)? or is it (as is seemingly common in the US) a case of going bankrupt when presented with a bill that is impossible to pay?

For those of you saying that insurance companies may be at fault, from the go fund need page…

https://www.gofundme.com/f/my-brother-ben-is-fighting-for-his-life-in-cambodia?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer Ben has no medical/holiday insurance, when you’re young you think you’re invincible

Or like a couple of middle aged friends of ours thought it would be fun to jump on a moped in Thailand, no helmets, in flimsy clothing etc. Fortunately they didn’t crash, but I’d assume their insurance would have been invalidated.

or is it (as is seemingly common in the US) a case of going bankrupt when presented with a bill that is impossible to pay?

That seems to vary depending on the country. It is common in the USA for treatment to be stopped when the money runs out, especially for long term cancer treatment where each course of medication is billed separately so once you are bankrupted you no longer have access to care.

For those of you saying that insurance companies may be at fault, from the go fund need page.

I wasnt applying to any specific case. Just pointing out thats something that does happen.

I’ve never claimed on house insurance in nearly 40 years of paying it…

Claimed on travel insurance twice. Stuck with ‘that volcano’ and prior to that ‘stuck’ with a toddler son who contracted chicken pox on holiday – family legged it home before daughter showed signs.

I’ve always bought insurance, and checked what was covered – e.g. mountain biking – been on family holidays where my insurance specifically says ‘no MTB’ – so I didn’t.

How people are ignorant to this these days when media is full of people who get banged up and have no insurance. I’m old now, but wouldn’t have gone away when young without getting insurance.

Given that insurance companies are rarely in the red because of the payouts they make, it would seem buying policies is a mugs game. And that by buying insurance, you are paying for other people’s care anyway, as well as a margin for the insurance company.

If you can’t self insure, you’re just sponging of more careful people and don’t deserve to go on holiday.

It’s not like this is new

2001 an English bloke I knew smashed himself into a car in Thailand non a moped. He needed facial reconstructive surgery.

No travel insurance, no money to pay for medical treatment on that scale.

The bloke who’s car he hit paid for the medical treatment out of their pocket. I’m not sure why, it much have cost a fortune. It was the story I was told at the time.

The English guy had been living cheaply while teaching English in Thailand.

I had travel insurance. I hired a moped in Laos. I don’t remember getting a helmet with the moped. I’d never driven a motor bike or car. It seemed a normal thing to do.

Would I have been covered if it was me that had crashed? No idea.

I like to think of myself as sensible.

A few years back an afternoon in Whistlers medical center cost £3,500. They say they scanned me with a cat scan and X ray, I don’t remember any of it.

I had travel insurance (specifically for MTB, specifically because I don’t have the cash to pay for an airlift off a mountain/ medical stuff on the way home) and it took my insurers (dogtag) the best part of a year to pay out.

“If you can’t self insure, you’re just sponging of more careful people and don’t deserve to go on holiday.”

Firstly, given that I can’t cover myself for five million quid of medical liability, I guess I’ll have to just continue on sponging when I go on holiday.

Secondly, I won’t be losing any sleep over buying a £30 policy for a weeks jaunt to Lanzarote or La Plagne or wherever.

Then again, maybe you were just troll-lol-lol-lol-loling, in which case I hope you fall into a pothole when walking out of the destination airport, break your ankle, manage to stand just in time to be participate in an RTA as a vulnerable pedestrian, and have to be repatriated, all without the benefit of travel insurance.

Where the **** are you going to get a policy for la plagne for 30 quid?

Given that insurance companies are rarely in the red because of the payouts they make, it would seem buying policies is a mugs game. And that by buying insurance, you are paying for other people’s care anyway, as well as a margin for the insurance company. If you can’t self insure, you’re just sponging of more careful people and don’t deserve to go on holiday.

Either I’ve completely misunderstood or this makes little sense to me. I would hope most businesses are rarely in the red, after all operating costs are covered they’re there to turn a profit for their owners and shareholders. Obviously you’re paying for other people’s care, I’d rather that than them paying mine though.

How is it a mugs game? Insurance is there to cover costs in an eventuality that you can’t or don’t wish to realistically cover yourself.

Very few of us would be doing anything if we had to self endure, holidays, driving, home ownership to name a few, you’re going to need a big bank balance to cover those.

Then again, maybe you were just troll-lol-lol-lol-loling

You must be new here

I’m still good paying annual travel insurance.  MrsBS had an OTB crash in Majorca one spring a few years back, spent a week in the private hospital of Alcudia courtesy of AXA and they threw 2 CAT scans, X-rays and some emergency dental work in with the deal.  We only booked it in the airport when we realised our old policy had lapsed, could’ve just thought “it’s never been needed before”. Best £28 I’ve ever spent!

Interesting reading my policy for upcoming trip, specific exclusions like any injury while drunk or under the influence, any fall accommodation balcony etc- you can imagine some prior high cost claims…..

Should not be allowed to fly out if you don’t have valid insurance. Bit heavy handed maybe, but the idiots need protecting from themselves! See also: Smoking Ban thread.

Wait till you find out a not insignificant number of people haven’t insured their cars despite it being the law and a risk to other people not just yourself!

The question is – do you have enough friends with enough money?  Actually insurance is not that different to GoFundMe…

Insurance – x people pay £n upfront for a certainty that in a range of situations (but not all) they can get costs of £x*n  [obviously its a bit more complex to help actuaries justify their salaries! but the essence of it is that the risk is shared amongst all premiums]

GoFundMe – X people donate £N after the event in the hope of covering a now-defined cost of £X*N.

What bollocks.

Because it’s often far from small, and it’s often far from necessary.

MrsBS had an OTB crash in ….. etc

We had something different in detail but essentially similar In Germany one Christmas when the kid ( 6 months old) had a bit of a temperature. Tookim to docs for a few tests. Four hours later they phoned and told us to take him to hospital immediately. Cue loads of doctors, scans, tests and four weeks in hospital for him and his mum. We didn’t have travel insurance. No problem, not needed. They just sorted him out.

Broken wrist boarding in St Anton. Stookie

Broken foot kayaking in Norway. X rays, crutches.

Ripped toenail in France

And a few others.

None of it paid for by travel insurance. Each one cost significantly less to fix than the travel insurance ( would have) cost.

There you go. Just for a bit of balance in the thread

Some of the responses in here have shocked me. I would never go abroad without travel insurance and, for most standard holidays, it is not that expensive.

I really struggle to believe that the treatment described by thegeneralist could be cheaper than travel insurance. I have just paid £30 to cover myself, wife and teenage daughter for a week in Greece.  That is not going to pay for anything described and certainly not 4 weeks in hospital.

I can understand daft teenagers not getting travel insurance. My son (now 27) never bothered when he was younger so I would buy it. The 32 year old man in the gofundme link is old enough to understand why insurance is important so I have little sympathy.

Just to be clear, the x rays, crutches, stookie,t oenail were all cheaper than the insurance

The 4 week stay in a German hospital on an antibiotic drip definitely wasn’t, but it didn’t matter as we didn’t get charged for it.  They just sorted him out, put the wife up for 4:weeks and gave him the best medical care imaginable. No charge.

I should have put a page break or something after that section and before the minor injuries to emphasis that I was trying to describe two different sets of scenarios. Soz

£30 is indeed hideously cheap. Our insurance never comes in less than three figures for a week.

you could have a holiday in Cambodia for less than a grand

Don’t forget to pack a wife.

Just to be clear, the x rays, crutches, stookie,t oenail were all cheaper than the insurance The 4 week stay in a German hospital on an antibiotic drip definitely wasn’t, but it didn’t matter as we didn’t get charged for it. They just sorted him out, put the wife up for 4:weeks and gave him the best medical care imaginable. No charge.

Guessing that was covered by the old E111 card scheme thingy… Reciprocal health service agreement.

The 4 week stay in a German hospital on an antibiotic drip definitely wasn’t, but it didn’t matter as we didn’t get charged for it. They just sorted him out, put the wife up for 4:weeks and gave him the best medical care imaginable. No charge.

@generalist

I find this hard to believe unless your wife is a German citizen or a citizen of a country with reciprocal health care arrangements (and even then, the “sorting out of bills” is done behind the scenes. Was this pre-Brexit??

We still have a reciprocal health care arrangement with the EU. I would get insurance for a ski/climb/mountain bike holiday in Europe but I wouldn’t bother for an ordinary sightseeing or cycle touring trip.

Even if you’re just going to Europe travel insurance is a good idea. Last year we had flights in and out of Sardinia, a week there and ferry over to Corsica for a week (and ferry back the day of the flight home). 3 days on the second island and got a text saying all the ferries back for the 3 days after tomorrow were cancelled due to weather. Options were (4 people during the school Easter holidays, if you’re wondering why they’re pricey) :

Get new flights home from Corsica, paying a repatriation fee for the hire car – total £2,500

Get the ferry 3 days early and get new flights on the day we cross – total £1200

Get the ferry 3 days early and pay out for a hotel in Sardinia for 3 days with zero notice – total £1400

We chose the last option as it suited us best. Total cost to use of £50. Granted it’s not £200k but it can save a bunch of cost and ballache (as we didn’t have to spend ages fishing around for the absolute best deal on a hotel), knowing it was all being picked up.

Currently in Bali on an extended trip myself, took a while to find a travel insurance co that covered the things we expected to do (nothing extreme at all, finally covered with Saga 🤣) but I’d never really checked exclusions on previous holidays which was an eye opener on the risk I’d put myself in – just by hiking above a certain level, riding a bike above 125cc or cycling an MTB on a ungraded path.

*The amount of European looking people riding round on scooters in Bali with flimsy clothing & no helmets is quite something, seems like the done thing, shocking how people follow the trend rather than risk assess themselves

“We still have a reciprocal health care arrangement with the EU. I would get insurance for a ski/climb/mountain bike holiday in Europe but I wouldn’t bother for an ordinary sightseeing or cycle touring trip.”

I’m insurance adverse but for the limited cost (because it’s very unlikely) I’d still want to insure myself against the massive repatriation costs should the worst happen, even if it’s in a wooden box rather than a medivac plane. Maybe having my brother in law die on such a plane colours my view though.

The 32 year old man in the gofundme link is old enough to understand why insurance is important so I have little sympathy.

I was most definitely capable of doing faft things at 32 and no doubt still am.

I certainly have some sympathy for the poor sod. It’s not like he’s a rapist, he made a bad judgment call and fell seriously ill. He might have been abroad doing similar countless times and got away with it? Humans being humans he pushed his luck and got dealt a shitty hand this time.

We can all be one bad decision away from something which utterly changes or even ends our lives and not even know it. Most of the time we don’t know it because we got lucky but there isn’t a human alive that gets every decision right.

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Watch CBS News

Their twins' medical costs total $750,000 — each. They and thousands of others are counting on GoFundMe

By Megan Cerullo

January 28, 2019 / 7:27 AM EST / MoneyWatch

One-year-old twins Adelaide and Gray Carter were recently diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease that is usually fatal — the treatment costs: $750,000 per child. To cope with that financial burden, their parents are seeking help from the same place used by thousands of other Americans facing crushing medical expenses: the internet.

The children's father, Jarod Carter, has started a GoFundMe  page  that to date has raised more than $103,000. He is by no means alone. Roughly 250,00 campaigns for dealing with health care costs are set up annually on the online fundraising platform, raising total contributions of $650 million per year, according to GoFundMe.com.

One-third of the donations made through the site help people pay for medical care, according to CEO Rob Solomon.

"When we started in 2010, it wasn't purposefully set up and built to be a substitute for medical insurance," Solomon told CBS MoneyWatch. "We weren't ever set up to be a health care company and we still are not. But over time, people have used GoFundMe for the most important issues they are faced with."

Health coverage has eroded since 2017, with 7 million more Americans becoming uninsured since President Donald Trump took office, according to recent Gallup data. The national uninsured rate stands at 13.7 percent, a four-year high, according to the  report .

Pages of sick people

Just a few of the many thousands of other GoFundMe pages set up to help people raise money to deal with health care issues:

• A 31-year-old mother twice diagnosed with ovarian cancer
• An 8-year-old boy facing high drug costs following a 2018 heart transplant 
• A 3-year-old girl with a rare kind of brain cancer
• A mom fighting leukemia
• A U.S. Air Force officer battling cancer
• A teenage boy diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder

While many pages on the site are for people who lack health insurance, others have coverage but still face major costs. Carter, a 40-year-old physical therapist with his own practice in Austin, Texas, said the family's insurer, Aetna, "has been really great to us." But the ancillary expenses of looking after his children are heavy.

"Now our son is on a ventilator, and for both of them they have a higher likelihood -- if they get a cold or flu or anything at all — of needing to go to the hospital. So even getting really good cleaning materials is an expense."

"There are all these things we need to get to make sure these kids have the best chance of staying healthy," he added. "That is never going to be fully covered even if you have best insurance in the world."

"Take action"

GoFundMe helps people raise money for a range of purposes. Its millions of users create fundraisers that fall under categories including family, education, competition, creative, travel, faith and more.

"We have turned into this 'take action' button, whether it's related to the government shutdown or a family member who can't pay their medical bills — people want to help, and we actually solve big problems," Solomon said. "While we didn't set out to be one of the most influential health care companies in the world, if we have to serve that purpose, I feel very proud about that."

Still he laments the fact that so many Americans are challenged by "the rising costs of a broken health care system."

"A crowdfunding platform can not and should not be a solution to complex, systemic problems that must be solved with meaningful public policy," he said.

Although many Americans still lack health insurance, the trend in raising money online to pay for medical costs isn't limited to the U.S. Medical fundraisers are also popular in countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom, which have universal health care. Even when medical bills are covered, associated costs including lost wages, transportation and hotel bills can drain people's bank accounts.

"Medical-related fundraisers tend to be the largest category in any market," Solomon said. "Insurance may cover the medical payment side of it, but it doesn't cover you being out of work or needing transportation or lodging away from your home. So it is still a very big category in every market."

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

More from CBS News

3 long-term care insurance moves to make before you're 75

Here's when a reverse mortgage makes sense, experts say

Why you should apply for long-term care insurance before your 80s

How much can you save by buying mortgage points?

Adelaide family forced to pay $370,000 after insurance company denies Indonesian scooter accident claim

An Adelaide mother whose son had a scooter accident in Indonesia says she will have to pay more than $370,000 in medical bills because travel insurance will not cover the costs.

Key points:

• Blake Gibb was on holidays in Indonesia when he crashed into a wall riding a scooter
• Mr Gibb took out travel insurance before he left but he wasn't covered for scooter riding
• The family have set up a GoFundMe page which has so far raised $35,000

Rosslyn Gibb, from Seaford Rise, said her son, Blake Gibb, 29, was on holidays on Lembongan Island, south-east of Bali, when he crashed into a wall during a scooter ride while travelling back to his accommodation after dinner on July 19. 

"He seems to have hit the wall on the other side of the road … and cracked all of his skull, opened his brain to the elements and his two friends were just behind him and had to deal with all the consequences of that," Ms Gibb told ABC Radio Adelaide.

Mr Gibb took out travel insurance the night before he left for Indonesia but he was not covered for scooter riding, according to Ms Gibb, which would have incurred an additional $7 a day fee.

"He obviously didn't take enough notice of the policy either," she said.

"[He] signed up for it thinking $3 million in medical insurance is good and that was it.

"They don't cover scooter riding unless you pay in advance each day a special fee.

"I don't think he was planning on riding a scooter, it was only because they were on an island where the only transport was scooters."

After a "horrible" boat ride from the island to a Bali hospital and subsequent medevac flight back to Adelaide on July 23, Ms Gibb will have to pay costs to insurer Freely — which is a subsidiary of Cover-More — because she was a guarantor.

"I needed my son home," she said.

"We'll just get him home and deal with the consequences later.

"I've resigned myself to the fact because … they've sent me the page of the insurance that says, that's what you have to pay." 

Mr Gibb is currently at the Royal Adelaide Hospital's Intensive Care Unit and underwent surgery on Monday, according to Ms Gibb.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page — that has so far raised $35,000 — to cover the medical costs that the insurance company will not cover.

"It's a blessing, just the thought, even though it won't ever cover it, it's just the thought that people are so kind," Ms Gibb said.

'If you're unsure, check', CHOICE says

In a statement, Freely told the ABC that while it could not comment on individual cases, customers had the option of adding motorcycle cover when they first purchased travel insurance through its website.

"When travellers to Bali are purchasing our policy, they are presented with information specifically asking if they would like to add motorcycle/moped cover," the statement said.

"We stress to anyone travelling overseas who is thinking about getting on a bike as a rider or passenger to consider adding motorbike cover to their travel insurance policy."

CHOICE travel expert Jodi Bird told the ABC that it was essential people understood their travel insurance policy before they departed.

Mr Bird said activities such as hiring a car, going on a cruise, skiing, scuba diving, bungee jumping, horse riding, hot air ballooning and kayaking were "common inclusions" and required customers to pay an extra fee.

"If you're unsure, check with your insurer," Mr Bird said.

"If your insurer is responsive and helpful with any questions in advance, then there's a better chance they'll be helpful if the time comes to claim."

Mr Bird said travellers could visit the CHOICE travel insurance guide on the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website to get an idea of what to look for in the product disclosure statement.

He said even if you were away, had an accident and were not covered for the incident, the insurance company might still be able to give you "non-monetary assistance" such as advice on hospitals and transport. 

"Document all interactions you have with them, especially if you don't agree with their denial of cover," he said.

"This documentation can then be used when you get home to lodge a dispute."

• X (formerly Twitter)
• Community and Society
• Travel Health and Safety

GoFundMe has become a health care utility

GoFundMe started as a crowdfunding site for underwriting “ ideas and dreams ,” and, as GoFundMe’s co-founders, Andrew Ballester and Brad Damphousse, once put it, “ for life’s important moments .” In the early years, it funded honeymoon trips, graduation gifts, and church missions to overseas hospitals in need. Now GoFundMe has become a go-to platform for patients trying to escape medical billing nightmares.

One study found that, in 2020, the annual number of U.S. campaigns related to medical causes — about 200,000 — was 25 times the number of such campaigns on the site in 2011. More than 500 current campaigns are dedicated to asking for financial help for treating people, mostly kids, who have spinal muscular atrophy, a neurodegenerative genetic condition. The recently approved gene therapy for young children with the condition, by the drugmaker Novartis , has a price tag of about $2.1 million for the single-dose treatment.

Perhaps the most damning aspect of this is that paying for expensive care with crowdfunding is no longer seen as unusual; instead, it is being normalized as part of the health system, like getting bloodwork done or waiting on hold for an appointment. Need a heart transplant? Start a GoFundMe to get on the waiting list . Resorting to GoFundMe when faced with bills has become so accepted that, in some cases, patient advocates and hospital financial aid officers recommend crowdfunding as an alternative to being sent to collections. My inbox and the “ Bill of the Month” project (a collaboration by KFF Health News and NPR) have become a kind of complaint desk for people who can’t afford their medical bills, and I’m gobsmacked every time a patient tells me they’ve been advised that GoFundMe is their best option.

GoFundMe acknowledges the reliance of patients on its platform. Ari Romio, a spokesperson for the company, said that “medical expenses” is the most common category of fundraiser it hosts. But she declined to say what proportion of campaigns are medically related, because people starting a campaign self-select the purpose of the fundraiser. They might choose the family or travel category, she said, if a child needs to go to a different state for treatment, for example. So although the company has estimated in the past that roughly a third of the funds raised on the site are related to costs for illness or injury, that could be an undercount.

Andrea Coy of Fort Collins, Colorado, turned to GoFundMe in 2021 as a last resort after an air-ambulance bill tipped her family’s finances over the edge. Sebastian, her son who was then a year old, had been admitted with pneumonia to a local hospital and then transferred urgently by helicopter to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver when his oxygen levels dropped. REACH, the air-ambulance transport company that contracted with the hospital, was out-of-network and billed the family nearly $65,000 for the ride — more than $28,000 of which Coy’s insurer, UnitedHealthcare, paid. Even so, REACH continued sending Coy’s family bills for the balance, and later began regularly calling Coy to try to collect — enough so that she felt the company was harassing her, she told me.

Coy made calls to her company’s human resources department, REACH, and UnitedHealthcare for help in resolving the case. She applied to various patient groups for financial assistance and was rejected again and again. Eventually, she got the outstanding balance knocked down to $5,000, but even that was more than she could afford on top of the $12,000 the family owed out-of-pocket for Sebastian’s actual treatment.

That’s when a hospital financial aid officer suggested she try GoFundMe. But, as Coy said, “I’m not an influencer or anything like that,” so the appeal “offered only a bit of temporary relief — we’ve hit a wall.” They have gone deep into debt and hope to climb out of it.

In an emailed response, a spokesperson for REACH noted that they could not comment on a specific case because of patient-privacy laws, but that, if the ambulance ride occurred before the federal No Surprises Act went into effect, the bill was legal. (That act protects patients from such air-ambulance bills and has been in force since Jan. 1, 2022.) But the spokesperson added, “If a patient is experiencing a financial hardship, we work with them to find equitable solutions.” What is “equitable” — and whether that includes seeking an additional $5,000, beyond a $28,000 insurance payment, for transporting a sick child — is subjective, of course.

In many respects, research shows, GoFundMe tends to perpetuate socioeconomic disparities that already affect medical bills and debt. If you are famous or part of a circle of friends who have money, your crowdfunding campaign is much more likely to succeed than if you are middle-class or poor. When the family of the former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton started a fundraiser on another platform, *spotfund, for her recent stay in the intensive care unit while uninsured, nearly $460,000 in donations quickly poured in. (Although Retton said she could not get affordable insurance because of a preexisting condition — dozens of orthopedic surgeries — the Affordable Care Act prohibits insurers from refusing to cover people because of their medical history, or charging them abnormally high rates.)

And given the price of American health care, even the most robust fundraising can feel inadequate. If you’re looking for help to pay for a $2 million drug, even tens of thousands can be a drop in the bucket.

Rob Solomon, CEO of GoFundMe from 2015 to March 2020 , who in 2018 was named one of Time magazine’s 50 most influential people in health care, has said that he “would love nothing more than for ‘medical’ to not be a category on GoFundMe.” He told KFF Health News that “the system is terrible. It needs to be rethought and retooled. Politicians are failing us. Health care companies are failing us. Those are realities.”

Despite the noble ambitions of its original vision, however, GoFundMe is a privately held for-profit company. In 2015, the founders sold a majority stake to a venture-capital investor group led by Accel Partners and Technology Crossover Ventures. And when I asked about medical bills being the most common reason for GoFundMe campaigns, the company’s current CEO, Tim Cadogan, sounded less critical than his predecessor of the health system, whose high prices and financial cruelty have arguably made his company famous.

“Our mission is to help people help each other,” he said. “We are not, and cannot, be the solution to complex, systemic problems that are best solved with meaningful public policy.”

And that’s true. Despite the site’s hopeful vibe, most campaigns generate only a small fraction of the money owed. Most medical-expense campaigns in the U.S. fell short of their goal, and some raised little or no money, a 2017 study from the University of Washington found. Campaigns made an average of about 40% of the target amount, and there is evidence that yields — measured as a percentage of their targets — have worsened over time.

Carol Justice, a recently retired civil servant and a longtime union member in Portland, Oregon, turned to GoFundMe because she faced a mammoth unexpected bill for bariatric surgery at Oregon Health & Science University.

She had expected to pay about $1,000, the amount left of her deductible, after her health insurer paid the $15,000 cap on the surgery. She didn’t understand that a cap meant she would have to pay the difference if the hospital, which was in-network, charged more.

And it did, leaving her with a bill of $18,000, to be paid all at once or in monthly $1,400 increments, which were “more than my mortgage,” she said. “I was facing filing for bankruptcy or losing my car and my house.” She made numerous calls to the hospital’s financial aid office, many unanswered, and received only unfulfilled promises that “we’ll get back to you” about whether she qualified for help.

So, Justice said, her health coach — provided by the city of Portland — suggested starting a GoFundMe. The campaign yielded about $1,400, just one monthly payment, including $200 from the health coach and $100 from an aunt. She dutifully sent each donation directly to the hospital.

In an emailed response, the hospital system said that it couldn’t discuss individual cases but that “financial assistance information is readily available for patients, and can be accessed at any point in a patient’s journey with OHSU. Starting in early 2019, OHSU worked to remove barriers for patients most in need by providing a quick screening for financial assistance that, if a certain threshold is met, awards financial assistance without requiring an application process.”

This tale has a happy-ish ending. In desperation, Justice went to the hospital and planted herself in the financial aid office, where she had a tearful meeting with a hospital representative who determined that — given her finances — she wouldn’t have to pay the bill.

“I’d been through the gamut and just cried,” she said. She said she would like to repay the people who donated to her GoFundMe campaign. But, so far, the hospital won’t give the $1,400 back.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF .

Most Popular

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

How to Use GoFundMe for Business Startup Funding

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

GoFundMe business campaigns allow businesses to reap the benefits of crowdfunding—essentially accessing funding that doesn't involve taking on business loan debt or diluting equity. That said, creating a successful GoFundMe business campaign will take a fair amount of investment, marketing and time.

Whether you’re just starting up, raising money in a dry spell or seeking funds for an exciting opportunity, crowdfunding might seem like the logical choice. With all of the success stories swirling around the internet of entrepreneurs who raised money for their businesses through crowdfunding, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. And that’s especially the case when it comes to GoFundMe, which is one of the top crowdfunding sites on the internet.

However, before you choose to create a GoFundMe business campaign, it’s crucial you take some time to understand the benefits and the downsides of relying on GoFundMe for business capital needs.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

What is GoFundMe?

GoFundMe is a crowdfunding website that allows individuals, businesses, charities and organizations to raise money for specific causes, to lend support and for individual use cases.

You probably know of crowdfunding in a personal context—people fundraising for a cause or particular person in need—but let's look at how it works in the context of raising capital for a business.

Overall, crowdfunding is a method of fundraising typically used to raise money for business ventures, personal projects, nonprofits and more through the collection of small amounts of funds from a large number of contributors.

When it comes to your business, instead of securing a large lump sum from one or two sources, you secure many small donations from various sources to reach your business capital needs.

Looking for a business loan?

See our overall favorites, or narrow it down by category to find the best options for you.

on NerdWallet's secure site

How to create a GoFundMe campaign for your business

One of the biggest perks of financing your business with GoFundMe is simplicity. Especially when compared to your other business funding options that often come tied with bureaucracy and paperwork, GoFundMe business fundraising is remarkably user-friendly and democratized.

You can reap the benefits of a GoFundMe campaign for your business in seven straightforward steps.

Step 1: Check eligibility requirements

Not all businesses are eligible to raise funds on GoFundMe. Before you dive in and begin planning your business campaign, it's important to check out the GoFundme starting requirements to ensure your business meets all of the requirements. Some general requirements include:

Social security number or ITIN

U.S. mailing address

U.S. phone number

U.S. bank account in your name

Must be at least 18 years of age

Step 2: Create an account

Next, you'll need to create an account for your business on the GoFundMe platform. You can easily set up your account using your computer or mobile phone.

Once you have an account, you can customize your settings to create an individualized URL that includes your business or campaign name.

Step 3: Create your campaign

Start by conceptualizing the fundraising campaign you want to create. Think about past campaigns you've seen and what appealed to you as a potential donor, then see if you can incorporate similar tactics.

You should ideally create your campaign around a story. Even if the motivation for the campaign is something as simple as buying a new piece of equipment, explain why that equipment is key to your business success and why you need it. Explain to potential donors where their money would go and how it would help your business succeed.

Once you have the storyline picked out and the idea for your campaign decided, it's time to make your GoFundMe page creative and appealing. Use images and videos to illustrate your business, a good fundraising title and a thorough description of your campaign can also go a long way in making your business funding more successful.

Step 4: Set a funding goal

You probably already have an idea of the amount of money your campaign needs to raise to be considered successful. At this stage, you'll want to set a monetary goal, keeping in mind the fees and expenses GoFundMe will charge you. While they don't charge a platform fee, you can expect a 2.9% + $0.30 fee per donation.

Of course, you also want to ensure you set a realistic goal that's achievable based on how much money you think your average target can contribute.

Step 5: Share your campaign

Next up, you’ll need to raise awareness around your business’s GoFundMe campaign.

Like most other businesses that crowdfund, your business’s finances will likely end up coming mostly from your first-, second- and third-degree connections. So don’t be shy. Use your social media channels and other means of communication to let people know about your campaign and where they can go to contribute.

Take to your business’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr. Any account that you and your business have, share your campaign’s link with an attention-grabbing caption.

If you and your business don’t have social media, sign up for channels to help spread the word. You should also consider sharing your campaign in person at social events or enlisting supporters who have a strong social media presence to share your campaign on a regular basis.

Step 6: Start receiving donations

With your campaign built and the word spread, it's time to start receiving donations.

As they roll in, you’ll be able to withdraw the proceeds even before you meet your goal, and doing so won’t affect your campaign’s progress tracker, either.

If you're offering incentives to donors, like a social media "thank you" shoutout, or another small gift, be sure to keep up with those.

Step 7: Enjoy the result

Lastly, after your campaign is over, you can enjoy the results.

Use your proceeds toward your campaign objective, send out thank you notes or gifts quickly and send updates to those who donated to your campaign.

Make sure to highlight the money being put to use for your business so your donors know that you used their funds properly. This will help if, in the future, you need to fundraise again.

The pros and cons of using GoFundMe

Now that we’ve gone over how to use a GoFundMe business fundraising campaign, let’s take a look at the precise reasons why you might do so.

Some of these reasons will apply to crowdfunding at large, while others will apply to GoFundMe specifically.

Secure payments: With GoFundMe, you can rest assured that your donors’ payments are processed securely. In the unlikely chance of a mishap, GoFundMe guarantees any payment made on their site and they’ll refund any discrepancies.

Flexible withdrawal: GoFundMe allows you to withdraw your campaign’s proceeds while your campaign is still running. Let’s say you’re attempting to raise $100,000 to buy a new storefront for your business, but you need to make a $10,000 down payment earlier than you expected. Your campaign has only raised $20,000, but that’s okay. You’ll be able to withdraw the $10,000 your business needs. With GoFundMe, you can withdraw your proceeds as you need, even if your campaign is still running or your total goal hasn't been met yet.

Won’t charge your donors: Additionally, GoFundMe won’t charge your donors any sneaky fees that might deter them from contributing to your campaign. Indeed, GoFundMe is remarkably transparent about the fees that they impose and the onus will never fall on your donors to pay any of the fees that keep GoFundMe running.

No penalties if you don’t reach your goal: Some crowdfunding sources come with an ultimatum built into any campaign you run with them—if you don’t reach your goal, then you don’t get your campaign’s proceeds. While this might be an impetus for donors to help you reach your goal, it’s more often than not a bigger source of stress than it’s worth. This isn’t a feature of GoFundMe, though; so you can rest easy knowing that, even if your campaign underperforms slightly, you’ll still have access to your well-deserved proceeds.

Mostly non-taxed personal gifts: Though this is in no way an all-encompassing rule for GoFundMe donations, most donations made through GoFundMe for businesses are considered “personal gifts” and, as such, aren’t taxed.

Fast email support: While GoFundMe business campaigns are relatively straightforward, questions could still come up in the process. In this case, you’ll be able to get in touch with GoFundMe’s customer support in as little as five minutes if you reach out to them during typical business hours.

With all that said, it’s time to take a look at the downsides of raising money for your business through GoFundMe and crowdfunding more broadly.

Platform and processing fees: One main downside of raising money for your business through GoFundMe—and crowdfunding platforms generally—is that you won't receive the full amount of each donation. The platform will take a cut as well. While most crowdfunding platforms charge both platform and payment processing fees, GoFundMe only charges a payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30.Of course, these fees can certainly add up, so be sure to keep them in mind.

More work for you: Put simply, running a successful GoFundMe business fundraising campaign will require a lot of creative framing and marketing on your part. Even though the steps of setting up a GoFundMe campaign for your business are straightforward and user-friendly, actually taking those steps is a bit more complicated. If you want to raise a lot of money for your business, get ready to do a lot of creative marketing and outreach. Put simply, you’re probably going to have to reach out to a lot of friends, family and customers to get your business’s GoFundMe some real momentum.

Smaller amounts: Finally, you’re probably not going to be able to secure as much funding with crowdfunding as you would with more traditional business funding sources. Unless your campaign goes absolutely viral, it’s pretty likely that your fundraising proceeds won’t be able to match the cash or credit that you can get through business loans or business credit cards.

Alternatives to crowdfunding

It’s easy to get hyped up about the idea of crowdfunding. No debt, credit check, or onlooking investors—no problem. Right?

Though the upsides to crowdfunding are undeniable, it’s important to recognize when crowdfunding isn’t the right move for your business.

Crowdfunding may not be right for you if:

You don't have the time or resources to do it right. If you’re not able to share and frame your campaign properly, then crowdfunding probably isn’t the best option for your business’s financial needs.

You need a guaranteed, specific amount of financing. Unfortunately, this way of fundraising is far too unpredictable to bank on. If you need a guaranteed, specific amount of money for your business, then look to a more traditional source of funding—like a business loan or a business credit card—to secure it.

If crowdfunding isn't the perfect fit for you, here are your best alternatives for securing funding that isn’t crowdsourced.

0% intro APR business credit cards

If your business needs a quick influx of financing, we suggest that you turn to one of the top 0% intro APR business credit cards .

If you’re considering running a crowdsourcing campaign in order to make a big-ticket purchase for your business, this type of credit card is a worthy alternative to buy what you need now and pay it off gradually over the year. Just make sure you have a plan to pay off your balance before the introductory period ends, or a variable APR will set in and you will owe interest.

Short-term loans

If you were considering GoFundMe for business because you need quick, easy-to-access business funding, then a short-term loan might serve you well.

Short-term loans are quicker, more accessible versions of traditional business term loans. Generally speaking, business owners with personal credit scores of 550 or above, at least one year in business and $50,000+ in annual revenue can qualify for short-term loans. Not to mention, short-term loans can range in size anywhere from $2,500 to $250,000.

Plus, if you qualify for a short-term loan, you can get funded in as little as one business day.

Though securing a short-term loan might require a bit of paperwork, it would be nothing compared to the effort you’d have to sink into a successful GoFundMe business campaign.

You can absolutely use GoFundMe as a source of funding to start a business. As a crowdfunding platform, GoFundMe is designed to allow entrepreneurs to raise money for their startups and business ideas in a creative and debt-free way.

Of course, using GoFundMe to raise money will require substantial time and resources—and therefore, you'll likely need to supplement this strategy with another funding source in order to access enough capital to completely finance your startup.

Although GoFundMe and Kickstarter are both crowdfunding platforms that can be used to raise money for small businesses, Kickstarter is usually better for creative businesses and projects, whereas GoFundMe is better for more personal entrepreneurial causes and endeavors.

Additionally, although Kickstarter is well-optimized for crowdfunding—especially if you're looking to offer your fundraisers something in return for their support—GoFundMe is better for businesses looking to avoid paying a platform fee, as well as run their campaign without a time restriction.

Plus, with GoFundMe, you keep all the money you raise at the end of your campaign, even if you don't reach your goal. With Kickstarter, on the other hand, the money is returned to your fundraisers if the goal is not reached by the end of the campaign.

Yes, if your small business has a valid debit or credit card, you should be able to donate to a GoFundMe campaign using that card.

It's important to note, however, that unless you're donating specifically to a charity fundraiser, GoFundMe donations are considered to be personal gifts and therefore are not guaranteed to be tax-deductible.

If you're unsure of how a GoFundMe donation may impact your business taxes, we'd recommend reaching out to a tax professional or business accountant.

The bottom line

Put simply, GoFundMe—and crowdsourcing at large—isn’t a reliable source of funding. Even the best-laid plans for fundraising often go awry. We suggest you look for another main source of business funding and consider any crowdfunding you do to be supplementary, like cherry-on-top funding for your business.

This article originally appeared on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

Oklahoma man facing 12 years in Turks & Caicos prison released on bond, banned from travel

Ryan watson made bail a couple weeks after he was detained and arrested for ammo possession in turks & caicos. but he's not allowed to leave..

An American man facing 12 years in prison in Turks & Caicos after airport security found ammunition in his duffel bag won’t have to spend one more night in jail . For now.

Ryan Watson, 40, appeared before a court on Wednesday, agreeing to pay $15,000 to secure his release, according to a news alert from The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police Force. 

The court granted Watson's release about two weeks after he was initially detained and arrested. He's being released with a slew of stipulations, including being prohibited from leaving the archipelago nation. He also had to surrender his passport and travel documents to the court, and needs to report to police twice a week as his case moves through the system.

His next court hearing is set for June 7.

Here’s what we know.

Why were Ryan and Valerie Watson detained in the Turks and Caicos?

Ryan and Valerie Watson were in Turks & Caicos to celebrate the 40th birthdays of several friends in early April, USA TODAY reported.

The couple was trying to catch a flight back home on April 12, when airport security found four rounds of ammunition “unknowingly left in a duffel bag from a deer hunting trip,” according to a GoFundMe post made on behalf of the family. 

They were both questioned and subsequently charged with possession of ammunition, a charge that carries a minimum of 12 years in prison in Turks & Caicos.

The couple was stuck on the island without passports, unable to get back to their two young children, which left Valerie Watson “terrified.” 

“We can't both be in prison for 12 years. We have kids at home," she told WBTS-TV in Boston  "And this is such an innocent mistake that we ... didn't even know it was there. So yeah, my immediate thought was our kids and them being parentless for that long."

Ryan Watson maintains that it was a “bonehead mistake” on his part, not knowing that the ammunition rounds he typically uses to hunt whitetail deer were in his bag, the outlet reported.

Ultimately, the charges were dropped against Valerie Watson, who has returned to Oklahoma.

Oklahoma governor vouches for family: ‘Outstanding members of the community’ 

Days after the Watson family was detained, Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt sent a letter to the Turks & Caicos Islands government in an attempt to get the home sooner.

“The Watsons are upstanding members of their community and the State of Oklahoma, and I can assure you countless others stand willing to confirm their high moral characters,” Stitt said.

He continued to say that the couple would never “intentionally break the law,” emphasizing the importance of having them return to Oklahoma so they can continue to serve the community, Valerie as a school teacher and Ryan as a medical product salesman.

 And so that their children, Van and Ellie, don’t have to face another day without both parents, he said.

Family creates GoFundMe to bring Ryan Watson home 

Close friends have created a GoFundMe on behalf of the Watson family to cover the costs of “mounting legal fees, living expenses, and the overwhelming stress of their situation.” 

Valerie Watson said that the strain her family is under is tremendous, telling WBTS-TV that it could “ruin them.” 

“We've already talked, and we're like, what if we lose our house? Which, when we moved to Oklahoma, we built a home that we thought was our forever home,” she said. 

The sentiment was echoed by Ryan Watson, who says “this is something that we may never recover from.” 

“The emotional and financial toll is immense, and they are at risk of losing everything,” the fundraiser description reads. 

The GoFundMe had raised about $196,000 of the $250,000 goal by Friday night. 

What happens next?

Valerie Watson and her children are awaiting her husband’s next court appearance, set for June 7.

Even though Ryan Watson “forgot” about the ammunition in his bag, he may not be able to leave the Turks & Caicos Islands without serving time. The government prohibits anyone, of status or origin, to possess a firearm, ammunition, or any other weapon.

There are exceptions to this, of course, but the court is still required to issue “both a sentence of imprisonment and a fine” that are in line with what the court would consider an “exceptional circumstance,” USA TODAY reported. 

The Turks & Caicos government stiffened the penalties for firearm possession in February, noting that there were a handful of cases involving "exceptional circumstances" that allowed accused people to get away with paying a fine. “exceptional circumstances."

• Thailand Tourism
• Thailand Hotels
• Thailand Bed and Breakfast
• Thailand Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Thailand
• Thailand Restaurants
• Things to Do in Thailand
• Thailand Travel Forum
• Thailand Photos
• All Thailand Hotels
• Thailand Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Thailand
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

No travel Insurance. No Scooter Insuramce - GoFundMe - Thailand Forum

• Asia    
• Thailand    

No travel Insurance. No Scooter Insuramce - GoFundMe

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Asia forums
• Thailand forum

When will they learn!

It’s very sad for the rider and his family.

I wonder when travellers will wake up and pay travel insurance. The higher the excess the cheaper it is.

If you can’t afford the insurance, surely you really can’t afford to travel.

A very sad story, but there will always be those who say 'it won't happen to me'.

Poor guy. Don't know the exact circumstances but if he didn't have a helmet on, or didn't have the proper licence he might not be covered even if he did have insurance. The fact he was hit from behind may become irrelevant.

Trying to save a few bucks and he is in this situation making a very stressful time for his family even moreso. Why should they have to fundraise and possibly use lifesavings and assets for his stupidity. I know it sounds harsh and I really hope he recovers but I'm past feeling sorry for people like this.

I think it is irresponsible and unbelievable if anyone on this or any Thailand forum does NOT specifically discourage the hiring of scooters without the proper licence or insurance - but it happens, Accidents can and do happen anytime, anywhere no matter how carefully you drive or how "safe" you think the area is.

Too many fools travel without insurance

"When will they learn!"

Looks like they already have learnt - that there is no need to buy travel insurance because strangers on the internet will help you out if the unlikely happens.

Even if you have insurance, riding a scooter on Thailand's roads is a dangerous game - see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38660283

I have a motorbike licence, but there's no way I'm riding a bike there!

• Bangkok with teenager 5:16 pm
• Marriot or Hyatt Hotel for one night 4:58 pm
• Beach front bungalow 4:50 pm
• Kanchanaburi to Cambodia border 4:43 pm
• Chaweng 1st time 4:39 pm
• Hong island tour from Ao nang 3:46 pm
• Help please 1:29 pm
• Silk at chatuchak market 1:18 pm
• Koh nagi cliff beach resort 12:29 pm
• King Power Selection Elephant Cookies 11:38 am
• Vintage Siam Silver 11:13 am
• Sumerset Pattaya 10:09 am
• Viral news: Bangkok reach heat of 52c 8:36 am
• Gluten Free Beer 8:25 am
• Agoda Problem; Don't Use Agoda 49 replies
• Other Resorts Close to Bangkok 2 replies
• Best Beach huts/Beach accomodation/ Beach resorts 2 replies
• Topless beach/pool 28 replies
• Need help choosing - Thailand vs. Malaysia...!!! 19 replies
• Luggage locker at BKK airport 4 replies
• Night train from Ayuthaya to Chiang Mai? 3 replies
• thailand weather in december? best places to stay? 4 replies
• Koh Samui vs Phuket vs Krabi 14 replies
• Secluded Thailand Beaches? 2 replies

Thailand Hotels and Places to Stay

• FAQ WHY Thailand?
• FAQ VISA INFO (incl. visitors from India)
• FAQ HELPFUL TRAVEL WEBSITES & ADVICE
• FAQ: How to get from the AIRPORT to your HOTEL
• FAQ Flight Connections
• FAQ benefits of opening a THAI BANK ACCOUNT?
• FAQ Other Bangkok Airport services and amenities
• FAQ SIM cards, iPhones etc
• FAQ BUDGET Airlines (LCC's)
• FAQ TRAIN Travel
• FAQ Personal SAFETY
• FAQ Floating Markets
• FAQ Visit Isaan
• FAQ IMPORTANT LAWS IN THAILAND
• FAQ Information on ISLANDS OF THAILAND
• FAQ Buses to and from Phuket & Bangkok
• FAQ How to find a travel buddy - don't use TA
• FAQ Fees for visitors to NATIONAL PARKS
• FAQ GETTING MARRIED in Thailand

• Travel Insurance

The journalists on the editorial team at Forbes Advisor Australia base their research and opinions on objective, independent information-gathering.

When covering investment and personal finance stories, we aim to inform our readers rather than recommend specific financial product or asset classes. While we may highlight certain positives of a financial product or asset class, there is no guarantee that readers will benefit from the product or investment approach and may, in fact, make a loss if they acquire the product or adopt the approach.

To the extent any recommendations or statements of opinion or fact made in a story may constitute financial advice, they constitute general information and not personal financial advice in any form. As such, any recommendations or statements do not take into account the financial circumstances, investment objectives, tax implications, or any specific requirements of readers.

Readers of our stories should not act on any recommendation without first taking appropriate steps to verify the information in the stories consulting their independent financial adviser in order to ascertain whether the recommendation (if any) is appropriate, having regard to their investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs. Providing access to our stories should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any security or product, or to engage in or refrain from engaging in any transaction by Forbes Advisor Australia. In comparing various financial products and services, we are unable to compare every provider in the market so our rankings do not constitute a comprehensive review of a particular sector. While we do go to great lengths to ensure our ranking criteria matches the concerns of consumers, we cannot guarantee that every relevant feature of a financial product will be reviewed. We make every effort to provide accurate and up-to-date information. However, Forbes Advisor Australia cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of this website. Forbes Advisor Australia accepts no responsibility to update any person regarding any inaccuracy, omission or change in information in our stories or any other information made available to a person, nor any obligation to furnish the person with any further information.

Travel Insurance For Vietnam: Everything You Need To Know

Updated: Apr 26, 2024, 11:14am

Table of Contents

Do australians need travel insurance for vietnam, what does travel insurance for vietnam cover, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Vietnam is an increasingly popular travel destination for Australians, with the country even hoping to encourage more Aussies to visit by potentially waiving visa requirements in due time.

The Southeast Asian country is set to be high on the list for Aussies going overseas in 2024. The number of Australian tourists in Vietnam now exceeds pre-pandemic levels: more than 317,000 Australians visited Vietnam in 2019 , while there were 390,000 Aussie visitors in 2023.

Plus, as more and more flights become available, such as low-cost carrier Vietjet Air launching a direct service between Hanoi and Melbourne earlier this year, getting to Vietnam is becoming easier for Australians.

If the direct flights, fascinating history, vast scenery and delicious food aren’t enough to convince Australian travellers, the cost may be. Vietnam is considered one of the cheapest travel destinations in the world for Australian tourists due to our strong conversion rate against the Vietnamese Dong and the nation’s low cost of living in comparison to our own.

And while cheap thrills may be what you’re after on your vacation, it’s important not to skimp on the necessities that may cost that little bit extra—such as travel insurance. This guide outlines what you need to know regarding travel insurance in Vietnam.

Featured Partners

Fast Cover Travel Insurance

On Fast Cover’s Secure Website

Medical cover

Unlimited, 24/7 Emergency Assistance

Cancellations

Unlimited, (Trip Disruption $50,000)

Key Features

25-Day Cooling Off Period, Australian Based Call Centre, 4.6 Star Product Review Rating

Cover-More Travel Insurance

On Cover-more’s secure website

Unlimited, with a $2000 limit to dental

Yes, amount chosen by customer

Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Medical Cover

Including medical treatment, doctors’ visits, prescribed medication, specialist treatment & medical transport costs

$2,500 with option to increase to unlimited

Investing in travel insurance is a good idea for any overseas trip. Travel insurance policies can help protect you from having to dive deep into your pockets, with many offering unlimited medical treatment while abroad and cancellation cover for your trip should the unexpected occur.

Travel insurance is not just handy for medical purposes or travel changes, either. Your personal items can be covered, should any baggage go missing or an important item be stolen—which, unfortunately, often occurs in Vietnam.

Smarttraveller warns Australians to be alert at all times in Vietnam, considering petty theft–including bag slashing–is common in tourist areas and crowded places, especially during holiday times. Snatch-and-grab theft by thieves on motorcycles is also common, the website states.

Like most international travel insurance policies, you will be able to find basic coverage for your trip to Vietnam, or choose to opt for a more comprehensive, albeit more expensive, policy.

While a basic policy will often cover medical expenses and lost luggage,a comprehensive policy includes a lot more. Most basic policies also likely won’t offer compensation for travel delays, stolen cash, accidental death and more.

Additionally, if you are going on a trip to multiple countries within the year, it may be worth opting for an ‘annual multi trip’ insurance instead—making sure that there are no exclusions to the regions you are wishing to visit.

Visa Requirements For Australians Travelling to Vietnam

You’ll still be allowed to travel to Vietnam if you don’t invest in travel insurance, but you do so at your own risk—and, as stated, it is highly advised to have a travel insurance policy for any overseas trip.

However, what you cannot do is enter Vietnam as an Australian tourist without a tourist visa. While Vietnam will grant Australian citizens visas on arrival, applying for one online is much easier.

A tourist visa costs under $100 AUD; however the exact price depends on your length of stay.

The Vietnamese government may consider waiving visas for Australian citizens, especially since many other SEA countries have done so such as Indonesia and Thailand .

However, at the time of writing, Forbes Advisor Australia has confirmed that Australian citizens must still obtain a visa to visit Vietnam for tourism purposes.

The exact inclusions of your travel insurance will be dependent on your personal policy and the provider.

However, generally speaking, you can expect a travel insurance policy for Vietnam to offer some level of cover for:

• Medical expenses;
• Lost, damaged or stolen luggage;
• Travel cancellations or delays ;
• Personal liability;
• Credit card fraud;
• Covid-19 expenses;

If you are partaking in certain sports and activities, you will need to make sure that you choose a policy that covers them. You’ll also need to make sure that your policy covers any pre-existing medical conditions as well.

Plus, if you are travelling with valuables, you may wish to opt for a policy that lets you increase the protection cover on your items.

Ultimately, you need to consider what your trip consists of, what you will be taking with you, and your physical health to establish what policies would be appropriate for you.

From there, you can compare quotes of different policies and providers to ensure you have the optimal—yet affordable—cover for your trip to Vietnam.

Does Travel Insurance Cover The Ha-Giang Loop?

Considered one of the most scenic motorcycle routes in the world, the Ha-Giang Loop is a popular tourist activity in Vietnam for adventurous travellers. If the Ha-Giang Loop is one of your goals, you’ll need to make sure you have travel insurance that covers motorcycling.

Occasionally a policy may include this as one of their included ‘sports and activities’, but it is more often the case that you will need to purchase an additional ‘adventure pack’ that is either specific to, or includes, motorsports.

Even so, when purchasing an additional pack to cover motorbikes, you need to be cautious of the conditions. For example, some policies will only cover motorcycle riding if the bike you are riding has an engine under a certain size.

Often, coverage will cease and claims won’t be accepted if you haven’t been wearing the correct safety equipment such as boots and a helmet, or have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

What Does Travel Insurance Exclude?

Your travel insurance policy may exclude some activities that you wish to partake in, unless you can opt-in to purchase an additional adventure pack as explained above in regards to motorbike riding.

Just like with the inclusions of a policy, the exclusions depend on what type of policy you choose, and what provider you go with.

Commonly, however, you won’t be covered for instances where you:

• Break the law;
• Are under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
• Partake in an excluded activity;
• Receive medical treatment for a pre-existing condition that was not disclosed;
• Travel to a ‘Do Not Travel’ destination as outlined by Smarttraveller.

As always, it is essential to read the product disclosure statement (PDS) of your travel insurance policy carefully to understand what you will and won’t be covered for while overseas.

Do I need a visa to travel to Vietnam?

Yes, as of April 2024, Australian tourists still need a visa to travel to Vietnam. This visa can be obtained on arrival, or purchased online prior to travel. The visa takes approximately three days to process online, and the cost depends on how long you intend to stay in the country.

Does international travel insurance cover Covid-19?

Many comprehensive travel insurance policies now cover Covid-19, including medical conditions related to Covid-19 or trip cancellations due to a Covid-19 diagnosis. However, it is not guaranteed that all policies will. It’s important to check your policy’s PDS carefully to understand what it will and will not cover in regards to Covid-19 for both you and your travelling companions.

Related: Travel Insurance And Covid: Are You Covered?

How much does travel insurance cost for Vietnam?

The cost of your travel insurance for a trip to Vietnam will depend on your age, your health, the activities you wish to partake in, and the length of your stay.

For example, for a 34 year old with no pre-existing medical conditions travelling to Vietnam for two weeks, a policy from some of our top choices for comprehensive travel insurance would cost around $130 (based on quotes from Cover-More , 1Cover , and Fast Cover ).

The prices of these quotes would change depending on a chosen excess, cancellation cover, and any additional coverage options you may choose to purchase such as adventure packs or cruise cover.

Related: How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

• Best Comprehensive Travel Insurance
• Best Seniors Travel Insurance
• Best Domestic Travel Insurance
• Best Cruise Travel Insurance
• Best Family Travel Insurance
• Travel Insurance Cost
• Pregnancy Travel Insurance Guide
• Travel Insurance Cancellation Cover
• Travel Insurance For Bali
• Travel Insurance For Fiji
• Travel Insurance For The USA
• Travel Insurance For Thailand
• Travel Insurance For New Zealand
• Travel Insurance For Japan
• Travel Insurance For Europe
• Travel Insurance For Singapore
• Travel Insurance For Indonesia
• Cover-More Travel Insurance Review
• Fast Cover Travel Insurance Review
• Travel Insurance Saver Review
• Allianz Comprehensive Travel Insurance Review
• 1Cover Comprehensive Travel Insurance Review
• Australia Post Comprehensive Travel Insurance Review
• Tick Travel Insurance Review

More from  

Tick travel insurance top cover review: pros and cons, was discovery travel insurance review: features, pros and cons, fast cover comprehensive travel insurance review: pros and cons, our pick of the best domestic travel insurance for australians, travel insurance for indonesia: everything you need to know, travel insurance for singapore: the complete guide.

Sophie Venz is an experienced editor and features reporter, and has previously worked in the small business and start-up reporting space. Previously the Associate Editor of SmartCompany, Sophie has worked closely with finance experts and columnists around Australia and internationally.