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- What kind of mosquito: tourists from the Russian Federation most often suffer from insect and monkey bites
What kind of mosquito: tourists from the Russian Federation most often suffer from insect and monkey bites
Russian tourists most often seek medical help after encountering animals in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Turkey - Russians suffer from insect bites, monkeys and dogs when traveling, insurance companies told Izvestia. Among the most unusual cases last year were attacks by capybaras, daman Bruce, chipmunks and lemurs. And an elephant spat in one couple's eyes. Among the main recommendations of doctors are to use insect sprays and not to contact stray animals. When going to the tropics, it is also worth getting the necessary vaccinations in advance. Why more and more travelers began to apply for insurance and what to look for when choosing them is in the Izvestia article.
Travel insurance: is it worth doing
When traveling, Russian tourists most often suffer from insect and monkey bites. This was reported to Izvestia by T-Insurance. They clarified that the former account for about a third of all travel insurance claims over the past two years. Russians came for medical help after being bitten by ticks, wasps, bees, hornets, bedbugs and mosquitoes.
At the same time, every fifth person who contacted after meeting with an animal was attacked by monkeys. In slightly less than 18% of cases, dog bites were the reason for going to the doctor. The average payment of "T-Insurance" after an animal attack amounted to almost 25 thousand rubles, the company added.
Renaissance Insurance noted that monkey bites are in the first place among the most common causes of complaints. RESO-Garantia has similar data.
— A large number of such incidents are due to the fact that tourists are trying to take food away from monkeys, most often bananas, — warned experts of the insurance company "Consent".
Monkeys are very unstable and flighty animals, and you should stay calm with them, said Oksana Knyazkina, head of the medical examination department of the AST insurance consultant. She added: in case of signs of aggression on their part, the best option is to distract the animal's attention, for example, by throwing a treat for them as far away from themselves as possible. It must be remembered that even playing with them can provoke aggression.
Next in the ranking are injuries from encounters with street cats and dogs, added Maria Prostova, product manager of the Department of Personal Insurance and insurance for those traveling abroad at RESO-Garantia. She clarified that cases of animal attacks on tourists are not uncommon, especially in regions with rich fauna and protected areas.
The majority of animal bite cases occur in Asian countries, said Natalia Tylina, Head of the Loss Settlement Department at Absolut Insurance. Thailand (38% of all cases), Indonesia (14%), Turkey (10%) and Sri Lanka (6%) were among the top countries where tourists most often needed medical help after encountering animals, T-Insurance also said.
Thailand has indeed become the leader in such cases, Dmitry Krenev, Deputy Director of Ingosstrakh's Retail Business Loss Settlement Department, confirmed. According to him, the company has recorded more than 150 cases of bites and scratches from monkeys there. At the same time, injuries from jellyfish and sea urchins were reported in Sri Lanka, Egypt and the UAE.
You can get preventive vaccinations against some tropical diseases, protecting yourself, added Oksana Knyazkina from AST. If, after staying in a country where malaria is widespread, the temperature rises within three years after returning home, you should immediately consult a doctor, the expert warned.
She added that other important travel recommendations include the use of aerosols and other medications to protect against mosquitoes and insects. And also avoid contact with stray animals.
How to choose insurance for traveling abroad
Last year, the number of visits to the doctor due to animal bites increased, the press service of Sogaz said.
Among the most unusual cases over the past two years, T-Insurance named the attack of capybara and Daman Bruce. Ingosstrakh also noted complaints about chipmunk, rabbit, centipede and even turtle bites, Dmitry Krenev added. And in Indonesia, one of the tourists suffered from a squirrel bite, Sogaz added.
— There was a very unusual case when a married couple was injured — an elephant spat at them. Since saliva got on the mucous membranes of the eyes, a doctor's appointment was required. The doctor performed an eye wash to prevent infection, and rabies vaccinations were also prescribed," said Natalia Tylina from Absolut Insurance.
The scorpion bite of a tourist who came to Moscow was also among the most unusual cases, the Rosgosstrakh press service noted. They added that the company paid the largest amount last year for pig bites on Koh Samui in Thailand — medical care cost 133 thousand rubles.
In 2024, VSK paid the most to a tourist for a wild cat bite — compensation reached $1.1 thousand. A traveler received a little less than a thousand due to a snake bite.
Last year, the cost of treating tourists increased by a quarter compared to 2023, said Natalia Tylina from Absolut Insurance. According to her, this is due to the change in exchange rates and the rise in price of medical services.
The cost of treatment abroad increased by 40% last year, said Irina Yartseva, head of the Personal insurance underwriting Department at IC MAKS. Due to this, it was necessary to raise the prices of policies for traveling abroad — however, they rose in price only by about a quarter, experts of the insurance company "Consent" added.
A similar price increase is seen in Renaissance Insurance. If in January 2024 the average price of such insurance for two weeks was less than a thousand rubles, then in early 2025 it almost reached 1.2 thousand, said Artem Iskra, managing director of the department of mass insurance of the company.
When buying a policy, it is important to pay attention to the amount of coverage, Pavel Ozerov, co-owner of the insurance broker Mainsgroup, reminded. According to him, it is better that it be at least $ 100,000 in case of expensive treatment. Abroad, and with some risks, the cost of medical services can be significant.
In addition, it is necessary to monitor what is included in the coverage, the expert emphasized. He explained that malaria, dengue fever and other exotic diseases of tropical countries are often not included in the standard policy. Insurance can also cover, for example, the first doctor's appointment after an animal bite, but not cover rabies vaccination or expensive treatment. It is better to buy a policy that covers these risks, the expert added.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
