Don’t Travel Without This: How I Avoided $2,000 in Hospital Bills while travelling in Japan

When I was on my second-year working holiday in Australia, I took a two-week trip to Japan with friends to travel and attend a wedding. It was an incredible holiday, and on the last two days, we planned to visit Dynastar Mountain, a ski resort in Gifu, Japan.

I’ve skied my whole life, and on the second day, I thought I’d try snowboarding. Big mistake! On my first run, I wiped out and landed head-down. My natural instinct was to brace with my hands extended behind me—instantly, I knew I’d done something wrong. I ended my day early, opting for ice back at the chalet.

After a couple of hours, my wrist was so swollen that I knew I needed it checked. Ski patrol sent me to the hospital for X-rays, and 24 hours later, I had a diagnosis: a fractured wrist. The initial hospital visit cost about $700 AUD, and that was before I even got a cast. The doctors recommended waiting until I returned to Australia for the cast because the plane could cause more swelling.

Back in Australia, I had the cast put on, which cost another $1,500 AUD.

This experience is exactly why travel insurance is so important. Thankfully, I was covered through PassportCard—a travel insurance that provides a prepaid travel debit card you can use directly if you need medical assistance. Once the claim is approved, you don’t pay anything back. When I broke my wrist in Japan, all medical costs went straight onto my PassportCard, and I didn’t pay a cent out of pocket.

10/10 recommend!

If you want to check out PassportCard and see how it could protect you on your travels, click here.