Holiday-makers advised to check medical cover

Many South Africans will undoubtedly be engaging in activities that are regarded as adventurous or extreme this summer and these can range from abseiling or mountain biking to the thrill of white water rafting or powerboat racing. While these may be popular adrenalin-fuelled pastimes, they do also present definite elements of risk and can affect short-term insurance claims in the event of associated bodily injuries sustained.

Duduza Khosana, Medshield Medical Schemes executive principal officer, comments, "Do you know what your medical schemes policy on extreme sports is? If you don't and you happen to rock climb, sky dive or take part in any other sport that presents risks to yourself, then you need to find out if youre covered in the event of an accident."

A family holiday could easily turn into a financial catastrophe, if the emergency medical care required is not covered by the family's medical scheme. It's simply a case of asking the right questions. Members are encouraged to make it their business to find out as there is no point paying for something that ultimately isnt tailored to their lifestyle and therefore will potentially leave them sorely out of pocket.

Khosana suggests the following:

• Ask your medical scheme or your broker if your scheme has exclusions on cover for injuries sustained from any particular sporting activities. It may be that certain sports or hobbies, such as speed contests or speed trials, are singled out as not being covered.
  
• Ask your broker for a summary of exactly how much you are covered for, should you sustain injury from participating in an extreme sport.
  
• If you plan to go on holiday and take part in extreme sports, ask your travel agent about medical insurance requirements. If your travels entail leaving South Africa and you sustain injury during an extreme sporting or adventure activity, you might find that you were required to take out an extra premium in order to receive any cover.
  
• And finally, remember that if you have any dependents on your policy, the same questions apply to them. Are the activities they are involved in, covered by your scheme?

Comprehensive medical scheme cover is the basis of any sound financial plan because unforeseen medical expenses could become crippling. Holiday-makers should check the fine print of their scheme option to ensure financial peace of mind and instead focus their attention on the much-anticipated holidays and the activities they hold.