It happend as quickly as that: Ten students went swimming and only nine made it back to shore. A study abroad experience gone awry. Nobody knew what happened exactly – was he a weak swimmer? Did he swallow too much water? By the time they airlifted him to the hospital he was pronounced brain dead.
After several days on life support the doctors said there was no hope. It was time to consider taking him off of life support because each day in the hospital was costing thousands of dollars. Everyone knew the drill: The insurance company would pay the bill and then make arrangements to return the body to the family. Travel abroad that ended in tragedy.
But this time was different. “Let’s wait until his parents can come to see him,” said the insurance provider. ‘’It is the right thing to do,’’ they said. And they paid for the student’s parents to come and say good-bye, one last time, to their son.
No one expected what happened next. As his parents sat by his bedside surrounded by ventilators and tubes, the young man suddenly woke up. “What are you doing here?” he asked, when he saw his parents crying with joy and disbelief.
Not every insurance story is as dramatic as this one. And not every insurance story has a happy ending. We are glad that this one did.
But as everyone who works in international education knows, and something about which all travellers should be aware, is that insurance is more than just policies and claims: It is about students who make the choice every day to open their hearts and minds to the world through education and travel; it is about parents who put aside their fears to support the dreams of their children; and it is about institutions, educators, and counsellors who believe that international education plays an important role in fostering learning and understanding of different cultures and ideas.
Finding the right kind of insurance for optimal coverage while you study or travel outside of Canada is of paramount importance, and must be part of your planning checklist before you go.
Safe travels!
Contributed by:
Guard.me International Insurance
Each year, millions of young people around the world leave the comfort of home to study and work abroad and guard.me is there to keep them safe when it matters most. guard.me International Insurance is dedicated to helping international students become the best they can be – not just inside the classroom but beyond.
www.guard.me
