Some frequently asked questions:
My policy states that I have to pay any medical costs myself and reclaim the costs once I’ve returned home. Is that okay?
There are a few issues with this ‘pay and claim’ approach. The most obvious is that, if you were to have a serious accident, medical evacuation and hospital bills could run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Repatriation would cost hundreds of thousands, which would be very difficult to self-fund. And if an accident is incapacitating, even actioning payment would be very challenging for you. So we suggest opting for a policy in which the insurance company pays direct for any costs on your behalf.
Does my health insurance cover my safari? (This question is often most relevant to travellers from the USA.)
US health insurance premiums sometimes cover clients for their trips overseas. We cannot comment on these policies, but we advise clients to contact their existing insurers for health cover and to consider additional insurance to protect against the risk of loss or cancellation. Please note, if you do not have a policy to cover any of the events mentioned above, you are at risk of incurring considerable costs. Repatriation home, for example, can cost a huge amount of money. We cannot be held responsible for any of these costs.
My credit card includes travel insurance – is that enough?
Not usually! It is essential to check that you’re satisfied with the amount of coverage included. Please contact your credit card company to verify what is and what isn’t covered. Remember, a good insurance policy involves getting you home in an emergency and also provides a minimum of $100,000 medical cover while you are in Africa. A lot of credit card insurance does not provide adequate cover and falls short of the figures mentioned above (see MEDICAL COVER AND REPATRIATION).
Is medical coverage provided by national social insurance programmes or national healthcare systems in my country of residence valid in Africa?
National social insurance programmes, such as Medicare, and national healthcare systems, like the NHS, are unlikely to provide you with medical coverage. Please contact the relevant authority for further information.
I have private health insurance – is that enough?
It is unlikely that your private health insurance policy will provide you with adequate coverage. Please speak to your health insurance company about what is covered.
Can I buy travel insurance from Yellow Zebra Safaris?
No, Yellow Zebra does not sell insurance.
Why is Yellow Zebra asking for my travel insurance details?
In the event of an emergency, Yellow Zebra and our suppliers will need to have access to the name of your travel insurer, policy number, and 24-hour emergency/claims number. We can then provide this information to emergency services so that you can receive the necessary treatment without delay.
I have already paid in full, so do I still need travel insurance?
It is a condition of booking with Yellow Zebra that you organise specialist travel insurance to cover your entire trip. Unfortunately, some clients have had to cancel prior to travel due to unforeseen circumstances, and because they had not yet taken out travel insurance they were unable to recoup their booking costs. Moreover, there have been cases of our clients being taken ill whilst in Africa and requiring treatment. We cannot stress enough how important it is for us to have your travel insurance details to hand, in order for us to assist you as quickly and efficiently as possible, should anything like this happen to you.
I’ve found a policy. Please can someone at Yellow Zebra review it with me?
Unfortunately, no – due to legal reasons we cannot review any insurance policy. It’s best that you contact the insurance company and review it with them, as they will have better knowledge of the policies they sell.
What if I don’t want insurance?
Arranging insurance is a condition of booking travel with Yellow Zebra and if you do not take out a travel insurance policy we reserve the right to cancel your holiday as per our Terms & Conditions.