Vacation in Turkey: A tick bite costs Carinthians 900 euros!

Vacation in Turkey: A tick bite costs Carinthians 900 euros!

In May 2025, a Carinthian woman named Elisabeth experienced an unpleasant incident while on vacation in Antalya, Türkiye. A tick bite on her back resulted in her being hospitalized. Since the hotel doctor was not available, a local girl who posed as a nurse put us in touch with a suitable doctor. Following advice, Elisabeth was advised to go straight to the clinic to minimize costs.

The hospital treatment was short, lasting just five minutes and included a blood test. When she arrived, Elisabeth first had to pay 320 euros for the treatment before the actual medical measures were carried out. The final bill was originally over 1,200 euros, but after a discount she ended up paying 900 euros. She wanted to share her outrage about the high costs and the supposed lack of personal commitment in the hospital in order to warn other holidaymakers and draw attention to the differences in the healthcare system.

High medical bills while on vacation

Unfortunately, Elisabeth's experience is not an isolated case. A German vacationer also had similar experiences during his stay in Turkey. He and his four-year-old daughter went to the Novum Garden Side Hotel to see a doctor because the child had water in his ear. The hotel doctor diagnosed an ear infection and referred the family to a private clinic. There the holidaymaker received no cost estimate and the treatment, which lasted less than five minutes, amounted to 400 euros per person. Finally he was able to negotiate the price to 500 euros, but there was still a surprise about the high costs.

Afterwards, some Facebook users recommended taking out international health insurance and using public hospitals, as the European health insurance card is not recognized in Turkey. A holiday sickness certificate is also required to facilitate possible reimbursement by statutory health insurance.

International travel health insurance: Important information

To avoid unpleasant surprises abroad, we recommend taking out international travel health insurance. According to finanztip.de, travelers should pay attention to various criteria. The tariffs should not only perform “very well” in terms of understandability, but also in medical services and other areas. Particularly important is the assumption of search and rescue costs as well as the option to take out the tariff online.

Different tariffs apply to travelers depending on their profile, be it single people, families or pensioners. For example, tariffs such as the Münchener Verein (tariff 502) offer a good price for families with children, while tariff 501 is available for individuals under 65 from just 8.60 euros per year. Anyone planning to receive treatment abroad should definitely inform themselves in advance to ensure the right level of protection and safety during the trip.