A world traveler since childhood, William has visited 121 countries over the past 73 years and never once faced a major problem… until his around-the-world cruise last April.
“I had never bought travel insurance before, but my brother convinced me to get it for this trip,” said William.
It was a decision that saved him more than $70,000.
Six weeks into his cruise, William began to experience stomach pains. Tests in the onboard clinic showed he had gallstones. Without the proper equipment on board for treatment, the nurse recommended he visit the hospital at the next port in Italy.
When William disembarked in Rome, the ship notified his travel insurance provider, Tin Leg, who immediately became involved to ensure William received the proper care.
“I talked to William every day while he was in the hospital. There was a lot happening behind the scenes, so I wanted to make sure William was always up to date.”
William spent nearly three weeks in the hospital receiving treatment and undergoing an operation to remove his gallstones.
“I was tense being in a hospital in Rome. I had never been in a hospital overseas,” William said. “Brandi was great. She was very good about keeping me informed and keeping me at ease. Every time I had a question she got right back to me with an answer.”
When William was finally discharged from the hospital, his cruise ship was gone. Tin Leg booked him new flights home — with an upgrade to business class so he could keep his leg elevated.
“I very much appreciated that. I sort of expected the company would do everything they could to keep from paying, but they were perfectly willing to cover everything that was supposed to be covered,” said William. “They didn’t try to avoid my calls. They were always right there for me.”
William’s claim totaled $70,733. Tin Leg paid over $62,000 for hospitalization, surgery, and treatment at the Italian hospital and shipboard clinic, and more than $8,000 in additional expenses, including transportation costs and reimbursement for the 15 unused days of his cruise.
