Expert urges extra travel insurance in wake of boat crash

A Winnipeg travel expert says the case of a local family on the hook for a massive medical bill in South Africa is a grim reminder of the importance of reading the fine print for travel insurance.

Ron Pradinuk at Journey's Travel says you can't be too careful when it comes to insurance companies.

“The concept of people and insurance these days is so misunderstood," he said.

"So whether you have coverage at the office, whether you have coverage on your credit card, you need to double-check whether you're going to be covered for everything and what its limitations are.”

​Pradinuk recommends buying extra travel insurance for specific trips, even if you have coverage through a credit card or through work.

Emelia Grobler, of Headingley, Man., was touring South Africa's holiday village St. Francis Bay on a relative's boat with her family when it collided with another boat on Dec. 21.

Grobler, whose leg was nearly severed by a propeller, is now in an intensive care unit at a hospital in Port Elizabeth, on South Africa's southeast coast, and she might still lose part of her leg.

The 26-year-old woman's family is facing tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses, even though they believed they had adequate health insurance through their BMO (Bank of Montreal) Mastercard.

Pradinuk said you have to read the fine print.

“I don't care which insurance company [it is], they're all our friends until they feel they don't have to pay. It is really incumbent on us to double check to make sure that we are covered,” he said.