Passengers tend to fret most about their luggage and their trips being delayed or cancelled, but the greatest financial risk when travelling is health. Even in destinations popular among Estonians, a simple stomach bug can result in a four-figure medical bill.

“Seesam received a total of 3072 travel claims in 2025, with reimbursements reaching 1.8 million euros,” explained Rasmus Parve, the head of Seesam’s Claims Handling Department. “Compared to 2024, the average reimbursement last year grew by 10%, primarily because of the rising costs of medical care, which have been going up all the time for a few years now.”

Health costs more than a suitcase or cancelled flight

Trips can be cancelled for various reasons, such as strikes, weather and illness. Sometimes, suitcases don’t make it onto connecting flights, and in rare cases go missing for days. Cars get broken into, and personal belongings are stolen from hotel rooms. All of these situations cause a great deal of inconvenience, but Seesam’s statistics show that, when travelling, health can cost far more than a suitcase and plane ticket combined. When it comes to health, there’s no choice: you have to treat illness and injury. It’s just a question of who pays for it.

“No one can have failed to notice that prices are going up across the board,” said Parve. “Getting health issues sorted out on your travels is no exception. Claims linked to travel disruptions and luggage remained at around 500 euros on average last year, but the average claim for medical care exceeded 1100 euros. You don’t even need to spend a few nights in hospital to rack up that amount, either – all it takes is for you to have some tests done, or to be treated for an upset stomach, which is very common among tourists. And that’s not even necessarily in exotic countries, but ones Estonians love to holiday in.”

Medical transport that rivals the cost of a luxury car

The most expensive travel insurance incident Seesam dealt with in 2025 cost the company almost 200,000 euros, as a seriously injured person needed to be brought home from the other side of the world using medical transport and accompanied by medical personnel. The insurer says that in the case of far-flung destinations and serious conditions, air transport is the only option – and since the cost starts at several thousand euros even when returning patients to Estonia from neighbouring countries, it is easy to see why someone requiring air transport from popular destinations like Asia or Australia will cost the insurer so much more.

“Sometimes even a simple fall, the kind of thing that happens all the time, can result in a huge financial outlay,” Parve cautioned. “One of our clients tripped and fell on his arm so badly that he needed hospital treatment which ended up costing 25,000 euros.”

The insurer says it doesn’t take much to rack up an expensive bill, since a dodgy tummy still needs a visit to a GP. “Even simple cuts can require stiches, or, in extreme cases, actual surgery,” he noted. “That’s not something you can plan for, sadly.”

One thing you can plan for, however, is insurance. “For travel disruption claims to be valid, you should take out a policy as soon as you’ve booked your trip,” Parve advised. “No insurance covers costs that arise due to events that happened before you signed your policy. You also need to make sure your insurance is valid in the places you’re travelling to, and for the entire duration of your trip, from the day you leave Estonia until the day you get back.”