You really should get health insurance when travelling abroad

(Image: Getty)

Sun, 20 Jul 2025

By Dawn GilbertsonWe all know people who declare every flight cancellation or delayed bag a travel “nightmare.” You’ve probably done it once or twice on social media or in a family group chat.Carol Gebhardt is here to share a real travel nightmare, in hopes it drives home the importance of a good travel insurance policy. (She made me a convert. More on that later.)Gebhardt is no insurance salesperson. She’s a 71-year-old retired broadcast journalist who broke her pelvis in three places on a solo trip to Spain in March. H...

Subscribe to BusinessDesk

Stay informed on business, government and financial developments across New Zealand.

Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked news
Annual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street Journal
Personalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribers

You can cancel anytime with two clicks, an email or a phone call.
Find out more.

We are serious about journalism.

Already a Subscriber ? Sign in here.

Name {{ registerForm.errors.get('name') }}

Email address {{ registerForm.errors.get('email') }}

Phone Number {{ registerForm.errors.get('phone') }}

Job Title {{ registerForm.errors.get('title') }}

Password Minimum password length of 8 characters.
Require at least one upper and lowercase, numeric, and special character. {{ registerForm.errors.get('password') }}

Repeat password {{ registerForm.errors.get('password_confirmation') }}

We had trouble validating your card. It's possible your card provider is preventing us from charging the card. Please contact your card provider or customer support.

Credit Card

Cardholder's name

{{ __(plans[index].name) | capitalize }} {{ plans[index].attributes.old_price | currency }} {{ plans[index].price | currency }}

All subscriptions auto renew but are easy to cancel.

I Accept The Terms Of Service

{{ registerForm.errors.get('terms') }}

Tax: {{ taxAmount(selectedPlan) | currency }}

Total Price Including Tax: {{ priceWithTax(selectedPlan) | currency }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerSeat ? '/ '+ spark.seatName : '' }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerTeam ? '/ '+ __('teams.team') : '' }} / {{ __(selectedPlan.interval) | capitalize }}

The Life

Review: Logitech MX Master 4

Life is all about making tasks easier for yourself, and the MX Master does exactly that.

Jacques Steenkamp 5:00am

The Life Review

‘When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows…’

The oddities of social life may turn on our assumptions about the knowledge we share.

The Wall Street Journal 5:00am

‘When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows…’

The Life Review

MG Cyberster 77kWh AWD: the doors of a billionaire

The Cyberster isn't your grandad's MGB.

Damien O’Carroll 5:00am

MG Cyberster 77kWh AWD: the doors of a billionaire

Sponsored

Fiji’s exclusive side revealed

Private islands and 5-star luxury, closer than you think.

Tourism Fiji

Sponsored

The double edge of AI in cyber security

Artificial intelligence has the potential to become both a lifeline and a liability for modern organisations, as a revolutionary tool capable of spotting threats at lightning speed, but also the ultimate weapon in the hands of cybercriminals.

Spark