Imagine this: the sun is blazing like crazy, you’re on a beach in Greece, Italy, or Turkey, and suddenly – you feel sick! Panic? Of course! But do you know how much this can cost you? Emergency help, doctor’s visits, or hospital treatment abroad can reach thousands of euros! Yes, you read that right – thousands of euros! Most of us in Serbia have no clue about our rights and obligations when it comes to health on vacation.
First off, if you have a certificate from RFZO, you can get emergency medical help for free in over 20 countries. But here’s the catch – that only covers emergencies. Everything else, from private clinics, lab tests to transport, you have to pay yourself or have travel health insurance. And no, it’s not a joke – even a simple doctor’s visit can hit your wallet hard.
In a morning program on Kurir TV, prim. dr Biserka Obradović, a general medicine specialist, warned about the dangers lurking on vacations. Kids, especially little ones, don’t have a developed thermoregulation system and can’t control their body temperature. So parents better watch out, because the sun around noon can be deadly. There have even been cases where kids suffered cardiac arrest or water in the lungs, all due to carelessness and ignorance.
Virologist and microbiologist Dr. Milanko Šekler from the Veterinary Institute in Kraljevo points out that bacterial infections attacking the brain, throat, lungs, or ear are common on trips, especially in children. Prevention is key.
Zoran Ćirić from the Serbian Insurers Association reveals that the best time to buy travel health insurance is at least five days before the trip. But if you forget, you can still buy it at the airport or online while waiting to board. Policies vary but generally cover hospital and outpatient care, even transport back to your home country.
So next time you plan a vacation, don’t just pack your swimsuit and sunscreen. Bring some brains – and travel insurance! Because when you get sick on the beach, neither an umbrella nor seawater will save you, only good preparation and knowledge.
And hey, if you’ve had a travel mishap or have a hilarious tip on how to survive vacation without going broke, share it in the comments. Let’s hear from those who went through hell and came out winners! Who knows, your advice might just save someone’s wallet and sanity!
