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How international health insurance saved a South American adventure

Picture the scene: you are on horseback, riding along narrow trails through lush, verdant greenery. Majestic hills rise in the distance, behind a shimmering heat haze. The air is filled with the exotic fragrance of flowers that you’ve never encountered before.

How international health insurance saved a South American adventure
Minutes from disaster: Silvana on her horse, near Itacare in Brazil, shortly before her accident. Photo: Supplied

You feel transported, and you are: this is the trip of a lifetime.

That’s when it happens. Making its way around a tight corner, your horse slips and crashes to the ground with your leg trapped underneath. You feel a sickening crack and your foot feels like it’s on fire.

It can only take a split-second for things to go wrong when you’re travelling. When it does, the consequences can be severe and life-changing.

The number one risk 

When you travel overseas, depending on the destination, you can dramatically increase your risk of illness or injury.

While statistics on the leading causes of travel accidents vary depending on the nationality of travelers, we can draw some conclusions from leading US experts.

For example, the CDC identified road accidents as the leading non-violent cause of death of US citizens overseas between 2015 and 2016, with drowning also a leading cause. The prestigious John Hopkins University also states that the risk of injury for travelers overseas greatly increases the moment they take control of a means of transport.

Considering the number of travellers who use vehicles, such as cars or mopeds, or ride horses on their holidays, it’s no surprise many place themselves in danger of serious injury or worse.

It only takes a moment for paradise to turn into a problem – see how ASN’s international health insurance can save the day when disaster strikes

Silvana’s story

Silvana Beer, an executive from Switzerland, knows this only too well. It was she who, while recently on holiday near Itacare on Brazil’s beautiful Costa del Cacao, was horse-riding when her mount slipped and her foot was crushed by the falling horse.

She tells us: “I was travelling with a friend in Brazil and we had spent an amazing month there. We were on a horse riding trek and it was magic. I liked the pace of it, and enjoyed watching the scenery.

“However I’m not a very experienced rider – I only go on horse-riding trips when I’m abroad. I didn’t really have the horse under control and it slipped, as the ground was very wet. Suddenly, my foot was under the horse and, as it turns out, horses are pretty heavy!

“I knew immediately that my foot was broken, but I still decided to get back on the horse and go back to our accommodation. When I got back, I made the mistake of taking off my shoe – it’s better to keep injuries like this compressed, so they don’t become inflamed.”

When Silvana eventually made it to the local hospital she had a small shock as she realised that they didn’t have a functioning X-ray machine. “That was the first time where I thought with more than a little fear, ‘Okay, where am I? What should I do?’

Brazil’s healthcare can vary hugely with hospitals and clinics in more rural areas often lacking the kind of equipment and resources that would be commonplace in bigger cities, or other parts of the world.

Eventually we found a private clinic where I was able to have an X-ray done. But there was no doctor on duty to assess it, so we took the X-ray to try and find another doctor to look at it.”

Silvana visited multiple orthopaedic clinics, and finally ended up at a public hospital where she had to wait hours before being seen by a doctor who could evaluate her X-ray.

“The doctor confirmed my initial fears that my foot was broken. He then was fairly blunt in his further recommendation: ‘Can you fly home? If so, don’t stay here. Just go.”

Healthcare across the world can vary wildly. Should the worst happen, ensure you have the very best treatment possible with ASN’s international health insurance policies

Silvana Beer shortly before flying home. Photos: Supplied

“If a doctor recommends you to go to another country for medical reasons, you do what they say, and so I left. I was very, very lucky to have help from my friends. Because if I was alone, I don’t know how I would have managed the situation and I’m very grateful that it was just my foot – it could have been much worse.”

Thankfully Silvana had an international health insurance policy with ASN, that covered accidents.

“Once I got through to ASN, they dealt with it in a very professional manner,” says Silvana. “They booked me a ticket back home in business class so I was comfortable and they also organised transport at each airport and provided a wheelchair for me, all covered by my policy.”

Comprehensive cover that you can rely on

If you’re considering an adventure such as Silvana’s, it’s important to consider what might happen if you suddenly injure yourself. Disparities in the kind of healthcare available in various regions could result in injuries being made more severe, or taking longer to heal, therefore slowing you down and having significant consequences.

As Silvana states, “I would really recommend having an international health insurance provider that offers accident insurance. It definitely makes sense if you’re travelling overseas for a few months.

“Having grown up in a country like Switzerland with a very high quality standard of medical facilities, you might prefer being treated in a private hospital rather than in a public one when you get sick or injured in a foreign country. Another benefit of having an international health insurance policy with an insurance broker such as ASN is that you can focus on the healing process and don’t need to deal with the claims handling yourself.”

As an international health insurance broker of more than 26 years, ASN has comprehensive packages for those who wish to explore the world, whether it’s part of a prolonged trip abroad, a relocation or otherwise.

They offer a free choice of doctors and specialists, with their own recommended network of healthcare providers to help get you back on your feet. The hotlines of these providers are open 24/7 and are available in a number of languages, and wherever you are, there’ll be support and assistance available when you need it.

Only a few weeks after her horse riding accident, Silvana is back in South America, this time in Colombia, continuing her adventure. She credits the rapid response of ASN’s insurance partner to her injury for being able to continue doing what she loves – exploring the world!

She concludes: “After seven weeks back in Switzerland and very intensive physiotherapy, I’m doing a lot better. Now I am travelling again – and this time I’m being more aware of the risks!”

Ensure that you are quickly back on your feet, should you experience an accident abroad. Learn more about ASN’s comprehensive range of international health insurance packages

For members

TRAVEL

10 unforgettable places to stay in Germany

Whether you want to catnap in a castle, sleep in a sportscar or bunk in a brewery, it is all possible on a holiday in Germany.

10 unforgettable places to stay in Germany

In fact, the country has such a wealth of unique and fascinating hotels, hostels and other accommodations that any series listing them could easily extend over several instalments. 

However, for those seeking an introduction to how unique German hospitality can be, here are ten unforgettable places to stay across the sixteen federal states.

Zum Roten Bären
Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg

Let’s start at the beginning. No, really.

Zum Roten Bären, located in the heart of the university city of Freiburg am Briesgau, is Germany’s oldest continuously operating hotel. To be precise, 51 landlords have been welcoming guests since 1120. In fact, archaeological excavations have revealed that the building predates the city surrounding it!

Don’t think the age of the place means spartan conditions – Zum Roten Bären hosts a restaurant renowned in the region, and the rooms boast modern comforts while tastefully honouring the heritage of the beloved inn. 

V8 Motorworld Hotels
Böblingen, Baden-Württemberg

The Stuttgart region gave the world the motor car, and this contribution is honoured at the V8 Motorworld Hotels – the Superior and Classic. 

Both are part of the enormous Motorworld complex developed on the site of the old Böblingen Airport, where revheads come for tradeshows, swap meets and other automotive-themed events.

Each room in the two hotels is outfitted with beds made from original cars and features art themed around motorsports. 

Each hotel also has a restaurant revered throughout the region by local American populations for its offerings, from Tex-Mex to barbecue. 

Baumhaus Dörfle
Seelbach, Baden-Württemberg

This one is ideal for those on a Black Forest break. The three treehouses that constitute the Baumhaus Dorfle, part of the Ferienparadies Schwarzwälder Hof holiday park, are warm and cosy, each with a balcony offering a beautiful view of the surrounding forest. 

Close to the historic city of Lahr and surrounded by some of Germany’s most outstanding hiking trails, there’s everything required for a relaxation vacation, far from the noise and movement of city life.

Hotel Wasserturm 
Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia

Sure, this hotel is built within one of the water towers that used to supply Cologne. Still, Hotel Wasserturm prides itself on offering boutique accommodation and unparalleled views of one of Germany’s oldest cities. 

Once you’ve fortified yourself with a cocktail from Bar Botanik, many of the city’s most fantastic attractions, such as the cathedral, are less than a 10-minute walk away. 

Hotel Adlon
Berlin, Berlin

Infamous as the hotel from which Michael Jackson dangled baby ‘Blanket’, this Berlin icon is so, so much more than that brief event. 

The original Hotel Adlon was opened by hotelier Lorenz Adlon in 1907 and became famous across Europe for its luxury furnishings and impeccable hospitality. 

The Hotel Adlon was a celebrity watering hole throughout the twenties and early thirties – Marlene Dietrich and Josephine Baker were regular guests. Even the arrival of the Nazis couldn’t dim its light, with many party luminaries spending their evenings there. 

Largely destroyed in the dying days of World War II, the hotel managed to operate in part until 1984, even behind the Iron Curtain (only metres away, as the Brandenburg Gate divided the two Berlins). 

In 1997 the entire complex was rebuilt and reopened by the Kampinski group and has only thrived since as Berlin booms.  

Hotel Gotisches Haus
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria

Starting as a food storage house for nearby monks, this unassuming building was rapidly spotlighted in the 15th century.  

Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich III and his son, the future Emperor Maximilian I, came to stay for two weeks in 1474 – Friedrich published edicts. He received visitors in the Gotisches Haus while Maximilian partied and enjoyed the local nightlife.

This gave the place a bit of a profile boost, and the building served as the home of several wealthy figures throughout the centuries.

In 1969, as tourism began to take off in the storybook-perfect town, it was purchased and renovated as a boutique hotel. 

Now, each of the eleven rooms echoes the grandeur of the 15th-century Holy Roman Empire, albeit with subtle differences in design. 

Hüttenpalast
Berlin, Berlin

If the extravagant surroundings of Hotel Adlon aren’t to your liking, but you still want to spend a night in comfort, head to the hipster hotspot of Neukölln, where Hüttenpalast offers caravan stays in a renovated factory.

Each caravan across two halls has been renovated and brought up to provide a comfortable and unique experience for visitors – although they don’t have their own toilets and showers, they’re provided communally. 

Still, being a short walk away from trendy Kreuzberg and fifteen minutes away from the action in Alexanderplatz, this quirky hostel offers a typical Berlin experience. 

Burg Hotel Stolpen
Stolpen, Saxony

Part of the Burg Stolpen complex, Burghotel Stolpen sits on the same basalt protrusion on which the ruined 15th-century castle is situated. 

Originally a castle protecting the lands of the Bishops of Meissen, the castle came into the hands of the Dukes of Saxony, where it enters popular myth and legend.

Burg Stolpen was, for over forty years, the prison in which Anna Constantia, Countess of Cosel, was imprisoned by Duke August the Strong between 1716 and her death in 1765. 

An intelligent, quick-witted woman, albeit conceited, the Duke’s mistress had ruffled one too many feathers and had tried to interfere in strategic pairings. 

Hotel guests can explore the tower in which Ana Constantia was held and learn more about her scandalous life in a small museum. 

Luckily, they also have a much wider choice of rooms – and a stunning restaurant in which to dine.

Still, the place can’t have been all that bad. Many legends in the region speak of Ana Constantia never really leaving the castle – she’s been spotted wandering around her former digs, albeit in a less-than-corporeal state. 

Kloster Hornbach
Hornbach, Rhineland-Palatinate

Kloster Hornbach – or Hornbach Abbey – is old. First founded in 741, it was one of the region’s most potent monastic foundations and was a pilgrimage site, for it was where the remains of Saint Pirmin, a Merovingian missionary, were kept. It drew the faithful from hundreds of kilometres around for hundreds of years.

Unfortunately, as with most large institutions so close to the French border, Kloster Hornbach was either raided, burned or used as target practice by the French at several intervals over the centuries, despite efforts to maintain a school on the grounds after the monastery closed in the 16th century.

In the early 21st century, the abbey buildings were turned into a hotel, Hotel Kloster Hornbach, meant to evoke the peace and tranquillity of the monastic lifestyle – albeit with everything you’d want from a modern boutique hotel. 

After touring the local vineyards, playing golf, and perhaps straying across the border into France, visit the Abbey Museum. There, you can learn about several locals, including Hieronymous Bock, who has been called ‘the Father of Botany’. 

Brauerei Fassla
Bamberg, Bavaria

You didn’t think we’d get through this list without a beer-themed hotel, did you?

With a UNESCO-protected Old Town unsurpassed in its preserved state, Bamberg was also once home to more breweries than almost anywhere else in the former Holy Roman Empire. 

It’s mainly well known for Rauchbier – smoked beer. It’s an acquired taste but quickly addictive.

Here’s one thing they need to tell you about many of Bamberg’s breweries: they offer room for travellers. 

While less luxurious than many hotels, they’re very comfortable, clean, and great value. Best of all, you’re close to the action.

Brauerei Fassla offers rooms and is close to all the city’s attractions. Of course, it also has a brewpub and a restaurant where you can recharge after a long day of sightseeing. You can rest assured of the quality too – these guys have been doing their thing since 1649!

Do you have any recommendations for unforgettable stays in Germany? Let us know in the comments! 

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