heading to Mentawais in April for a boat trip...
shopping for insurance, some policies for 160, some for 80.. all seem the same, even the fine print where it matters most... two sites even directed me to the same insurer, same policy, different cost... anyone used nomads before? I guess you can't really know until you need an airlift...
any recommendations?
dont care about claiming boards and I don't need a glossy photo guide of indo...
just want a good chance of getting home if I get hammered...
ta
I went with one of the big banks last time as have loans through them and got discounted rate, dependent where you go sometimes the charter or island can suggest the ones they recommend, dependent on which insurance some count surfing as a high risk activity therefore not covered or have to pay a premium. Anything under 200 bucks for a couple weeks on a boat covering surfing through indo is not too bad.
had to pay a bit much more when I went through Sumatra and different areas will incur different premiums, do not tell them you are just going to Bali cause you won't be covered.
Go with nomads/surf travel insurance.
If you need it, they'll be able to sort a lift out via the police helicopter. Otherwise, you're looking at an uncomfortable speed boat ride or 12 hour ferry trip back to Padang.
You may want to check out your credit card. They often include travel insurance if you've paid for your trip on that card. ( Above $200 I think) I would ring them if applicable and make sure they know where you are going and if you're covered on a surf trip.
Been there and needed the insurance to get me out, major cluster f&#$/incident on day 3 of a 14 day trip. I would ask the tour people who to use.
Standing at Medan airport, and the tour rep told me about a mob that had the injured guy met at the medan airport buy the insurance rep to and took over the whole evacuation. Business class to Kuala Lumpur and straight to hospital.
I had to overnight on my own and manage it all myself with some advice from the phone consultant/contact and organise to go to the medan hospital and get the doctor to write on the referral that I needed business class etc. Took an extra day, if you are travelling with your girl or a buddy, make sure they say that you need a carer or assistance so they get business class as well.
Don't know why it's not standard part of any evacuation insurance, you wouldn't begrudge any wounded individual at least some comfort, as apposed to being jammed in an economy class seat while trying to deal with major painful injuries.
I had to pay for it all up front, and have faith that they would reimburse me, and the Insurance company did, but for a while I thought I was was going to be seriously out of pocket.
The surf camp was all "Yeah no worries mate! just do it, sheeelll be right!" and they were correct, but again at the time when you are on your own and a bit shocked by it all, (maybe drugged up) it's hard to really know who to trust and have faith that they are not just trying to pass off the problem.
To top it all off, I met an expat doctor at the Telos airport that could've helped the situation, and eased my pain a lot sooner and really apraised my condition but nobody knew he was there. Gave me the once over while we were waiting for the same plane. So it might pay to ask if any of these volunteer clinics are near where you are, if the need be.
Good luck and enjoy the trip...
Pete could you give us the name of the insurance company please 
I'm going to be around that area myself in a few months.
Surf Travel Insurance, which I gather is actually provided by Suresafe is recommended by several Mentawai charters and resorts. Has anyone had any experience of this insurance and can comment?
Similarly World Nomads?
I just got the insurance through the world safaris along with the booking.
I never got the name of the escorted insurance company that did the airport pickup and escort to KL.
If you get hurt, when you get ashore, just go to the hospital and tell them what you need the report to say. Get it written in english, or write it out and get them to copy it on to the report in english.
As long as it's on the report, the Insurance company will pay.
The carer (partner) flying back business with you worked for my sister and hubby the year before, he had major back issues from landing on coral without water on it.
Just make sure you have a credit card or similar that can pay the flights etc up front.
The Insurance company are not going to organise it (unless you get that other company the agent mentioned). If you have those recommendations on the report the Insurance Company will pay it up to the amounts specified on the policy.
The tour booking company are very little help, and will just steer you to the Insurance company, and when you think about it there is little they can do. They know about booking tours not repatriating injured surfers.
As long as you follow the process and get the paperwork the system will look after you, just keep your frustration and confusion under control.
I must say I owe an apology to a few of the Insurance Help line staff that were trying to help but I wasn't seeing it.
