Why Travelling Insurance Matters: Our Emergency Surgery Story in Vienna

This is the story of why we never travel without travelling insurance: twelve hours after landing in Vienna, Matt couldn’t walk.

We had just flown from Mexico City to Frankfurt, then on to Vienna.

He said his back was sore when we landed in Frankfurt. We figured it was just from the flight. But by the time we landed in Vienna the pain had gotten worse. Then his leg stopped working.

We were 5,000 miles from home. In a country where we didn’t speak the language. And we had no idea what was wrong.

The First Emergency Room Visit

We took a cab to the ER in Vienna. They gave Matt an IV for pain and told us it was probably a pinched nerve. They said it would get better in a few days.

It didn’t.

He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t sit, stand, or lie down without pain. We knew something was seriously wrong.

That’s when we started Googling.

Lisa went to the U.S. State Department’s website and found a list of English-speaking orthopedic doctors in Vienna. One by one, she contacted them all. Most didn’t respond. But one did. He was kind, calm, and able to see us the next day.

The Diagnosis and the Decision

The doctor sent Matt for an MRI immediately.

The results were clear. Matt had a severe spinal hernia that had wrapped around a nerve.

That’s why his leg had stopped working.

The doctor told us that without surgery, the nerve damage could become permanent.

He scheduled the operation for two days later. He found us a hospital bed, an operating room, and a consulting spinal surgeon. He made it all happen fast, and we’re still grateful for that.

The surgery was successful and the relief Matt felt was immediate. Afterwards, he was kept in the hospital for three days.

Recovery and Rehabilitation

After being released from the hospital, Matt was placed on a recovery and rehabilitation regimen.

So we canceled all our travel plans. We rented an apartment in Vienna for a month while Matt started daily physical therapy and worked hard to recover.

It was a long, stressful season. But the healthcare in Austria was excellent.

Toward the end of the rehabilitation period we were even able to attend a ball in Vienna (with Matt wearing a back brace)!

The Cost and the Coverage

We have U.S. health insurance.

We also had World Nomads travel insurance.

But at the time, we had to pay for everything out of pocket. The total medical bill was over €22,000, which we had to put on a credit card while hoping for reimbursement.

But we also had to pay for our apartment in Vienna for a month as well as transport to and from the doctor and hospital. Then there was the cost of all the non-refundable travel plans we had made before Matt’s surgery.

After organizing, documenting, and submitting the medical bills, our U.S. health insurance eventually only covered the surgery itself – about $18,000 – and only because it was an emergency surgery.

Our World Nomads travel insurance covered the rest!

That included coinsurance and deductibles for the U.S. insurance, four weeks of physical therapy, non-refundable flights and Airbnbs, and the cost of the extended apartment rental in Vienna for Matt’s recovery.

Altogether, that was another $10,000.

It was all covered.

And we found out later that if our U.S. health insurance hadn’t covered the surgery then World Nomads would have!

What Travelling Insurance Really Means

We’ve always carried travel insurance. And we’ve successfully filed claims before.

But this was the moment it truly mattered. It was terrifying. It was expensive. And it could have been financially devastating if we didn’t have the right coverage in place.

Matt used to think that travel insurance was a waste of money. He was wrong.

And now we get coverage from World Nomads before every trip.

Final Thought

If you’re planning international travel, even for a short trip, don’t assume you won’t need medical care.

Emergencies don’t wait until you’re home. They can happen anywhere, and they often do when you least expect them.

Know what your primary insurance covers. Understand the gaps. And add travelling insurance to every international trip.

It’s not just for peace of mind. It can save you thousands and protect your future.

Oh, and if you ever need an orthopedic doctor or surgeon in Vienna, Austria, we highly recommend Matthias Brenner!

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PS – While we carry World Nomads travel insurance, Safety Wing is also a great option. You can get a free quote right now: