A few days ago, I got a message from my client, Oksana. As usual, they’d escaped to Marbella for the summer. All was well — until her daughter suddenly complained of stomach pain, spiking fever (just under 39°C), vomiting, diarrhoea, and enough pain to make her cry.
Needless to say, mum was panicking.
After a couple of quick messages between us, they didn’t bother with “let’s wait until tomorrow” or “shall we call a GP?” — they simply jumped in the car and drove to the nearest private hospital.
Turned out to be HC Marbella.
Relatively new, modern, clean, surrounded by greenery — in other words, absolutely nothing like the NHS.
Straight at the front desk:
“€500 deposit, please. Let’s take a look.”
And here’s what happens when you have proper cover in place:
• Seen within 5 minutes
• Doctor was competent, professional, and spoke English
(surprisingly not Russian, considering the client demographic — but we’ll let that slide)
• Exam done straight away
• Bloods, IV, ultrasound — arranged immediately
• Doctor personally (!!) went to fast-track the ultrasound — no queues, no waiting lists
• Private treatment room for IVs with Wi-Fi and nurses who don’t act like you’re ruining their day
• Reception printed out the insurance form, doctor filled it in with a smile and wished them well
That’s not luxury.
That’s how private healthcare should work when you’re properly insured.
Final bill?
Who cares — the policy covered everything in full.
Now imagine the same scenario with no cover.
Same panic. Same pain. Same screaming child.
But now add the following inner monologue:
• “How much is this going to cost?”
• “Do I have that much on my card?”
• “Sh*t. I need to transfer from another account. How long will that take?”
• “What if the hospital charges penalties for delayed payment?”
• “Wait — maybe my travel insurance on my bank account covers it…”
• “Hang on, is this classed as an emergency under the policy?”
• “Where is that policy? And where’s page 246 on exclusions?”
• “Do I have time to read 300 pages of small print while my daughter’s in pain?”
In short: utter chaos.
So, to recap:
Want this level of backup when you (or your child) are in crisis abroad? Send me a message and lets chat
Needless to say, mum was panicking.
After a couple of quick messages between us, they didn’t bother with “let’s wait until tomorrow” or “shall we call a GP?” — they simply jumped in the car and drove to the nearest private hospital.
Turned out to be HC Marbella.
Relatively new, modern, clean, surrounded by greenery — in other words, absolutely nothing like the NHS.
Straight at the front desk:
“€500 deposit, please. Let’s take a look.”
And here’s what happens when you have proper cover in place:
• Seen within 5 minutes
• Doctor was competent, professional, and spoke English
(surprisingly not Russian, considering the client demographic — but we’ll let that slide)
• Exam done straight away
• Bloods, IV, ultrasound — arranged immediately
• Doctor personally (!!) went to fast-track the ultrasound — no queues, no waiting lists
• Private treatment room for IVs with Wi-Fi and nurses who don’t act like you’re ruining their day
• Reception printed out the insurance form, doctor filled it in with a smile and wished them well
That’s not luxury.
That’s how private healthcare should work when you’re properly insured.
Final bill?
Who cares — the policy covered everything in full.
Now imagine the same scenario with no cover.
Same panic. Same pain. Same screaming child.
But now add the following inner monologue:
• “How much is this going to cost?”
• “Do I have that much on my card?”
• “Sh*t. I need to transfer from another account. How long will that take?”
• “What if the hospital charges penalties for delayed payment?”
• “Wait — maybe my travel insurance on my bank account covers it…”
• “Hang on, is this classed as an emergency under the policy?”
• “Where is that policy? And where’s page 246 on exclusions?”
• “Do I have time to read 300 pages of small print while my daughter’s in pain?”
In short: utter chaos.
So, to recap:
- Her daughter was treated quickly, nothing serious in the end. She’s well, and back to being her usual self.
- Having IPMI doesn’t mean everything is covered instantly and without question. It’s not magic — but it’s a different league entirely when you want proper care without messing around.
- HC Marbella is a fantastic facility worth bookmarking. Efficient, modern, responsive — and far more reasonably priced than anything you’ll find in London.
- I’m not a “policy seller”. I’m the person you call when you’re standing in a clinic in a foreign country and you need help. I don’t just place cover — I make sure it works when you need it.
Want this level of backup when you (or your child) are in crisis abroad? Send me a message and lets chat