Our member, a young adult, was out in Bangkok when a sudden, severe pain started in his scrotum. Like many travelers, his first instinct was to wait. He hoped it would pass, and he did not want to go to a hospital abroad.
"Severe or unusual symptoms should not automatically be dismissed simply because they occur during a holiday or business trip." - Dr Gérard Lalande, Chief Medical Officer at LUMA
The pain did not pass. He called his travel insurance medical assistance line and asked to speak to a doctor. After going through his symptoms and history, the medical team recognized a possible urological emergency. They told him not to wait any longer and arranged an urgent assessment with an experienced urologist at a private hospital in Bangkok.
He was diagnosed with testicular torsion. The testicle had twisted around the spermatic cord, cutting off its own blood supply. Irreversible damage can begin within a few hours, and the chance of saving the testicle falls the longer surgery is delayed.
He was operated on the same day, a few hours after the pain began, and the testicle was fully saved. He spent 3 days in hospital.
The hospital billed the insurer directly, coordinated by LUMA, so our member paid nothing up front. The total, THB 292,963, was covered in full.
"For emergencies such as testicular torsion, the challenge for a traveller is not simply paying the medical bill. It is also recognizing the urgency, finding the right medical facility and reaching the appropriate specialist quickly." - Dr Gérard Lalande, Chief Medical Officer at LUMA
The claim at a glance
A USD 75 policy covered a USD 8,786 bill, about 117 times what it cost. That is not a typical return, and most trips end without a claim. Here, it paid for same-day surgery, three days in hospital, and an outcome that depended on hours.
LUMA Asia Pass covers emergency medical treatment abroad. Limits vary by plan tier, and current limits are on the LUMA Asia Pass page.
This is a real LUMA claim. Identifying details may have been changed to protect our member's privacy.
Every claim is assessed on its own facts, under the terms of the product and plan the member held at the time. This story describes one claim and is not a promise of cover for a similar event.
