Allianz Global Assistance recently polled Americans on their willingness to watch the Olympics, and the results were clear: More than 38 million (or 15.7%) plan to watch the Summer Olympics on TV and plan to miss work to do it!
Of that 15.7% who plan to miss work, a full third—5.3% of all respondents—said they plan to watch the games at their place of employment. Others (3.8% of respondents) will leave work early or come in late to watch the Olympics, while even fewer plan to call in sick (2.3%) or take a vacation to observe live in Rio (1.4%).
Also of note: A small percentage of those surveyed (13.9%) also plan to watch the games in person, but the majority (60.7%) of Americans will watch the games on TV.
For those that plan to make the trip to Rio for the games, Allianz suggests getting insurance to protect against any unexpected circumstances like medical expenses (i.e. a medical treatment for a broken leg in Rio could cost between $6,000-$7,000, according to data compiled by Allianz).
Travel insurance from providers like Allianz can provide extra peace of mind for travelers, and many US health insurance policies (including Medicare and Medicaid) may not cover international travel. And of those that do, not all cover the cost of medical evacuation.
Disclaimer: Johnny Jet works as an ambassador for Allianz Global Assistance (AGA Service Company) and receives financial compensation.
For more information about Allianz Global, visit AllianzTravelInsurance.com.