I was stuck in Egypt and Cover-More got me out: Why it pays to have quality travel insurance

I was stuck in a hostel in Cairo following the terrorist attacks of 1997 with a ringworm infection in my arm and the grumblings of appendicitis in my belly. As I placed my daily reverse-charges phonecall to Cover-more from the backstreet telephone exchange I realised the immense value of travel insurance – Cover-More Travel Insurance was doing all the work to get me a seat on a plane.

A few days earlier I’d called the airline to reconfirm my seat on the flight home  – back then you needed to phone a local airline office to confirm your flight.  I was told my seat, booked more than 10 months ago, had been given to someone else.

In the clamour of tourists trying to get out of the country I’d lost my spot.

“All the tourists are leaving,” the airline representative told me. “You don’t have a seat anymore. 

“Come back in two months.”

I couldn’t believe they’d given my seat away. How was that possible? There was nothing I could do. My best bet, I thought, was to call the insurance company and see if they could help me.

Dahab, Egypt – back in the day.

I’d left for my backpacking trip with my best friend earlier that year, taking 12 months leave from work and traveling to Asia and then the Middle East. I can still remember sitting at my desk, looking through the Daily Telegraph to find ads for travel insurance – the internet was in its infancy back then and you found what you needed in the classified ads in the newspaper.

I saw the ad for Cover-More Travel Insurance, called up and spoke to a bloke about protecting my trip overseas – this also back in the day where you called a phone number and a person answered! I bought my cover, it was posted out to me and off we went, traveling throughout Asia and the Middle East, with our last stop in Egypt.

That trip my camera was stolen and I had medical bills from an ear infection and both claims were settled quickly when I arrived home, so I wasn’t out of pocket for long at all. The biggest rescue by Cover-More though was in Egypt. While we were in Cairo a tourist bus was bombed at the Museum, and a few days after we visited Deir el-Bahri in Luxor terrorists came in from the mountains, attacking and killing 62 tourists.

After that, everyone wanted to get out – and my booked, paid for and ticketed seat was given away.  My bestie left on her flight to London and I was stuck. Every transport option out of the country was full and I needed help.

Instead of waiting I called my mum and she liaised with Cover-More from home, and I spoke to them from the telephone exchange in the backstreets of Cairo. I can still remember the calming voice of the lady on the end of the line who was working to get me on the plane and who, after a few days and lots of calls,  told me to head out to the airport as she was pretty sure she would be able to get me home.

We spent 16 hours on this boat traveling from Batam to Sumatra

I was sitting on a tiny piece of floor in the huge crowded departures hall at Cairo Airport, with thousands of other people  – some had been waiting there for days. They were sleeping on the ground, crying and desperate to get out. I was confident that Cover-More was going to get me out, but it was still a huge relief when my name was called to come to the check-in desk. As I picked my way though the crowded floor to the check-in, with people staring jealously, I knew the only reason I had got out was because I had travel insurance with Cover-More. I was extra lucky as two days after I arrived home I was rushed to hospital for an emergency appendectomy.

I continued to travel all over the world for the next 13 years and when my daughter was born she came with me. I’ve used Cover-More insurance for the 21 years since they got me out of Egypt, and it’s especially important now I have a small child with me, particularly for medical and emergency cover.

Emmie and I have been on the road for two years now, and the service and help I’ve had from Cover-More has been just as good as it was 21 years ago. I honestly believe it definitely pays to have quality travel insurance.

Me and Emmie, travelling since 2016

When my eardrum burst in the Philippines in 2016, Cover-More organised a specialist appointment for me at the hospital and I spoke frequently to the their nurse while I recovered. Cover-More reimbursed our missed flights from being unable to travel, and all the costs associated with treatment including transport and accommodation. We’ve also had other illnesses – including a face fungus and infected finger for Emmie  – and the claims process has always been simple and fast.

Emmie and I are still traveling – right now we are in Malaysia – and we have annual cover that I hope we never have to use. But I know if we do we are in the best hands with Cover-More Travel Insurance.

NOTE: This blog was sponsored by Cover-More Travel Insurance.