Australian travellers faced hefty medical bills abroad in 2024, with the highest single claim reaching over $670,000, according to new data from Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI). The figures highlight how quickly overseas medical emergencies—ranging from strokes to slips by the pool—can result in six-figure costs, particularly when air ambulances are required for repatriation.
SCTI showed that Indonesia accounted for the highest number of claims (17.8%) and the largest total payout ($1.86 million), followed by Thailand and the United States. Many of the costliest claims involved sudden medical emergencies, including brain aneurysms, seizures, and falls resulting in serious injuries.
Jess Strange (pictured above), chief customer officer at SCTI, said the rise in claim costs reflects broader global trends.
“Last year’s most expensive claim is 259% higher than our most expensive claim in 2023,” Strange said. “Ongoing global medical cost inflation means we’re seeing claim costs increase, with our top five claims from 2024 costing more than the leading claim from 2023.”
The largest claim involved a 76-year-old woman who suffered a major stroke while on holiday in Albania. She spent 10 weeks in hospital before being flown back to Australia, with the air ambulance alone accounting for more than $500,000 of the $672,630 payout.
A second case, totalling $362,034, was paid to an 80-year-old woman who became critically ill in Thailand. Her conditions included a collapsed lung, urinary tract infection, and ruptured oesophagus. After nearly two months in hospital, she was also airlifted home.
“It’s important to remember that insurance doesn’t just protect people from the financial burden of medical expenses, it also provides a high-level of support for patients and families by ensuring people access the right level of medical care. In some instances, family members are flown out to support customers who are receiving medical care on their own, and in other cases we fly our customer home with a medical team,” Strange said.
Here are the 10 most expensive international travel claims paid by SCTI in 2024:
