The influx of foreigners to South Africa with the upcoming sporting events means that the Road Accident Fund (RAF) will once again be in the spotlight should it face hefty claims from visitors. In 2008, a R1.6 billion payout to a Swiss tourist after a road accident that left him paralysed meant that the Road Accident Fund exhausted almost half of it’s annual payout limit to settle just one claim. With this in mind, the Road Accident Fund should consider more stringent criteria for payouts given that some first world countries do not settle claims from visiting foreigners.
A medical aid is a form of health insurance where the scheme covers the costs of your medical needs. Should you require medical attention, you can visit a doctor or a hospital and your medical aid will pay for most, if not all of your medical expenses. In South Africa, your medical aid will often pay your doctor or the hospital directly for your medical expenses provided that your practitioner is contracted into medical aids.
