Katrine Sinclair and Charlie Lastowsky are faced with life-altering injuries after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a street in Las Vegas.
On April 19th, the women were rushed to hospital to be treated for their injuries. After almost five days in hospital, Lastowsky made her way back to Saskatchewan. As for Sinclair, her family is hoping she will be able to return home today.
Before leaving for the trip, Lastowsky had only purchased partial insurance and Sinclair purchased none. Now experts are stressing the importance of getting the right insurance as the two girls face over $350,000 U.S. worth of medical bills.
Sinclair’s mother, Roberta, shared that her daughter aged out of her insurance the day of the crash.
“A lesson learned, she knew she didn’t have extra medical coverage and did not want to go to the hospital. It’s a stress, right? She’s an adult and she should know better, but she didn’t.” said Roberta.
“So, lesson to everyone travelling to get extra medical insurance.”
Saskatchewan Blue Cross senior vice-president Megan Douglas shared not all insurance is created equal, so it is important to do thorough research on the type of insurance you need before every trip. Most Canadian travellers, she noted, do not get travel insurance for trips across Canada or to the United States.
“Depending on what you are doing and where you’re going, it is one of the biggest financial protections you can do for yourself. Particularly if you are travelling in a high-cost environment for care, like the United States,” said Douglas.
Douglas added that the peace of mind that comes with having proper coverage is worth more than the extra dollars spent in case the unthinkable happens.
Senior director of Saskatchewan no fault injury claims Janine Anderson said that most Saskatchewan residents have ‘No Fault Insurance’ as their default insurance. SGI’s No Fault Insurance provides injury benefits to Saskatchewan residents who have been injured in a collision involving another vehicle in Canada or the United States. This insurance also includes pedestrians, just like Lastowsky and Sinclair.
“If you’re involved in a motor vehicle collision and need medical attention outside of Saskatchewan, you may be covered for things like getting an ambulance or staying in the hospital. It may also cover travel expenses to help you get home,” explained Anderson.
But Anderson also stressed to make sure to look into additional travel and medical insurance beyond what SGI offers.
To help pay for some of the girl’s steep medical bills, a GoFundMe was created on their behalf. As of April 24, the GoFundMe has raised over $80,000.