Rosann Connolly George: Vincent George Travel Agents co-owner on Kiwis making a record number of insurance claims in Europe

Kiwis are becoming a liability when travelling in Europe.  

New data reveals 1Cover New Zealand has paid out more than $2.7 million in travel claims to customers travelling to Europe since May. 

The biggest claim was more than $96 thousand.  

Vincent George Travel Agents co-owner Rosann Connolly George told Mike Hosking with weather disruptions and uncertainty around the world, travel insurance is crucial. 

She says the demographic heading to Europe is the middle age to older group, so claims stack up.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
One covering Z's paid out two point seven million since May.
What for while slipping down stairs? Cracked teeth and broken backs?
Roseanne Connley George, co owner of Vincent George Travel Agents.
As with us, Roseanne, morning.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning, my hell do you so?

Speaker 1 (00:14):
I'm well? Thank you? Do you see it when you ring?
Barbara and she went to sicily and do you go?
How to go? Barb? And Barb went, well it fell over?
Do you hear that? A lot?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
We do get a number of claims for sure. I
think our insurance is absolutely relevant in the travel industry
right now, especially with a lot of weather disrupts and
a lot of uncertainty around the world, world events, etc.
We're seeing more so though with luggage loss, luggage delays.

(00:42):
That is a really big one. And I think Europe
is a key spot because it's really the top sellar
at the moment. And I think the age group and
demographic that's heading through to Europe is that middle age too,
a bit older demographic. So the claims do stack up.
Unfortunately when people are traveling.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
What proceeded you people take out insurance.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
For us, we recommend everybody taking.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
No I know, but how many actually rarely I.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Would say ninety nine percent of our travelers would Those
that don't would be more so those that are heading
across the tasmum. But I am not aware of very
men that do not take at insurance when they're going
on a larger journey.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Are we seeing an increase in premiums if we're making
all these claims the insurance company aren't in the business
of being nice. They'll be putting the bill up, won't they.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Oh, one hundred percent. The premiums are definitely rising, But
where they are really significant with pre existing medical conditions,
those are becoming more relevant now and so they are
becoming something that's a lot more expensive to be covering.
But for that peace of mind, we're finding that when
they are claims, it really pays off. But something that's

(01:54):
really interesting, Mike, is that we are seeing a lot
of claims before people go. So there's been yeah, so
people forget that travel insurance actually taken out at the
time you start paying money. This is when it kicks
in for unforeseen circumstance previous to travel. So we're seeing

(02:16):
a number of clients actually claiming on heart attacks, strokes,
canse diagnosises before they're leaving now. Whilst some of their
particular travel arrangements can be refundable and they may not
be the large claims that we've seen overseas for medical,
they are still extremely relevant.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
What happens if you're a bit pissed and you fall
down the stairs? Is there a rule against that? I mean,
do they say, well, you shouldn't have had a drink,
it's your fault.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
I think it's circumstance. Sure, there are clauses in there
that does say that if there's intoxication or drug abuse
and things that are involved. I guess it comes down
to the claimant to be completely honest about the nature
of the claim and what's happened for that situation.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
Roseanne, always a pleasure in us to talk to you, Roseanne
Connerley George, who's the co owner of Vincent George travel Agents.
We had our business is an increase, very interesting article.
I'll come back to it later if I got time.
But there's been a big increase. This is my thing
on ACC. At the moment, ACC isn't working and there's
been a big increase in workers taking weeks off so
they have a thing, you know, like more than a week,
so if you're off for a couple of days or whatever,

(03:21):
and they pay you but they don't really care. But
the week away from work injury claims are up twenty
five percent, So they're trying to work out what's going
on there. I mean, are we actually more injured or
are more of us being injured? And when we injure ourselves,
are the injuries worse than they used to be? Or
is somebody somewhere going, oh the hell, you have a

(03:41):
couple of weeks off and somebody else will pay for it.
So there's a bit of that going on. For more
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