travel insurance gofundme

GoFundMe has become a health care utility

GoFundMe started as a crowdfunding site for underwriting “ ideas and dreams ,” and, as GoFundMe’s co-founders, Andrew Ballester and Brad Damphousse, once put it, “ for life’s important moments .” In the early years, it funded honeymoon trips, graduation gifts, and church missions to overseas hospitals in need. Now GoFundMe has become a go-to platform for patients trying to escape medical billing nightmares.

One study found that, in 2020, the annual number of U.S. campaigns related to medical causes — about 200,000 — was 25 times the number of such campaigns on the site in 2011. More than 500 current campaigns are dedicated to asking for financial help for treating people, mostly kids, who have spinal muscular atrophy, a neurodegenerative genetic condition. The recently approved gene therapy for young children with the condition, by the drugmaker Novartis , has a price tag of about $2.1 million for the single-dose treatment.

Perhaps the most damning aspect of this is that paying for expensive care with crowdfunding is no longer seen as unusual; instead, it is being normalized as part of the health system, like getting bloodwork done or waiting on hold for an appointment. Need a heart transplant? Start a GoFundMe to get on the waiting list . Resorting to GoFundMe when faced with bills has become so accepted that, in some cases, patient advocates and hospital financial aid officers recommend crowdfunding as an alternative to being sent to collections. My inbox and the “ Bill of the Month” project (a collaboration by KFF Health News and NPR) have become a kind of complaint desk for people who can’t afford their medical bills, and I’m gobsmacked every time a patient tells me they’ve been advised that GoFundMe is their best option.

GoFundMe acknowledges the reliance of patients on its platform. Ari Romio, a spokesperson for the company, said that “medical expenses” is the most common category of fundraiser it hosts. But she declined to say what proportion of campaigns are medically related, because people starting a campaign self-select the purpose of the fundraiser. They might choose the family or travel category, she said, if a child needs to go to a different state for treatment, for example. So although the company has estimated in the past that roughly a third of the funds raised on the site are related to costs for illness or injury, that could be an undercount.

Andrea Coy of Fort Collins, Colorado, turned to GoFundMe in 2021 as a last resort after an air-ambulance bill tipped her family’s finances over the edge. Sebastian, her son who was then a year old, had been admitted with pneumonia to a local hospital and then transferred urgently by helicopter to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver when his oxygen levels dropped. REACH, the air-ambulance transport company that contracted with the hospital, was out-of-network and billed the family nearly $65,000 for the ride — more than $28,000 of which Coy’s insurer, UnitedHealthcare, paid. Even so, REACH continued sending Coy’s family bills for the balance, and later began regularly calling Coy to try to collect — enough so that she felt the company was harassing her, she told me.

Coy made calls to her company’s human resources department, REACH, and UnitedHealthcare for help in resolving the case. She applied to various patient groups for financial assistance and was rejected again and again. Eventually, she got the outstanding balance knocked down to $5,000, but even that was more than she could afford on top of the $12,000 the family owed out-of-pocket for Sebastian’s actual treatment.

That’s when a hospital financial aid officer suggested she try GoFundMe. But, as Coy said, “I’m not an influencer or anything like that,” so the appeal “offered only a bit of temporary relief — we’ve hit a wall.” They have gone deep into debt and hope to climb out of it.

In an emailed response, a spokesperson for REACH noted that they could not comment on a specific case because of patient-privacy laws, but that, if the ambulance ride occurred before the federal No Surprises Act went into effect, the bill was legal. (That act protects patients from such air-ambulance bills and has been in force since Jan. 1, 2022.) But the spokesperson added, “If a patient is experiencing a financial hardship, we work with them to find equitable solutions.” What is “equitable” — and whether that includes seeking an additional $5,000, beyond a $28,000 insurance payment, for transporting a sick child — is subjective, of course.

In many respects, research shows, GoFundMe tends to perpetuate socioeconomic disparities that already affect medical bills and debt. If you are famous or part of a circle of friends who have money, your crowdfunding campaign is much more likely to succeed than if you are middle-class or poor. When the family of the former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton started a fundraiser on another platform, *spotfund, for her recent stay in the intensive care unit while uninsured, nearly $460,000 in donations quickly poured in. (Although Retton said she could not get affordable insurance because of a preexisting condition — dozens of orthopedic surgeries — the Affordable Care Act prohibits insurers from refusing to cover people because of their medical history, or charging them abnormally high rates.)

And given the price of American health care, even the most robust fundraising can feel inadequate. If you’re looking for help to pay for a $2 million drug, even tens of thousands can be a drop in the bucket.

Rob Solomon, CEO of GoFundMe from 2015 to March 2020 , who in 2018 was named one of Time magazine’s 50 most influential people in health care, has said that he “would love nothing more than for ‘medical’ to not be a category on GoFundMe.” He told KFF Health News that “the system is terrible. It needs to be rethought and retooled. Politicians are failing us. Health care companies are failing us. Those are realities.”

Despite the noble ambitions of its original vision, however, GoFundMe is a privately held for-profit company. In 2015, the founders sold a majority stake to a venture-capital investor group led by Accel Partners and Technology Crossover Ventures. And when I asked about medical bills being the most common reason for GoFundMe campaigns, the company’s current CEO, Tim Cadogan, sounded less critical than his predecessor of the health system, whose high prices and financial cruelty have arguably made his company famous.

“Our mission is to help people help each other,” he said. “We are not, and cannot, be the solution to complex, systemic problems that are best solved with meaningful public policy.”

And that’s true. Despite the site’s hopeful vibe, most campaigns generate only a small fraction of the money owed. Most medical-expense campaigns in the U.S. fell short of their goal, and some raised little or no money, a 2017 study from the University of Washington found. Campaigns made an average of about 40% of the target amount, and there is evidence that yields — measured as a percentage of their targets — have worsened over time.

Carol Justice, a recently retired civil servant and a longtime union member in Portland, Oregon, turned to GoFundMe because she faced a mammoth unexpected bill for bariatric surgery at Oregon Health & Science University.

She had expected to pay about $1,000, the amount left of her deductible, after her health insurer paid the $15,000 cap on the surgery. She didn’t understand that a cap meant she would have to pay the difference if the hospital, which was in-network, charged more.

And it did, leaving her with a bill of $18,000, to be paid all at once or in monthly $1,400 increments, which were “more than my mortgage,” she said. “I was facing filing for bankruptcy or losing my car and my house.” She made numerous calls to the hospital’s financial aid office, many unanswered, and received only unfulfilled promises that “we’ll get back to you” about whether she qualified for help.

So, Justice said, her health coach — provided by the city of Portland — suggested starting a GoFundMe. The campaign yielded about $1,400, just one monthly payment, including $200 from the health coach and $100 from an aunt. She dutifully sent each donation directly to the hospital.

In an emailed response, the hospital system said that it couldn’t discuss individual cases but that “financial assistance information is readily available for patients, and can be accessed at any point in a patient’s journey with OHSU. Starting in early 2019, OHSU worked to remove barriers for patients most in need by providing a quick screening for financial assistance that, if a certain threshold is met, awards financial assistance without requiring an application process.”

This tale has a happy-ish ending. In desperation, Justice went to the hospital and planted herself in the financial aid office, where she had a tearful meeting with a hospital representative who determined that — given her finances — she wouldn’t have to pay the bill.

“I’d been through the gamut and just cried,” she said. She said she would like to repay the people who donated to her GoFundMe campaign. But, so far, the hospital won’t give the $1,400 back.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF .

Most Popular

Fact check: Disaster survivors with a GoFundMe page can qualify for FEMA aid

The claim: FEMA won't accept an application for assistance if the disaster victim has a GoFundMe page

Devastating flash flooding in Eastern Kentucky has left at least 39 people dead and many more displaced, with an untold number of homes washed away and businesses destroyed .

The floods were caused by storms that swept through the region in late July, and recovery efforts have been ongoing, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

As flood survivors began to pick up the pieces, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced residents of five Kentucky counties could apply for individual assistance , which, according to the agency’s website, could include grants, loans and “other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.”

FEMA had, as of Aug. 15, approved more than $40 million in direct assistance to people affected by the floods, but many have also turned elsewhere for help, including the crowdfunding website GoFundMe .

Still, some social media users have warned disaster survivors against using GoFundMe to raise money, claiming it would make it impossible to get federal assistance.

“FYI: if you are a flood victim and you think it is a good idea to start a Gofundme page DO NOT DO IT!! If you have a Gofundme page FEMA will not accept an application because they consider that enough help,” reads an Aug. 1 Facebook post that has been shared 140 times.

But the claim is false.

While donations from a GoFundMe page could affect a person’s eligibility for assistance, having a GoFundMe page isn’t an automatic disqualifier.

Follow us on Facebook!   Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the claim for comment. In response, the user only shared a screenshot of Google search results that included a news report quoting  Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear warning that GoFundMe donations “may affect your FEMA eligibility."

FEMA does not duplicate aid from other sources

By law, FEMA cannot duplicate aid people receive from another source, Johanna Strickland, a FEMA spokesperson, told USA TODAY.

“If you receive money from a GoFundMe page for something specific, such as repairs, funeral expenses or other aid, this may affect your FEMA eligibility, but survivors should still apply for assistance and let FEMA determine if you are eligible,” Strickland said.

Beshear made a similar statement in early August. The governor said FEMA told him it can’t duplicate funding for specific issues like home repairs if money has been received from another source, such as a GoFundMe page, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

A GoFundMe page alone does not automatically disqualify someone from receiving FEMA assistance, said Jake Gray , the senior director of mitigation at Tidal Basin , a New York-based disaster recovery consulting firm.

“I wouldn’t say that (FEMA) wouldn’t accept it,” he said. “They would still review it and look at it for all eligibility.” 

Gray, who is also a former state hazard mitigation officer for the state of Kansas, said the agency has limited money available to help people, so it tries to avoid paying for projects with other sources of funding.

“FEMA is going to want to utilize their funds for projects that don’t already have some source of funding available,” he said.

GoFundMe did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that FEMA won't accept an application for assistance if the disaster victim has a GoFundMe page. Because FEMA cannot duplicate benefits people receive from another source, GoFundMe donations made for a specific purpose, such as home repairs, could affect eligibility for federal assistance. A GoFundMe page isn't an automatic disqualifier. A spokesperson for FEMA said disaster survivors in need of financial assistance should apply for help and let the agency determine eligibility.

Our fact-check sources:

• Jake Gray , Aug. 23, Phone interview with USA TODAY
• Johanna Strickland, Aug. 5, Email exchange with USA TODAY
• FEMA, July 29,  President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Kentucky
• FEMA, July 30,  Additional Disaster Funding Approved for Kentucky Flooding
• FEMA, Aug. 17,  FEMA in Kentucky as Long as Needed
• GoFundMe, accessed Aug. 2,  Fundraisers for "kentucky flooding" in all locations
• Louisville Courier-Journal, Aug. 5,  Eastern Kentucky flooding: Beshear says FEMA is available to help ahead of Biden visit
• Louisville Courier-Journal, Aug. 15,  These are the people we lost in the Eastern Kentucky flooding
• Louisville Courier-Journal, Aug. 11,  Death toll in Eastern Kentucky flood climbs; Beshear says area moving to stabilization phase
• Louisville Courier-Journal, July 29,  Eastern Kentucky hit with 'devastating' flooding, Beshear says, as death toll continues to rise
• Fox Weather, Aug. 5,  Kentucky flooding: FEMA warns accepting GoFundMe money may thwart government aid

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can  subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to main navigation
• Skip to search
• Skip to talk navigation

Advertisement

Join the discussion and meet other Mumsnetters on our free online chat forum.

No I'm not giving towards your GoFundMe page

Dubiousness · 10/12/2020 21:18

I'm feeling annoyed after seeing someone's page. I can't give any more details here as it's outing, but let's just say I'm not going to be funding your self-indulgent lifestyle that you can't be bothered to fund yourself. It's insulting that you expect other people to contribute towards this non-essential, egotistical lifestyle indulgence.

You're right, there is no obligation to donate so don't.

No one is compelling you to donate. Why are you annoyed?

I certainly won't, but I'm still pissed off that people have the cheek to ask.

The ones that annoy me are the ones where someone didn’t get travel insurance/home insurance etc as don’t want to waste their money but then something happens while on holiday or the house burns down and then they expect a load of strangers to fork out to pay for medical care/replacing their stuff!! Should have bloody paid for the insurance like the rest of us!

@BrieAndChilli

There has been a massive gofundme for a cat whose owner is part of a group I am on, the woman managed to raise over £5000 there plus did other things like raffles. The vet bills are around the £14000 mark now for a university vet hospital and local vet. I've been astounded that they continued treatment and how much people were prepared to donate.

I'm still annoyed by the audacity.

People funding their lifestyle using family and friends seems a thing now and it makes me sad. I know we aren't under obligation but its hard to say no. I don't object to using a friends business/paying for a service etc but being charged 20 quid for mlm tat or giving to fund trips abroad? No.

Want to see more?

Create your personalised feed

Yep. I saw someone asking for money towards their surgery for their pet rat. Wtf?

From your op ... I'm guessing they're cheeky-fuckering for a once in a lifetime holiday? Disneyworld I'd definitely swerve that one and laugh heartily at the audacity but I have given to the odd one over the years. Generally kids with cancer or helping with funeral costs after a tragic/unexpected death.

I don't like it either. Very rarely do I see something that I don't think the person should save up and pay for themselves.

I am in a couple of animal related FB groups and people regularly ask for help with vets bills because they didn’t have insurance Yes I will happily pay your vets bill as well as my extortionate pet insurance- not!

Ko-fi is another one. I know someone who made £30k in a month after a particularly shitty bit of behaviour. Gullible folk on social media... Not a bit of income tax paid on that, I bet.

A few years ago an old acquaintance messaged everyone on her friends list saying God had called her to leave her job and do volunteer work a couple of times a week. She therefore needed us all to put money in her account every month so she could still pay her bills!

Drives me nuts. “I want to go to theatre school, please give me money because it’s my dream!” Yeah well my fucking dream is to own a Porsche and I’m not asking for money towards that. What makes you think your dream is more important than anyone else’s? If you want to go to theatre school then pay for it yourself.

I had a go fund me started for us by the breed specific rescue because we rescued a very sick old dog and the vet bills were a lot. But when it was obvious he wasnt going to make it, I stopped the fund me, paid his bills and donated the rest back to the rescue charity. It was very overwhelming though getting all these donations, i definitely wouldn't have felt right keeping it or doing one for me!

My best friend from school has been sending GoFundMe links around twice a year via texts and direct messages to everyone she knows. One is just before christmas asking for money for her to buy gifts for children in care homes/supplies to give to homeless shelters. The other is to fund her 6 week summer holiday (she's a part time receptionist in a primary school so clearly is so hard done by and needs a break by travelling for 6 weeks). She sends reminders every few days to make sure you've donated. I never have and she still sends them to me. We don't message outside of her begging for money. Her husband is on a high 6 figure salary so I highly doubt she needs any help at all.

A friend set up a gofundme for us when my daughter was diagnosed with cancer. We didn’t need the money for treatment (though the whole thing cost us a huge amount in lost earnings etc) but the friend set it up as something to raise money for her to have a treat post treatment. I couldn’t have set it up myself and didn’t share the link with anyone personally m. But I was overwhelmed and so touched by people’s generosity and kindness - and it didn’t seem right to say no either when it was for my child not for me. My daughter is thrilled to have something to look forward to now - we will have a holiday once covid has finally gone away. And it was lovely hearing her say that something good had happened for her as well all the awfulness she went through. Still felt weird though.

I thoroughly recommend this book: www.goodreads.com/book/show/26200068-the-life-changing-magic-of-not-giving-a-f-ck

I don't think the CFery ones do very well, unless it's for something that falls under a certain 'issue' eg animal rights or trans rights or something. People are free to start them though I do wonder at the mentality of discounting any negative repercussions from getting cash this way, especially when eg a prospective employer googles you and discovers you were begging for a holiday on the internet.

@OhToBeASeahorse

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

I really don’t mind the GoFundMe appeals I get sent. Some I donate to, others I don’t. None annoy me. However, I’d be pretty annoyed to be asked to donate to some of the CF appeals mentioned on this thread!

To be fair , if people want to donate then it will continue. Yes these ppl are CF's but those donating arent helping.

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

How to Use GoFundMe for Business Startup Funding

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

GoFundMe business campaigns allow businesses to reap the benefits of crowdfunding—essentially accessing funding that doesn't involve taking on business loan debt or diluting equity. That said, creating a successful GoFundMe business campaign will take a fair amount of investment, marketing and time.

Whether you’re just starting up, raising money in a dry spell or seeking funds for an exciting opportunity, crowdfunding might seem like the logical choice. With all of the success stories swirling around the internet of entrepreneurs who raised money for their businesses through crowdfunding, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. And that’s especially the case when it comes to GoFundMe, which is one of the top crowdfunding sites on the internet.

However, before you choose to create a GoFundMe business campaign, it’s crucial you take some time to understand the benefits and the downsides of relying on GoFundMe for business capital needs.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

What is GoFundMe?

GoFundMe is a crowdfunding website that allows individuals, businesses, charities and organizations to raise money for specific causes, to lend support and for individual use cases.

You probably know of crowdfunding in a personal context—people fundraising for a cause or particular person in need—but let's look at how it works in the context of raising capital for a business.

Overall, crowdfunding is a method of fundraising typically used to raise money for business ventures, personal projects, nonprofits and more through the collection of small amounts of funds from a large number of contributors.

When it comes to your business, instead of securing a large lump sum from one or two sources, you secure many small donations from various sources to reach your business capital needs.

Looking for a business loan?

See our overall favorites, or narrow it down by category to find the best options for you.

on Nerdwallet's secure site

How to create a GoFundMe campaign for your business

One of the biggest perks of financing your business with GoFundMe is simplicity. Especially when compared to your other business funding options that often come tied with bureaucracy and paperwork, GoFundMe business fundraising is remarkably user-friendly and democratized.

You can reap the benefits of a GoFundMe campaign for your business in seven straightforward steps.

Step 1: Check eligibility requirements

Not all businesses are eligible to raise funds on GoFundMe. Before you dive in and begin planning your business campaign, it's important to check out the GoFundme starting requirements to ensure your business meets all of the requirements. Some general requirements include:

Social security number or ITIN

U.S. mailing address

U.S. phone number

U.S. bank account in your name

Must be at least 18 years of age

Step 2: Create an account

Next, you'll need to create an account for your business on the GoFundMe platform. You can easily set up your account using your computer or mobile phone.

Once you have an account, you can customize your settings to create an individualized URL that includes your business or campaign name.

Step 3: Create your campaign

Start by conceptualizing the fundraising campaign you want to create. Think about past campaigns you've seen and what appealed to you as a potential donor, then see if you can incorporate similar tactics.

You should ideally create your campaign around a story. Even if the motivation for the campaign is something as simple as buying a new piece of equipment, explain why that equipment is key to your business success and why you need it. Explain to potential donors where their money would go and how it would help your business succeed.

Once you have the storyline picked out and the idea for your campaign decided, it's time to make your GoFundMe page creative and appealing. Use images and videos to illustrate your business, a good fundraising title and a thorough description of your campaign can also go a long way in making your business funding more successful.

Step 4: Set a funding goal

You probably already have an idea of the amount of money your campaign needs to raise to be considered successful. At this stage, you'll want to set a monetary goal, keeping in mind the fees and expenses GoFundMe will charge you. While they don't charge a platform fee, you can expect a 2.9% + $0.30 fee per donation.

Of course, you also want to ensure you set a realistic goal that's achievable based on how much money you think your average target can contribute.

Step 5: Share your campaign

Next up, you’ll need to raise awareness around your business’s GoFundMe campaign.

Like most other businesses that crowdfund, your business’s finances will likely end up coming mostly from your first-, second- and third-degree connections. So don’t be shy. Use your social media channels and other means of communication to let people know about your campaign and where they can go to contribute.

Take to your business’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr. Any account that you and your business have, share your campaign’s link with an attention-grabbing caption.

If you and your business don’t have social media, sign up for channels to help spread the word. You should also consider sharing your campaign in person at social events or enlisting supporters who have a strong social media presence to share your campaign on a regular basis.

Step 6: Start receiving donations

With your campaign built and the word spread, it's time to start receiving donations.

As they roll in, you’ll be able to withdraw the proceeds even before you meet your goal, and doing so won’t affect your campaign’s progress tracker, either.

If you're offering incentives to donors, like a social media "thank you" shoutout, or another small gift, be sure to keep up with those.

Step 7: Enjoy the result

Lastly, after your campaign is over, you can enjoy the results.

Use your proceeds toward your campaign objective, send out thank you notes or gifts quickly and send updates to those who donated to your campaign.

Make sure to highlight the money being put to use for your business so your donors know that you used their funds properly. This will help if, in the future, you need to fundraise again.

The pros and cons of using GoFundMe

Now that we’ve gone over how to use a GoFundMe business fundraising campaign, let’s take a look at the precise reasons why you might do so.

Some of these reasons will apply to crowdfunding at large, while others will apply to GoFundMe specifically.

Secure payments: With GoFundMe, you can rest assured that your donors’ payments are processed securely. In the unlikely chance of a mishap, GoFundMe guarantees any payment made on their site and they’ll refund any discrepancies.

Flexible withdrawal: GoFundMe allows you to withdraw your campaign’s proceeds while your campaign is still running. Let’s say you’re attempting to raise $100,000 to buy a new storefront for your business, but you need to make a $10,000 down payment earlier than you expected. Your campaign has only raised $20,000, but that’s okay. You’ll be able to withdraw the $10,000 your business needs. With GoFundMe, you can withdraw your proceeds as you need, even if your campaign is still running or your total goal hasn't been met yet.

Won’t charge your donors: Additionally, GoFundMe won’t charge your donors any sneaky fees that might deter them from contributing to your campaign. Indeed, GoFundMe is remarkably transparent about the fees that they impose and the onus will never fall on your donors to pay any of the fees that keep GoFundMe running.

No penalties if you don’t reach your goal: Some crowdfunding sources come with an ultimatum built into any campaign you run with them—if you don’t reach your goal, then you don’t get your campaign’s proceeds. While this might be an impetus for donors to help you reach your goal, it’s more often than not a bigger source of stress than it’s worth. This isn’t a feature of GoFundMe, though; so you can rest easy knowing that, even if your campaign underperforms slightly, you’ll still have access to your well-deserved proceeds.

Mostly non-taxed personal gifts: Though this is in no way an all-encompassing rule for GoFundMe donations, most donations made through GoFundMe for businesses are considered “personal gifts” and, as such, aren’t taxed.

Fast email support: While GoFundMe business campaigns are relatively straightforward, questions could still come up in the process. In this case, you’ll be able to get in touch with GoFundMe’s customer support in as little as five minutes if you reach out to them during typical business hours.

With all that said, it’s time to take a look at the downsides of raising money for your business through GoFundMe and crowdfunding more broadly.

Platform and processing fees: One main downside of raising money for your business through GoFundMe—and crowdfunding platforms generally—is that you won't receive the full amount of each donation. The platform will take a cut as well. While most crowdfunding platforms charge both platform and payment processing fees, GoFundMe only charges a payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30.Of course, these fees can certainly add up, so be sure to keep them in mind.

More work for you: Put simply, running a successful GoFundMe business fundraising campaign will require a lot of creative framing and marketing on your part. Even though the steps of setting up a GoFundMe campaign for your business are straightforward and user-friendly, actually taking those steps is a bit more complicated. If you want to raise a lot of money for your business, get ready to do a lot of creative marketing and outreach. Put simply, you’re probably going to have to reach out to a lot of friends, family and customers to get your business’s GoFundMe some real momentum.

Smaller amounts: Finally, you’re probably not going to be able to secure as much funding with crowdfunding as you would with more traditional business funding sources. Unless your campaign goes absolutely viral, it’s pretty likely that your fundraising proceeds won’t be able to match the cash or credit that you can get through business loans or business credit cards.

Alternatives to crowdfunding

It’s easy to get hyped up about the idea of crowdfunding. No debt, credit check, or onlooking investors—no problem. Right?

Though the upsides to crowdfunding are undeniable, it’s important to recognize when crowdfunding isn’t the right move for your business.

Crowdfunding may not be right for you if:

You don't have the time or resources to do it right. If you’re not able to share and frame your campaign properly, then crowdfunding probably isn’t the best option for your business’s financial needs.

You need a guaranteed, specific amount of financing. Unfortunately, this way of fundraising is far too unpredictable to bank on. If you need a guaranteed, specific amount of money for your business, then look to a more traditional source of funding—like a business loan or a business credit card—to secure it.

If crowdfunding isn't the perfect fit for you, here are your best alternatives for securing funding that isn’t crowdsourced.

0% intro APR business credit cards

If your business needs a quick influx of financing, we suggest that you turn to one of the top 0% intro APR business credit cards .

If you’re considering running a crowdsourcing campaign in order to make a big-ticket purchase for your business, this type of credit card is a worthy alternative to buy what you need now and pay it off gradually over the year. Just make sure you have a plan to pay off your balance before the introductory period ends, or a variable APR will set in and you will owe interest.

Short-term loans

If you were considering GoFundMe for business because you need quick, easy-to-access business funding, then a short-term loan might serve you well.

Short-term loans are quicker, more accessible versions of traditional business term loans. Generally speaking, business owners with personal credit scores of 550 or above, at least one year in business and $50,000+ in annual revenue can qualify for short-term loans. Not to mention, short-term loans can range in size anywhere from $2,500 to $250,000.

Plus, if you qualify for a short-term loan, you can get funded in as little as one business day.

Though securing a short-term loan might require a bit of paperwork, it would be nothing compared to the effort you’d have to sink into a successful GoFundMe business campaign.

You can absolutely use GoFundMe as a source of funding to start a business. As a crowdfunding platform, GoFundMe is designed to allow entrepreneurs to raise money for their startups and business ideas in a creative and debt-free way.

Of course, using GoFundMe to raise money will require substantial time and resources—and therefore, you'll likely need to supplement this strategy with another funding source in order to access enough capital to completely finance your startup.

Although GoFundMe and Kickstarter are both crowdfunding platforms that can be used to raise money for small businesses, Kickstarter is usually better for creative businesses and projects, whereas GoFundMe is better for more personal entrepreneurial causes and endeavors.

Additionally, although Kickstarter is well-optimized for crowdfunding—especially if you're looking to offer your fundraisers something in return for their support—GoFundMe is better for businesses looking to avoid paying a platform fee, as well as run their campaign without a time restriction.

Plus, with GoFundMe, you keep all the money you raise at the end of your campaign, even if you don't reach your goal. With Kickstarter, on the other hand, the money is returned to your fundraisers if the goal is not reached by the end of the campaign.

Yes, if your small business has a valid debit or credit card, you should be able to donate to a GoFundMe campaign using that card.

It's important to note, however, that unless you're donating specifically to a charity fundraiser, GoFundMe donations are considered to be personal gifts and therefore are not guaranteed to be tax-deductible.

If you're unsure of how a GoFundMe donation may impact your business taxes, we'd recommend reaching out to a tax professional or business accountant.

The bottom line

Put simply, GoFundMe—and crowdsourcing at large—isn’t a reliable source of funding. Even the best-laid plans for fundraising often go awry. We suggest you look for another main source of business funding and consider any crowdfunding you do to be supplementary, like cherry-on-top funding for your business.

This article originally appeared on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

• Thailand Tourism
• Thailand Hotels
• Thailand Bed and Breakfast
• Thailand Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Thailand
• Thailand Restaurants
• Things to Do in Thailand
• Thailand Travel Forum
• Thailand Photos
• All Thailand Hotels
• Thailand Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Thailand
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

No travel Insurance. No Scooter Insuramce - GoFundMe - Thailand Forum

• Asia    
• Thailand    

No travel Insurance. No Scooter Insuramce - GoFundMe

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Asia forums
• Thailand forum

When will they learn!

"there is no need to buy travel insurance because strangers on the internet will help you out if the unlikely happens"

Do you really believe that travellers make a conscious decision that they don't need travel insurance for that reason? Do you have travel insurance? Do you believe in that stupid strategy? That is an idiot strategy! Here is one stranger who wouldn't help out!

I think most travellers without insurance weigh up the odds and correctly deduce that the likelihood of them being in an accident that they cannot afford, but doesn't kill them, is so remote it's not even worth consideration. Maybe they then think, well if it does happen, I can rely on internet strangers to bail me out. Again, based on the current reality we find ourselves in with crowd-funding, it's accurate logic.

What's the problem here anyway? He's going to get his money. I think most people just like calling him stupid because they are paying for insurance when people like this aren't.

I do agree however, that aged 50, you are more likely to need to use insurance, so the likelihood of a serious accident/illness referred to in the previous post increases quite a bit.

I haven't checked the annual tourist figures for a while but it must be in excess of 30 million a year. Statistically there are going to be a fair few tourists without insurance suffering serious accidents of illnesses so I guess we are going to see a lot more crowd funding of people's holidays.

When you're thinking 'should i get insurance' to protect me from the nightmare accidents, you're not thinking how many of the 30 million people will be comatose or whatever, you're thinking, what are my personal chances of being comatose. Statistically the likelihood of one individual suffering from one of those type of accidents (and not dying) must be close to or less than 1 in 100,000. Stay away from motorbikes and the odds would be even better.

Assuming the people not taking out insurance are self-insuring for the smaller types of mishaps, it's not fair to call them stupid.

Sadly this is indicative of the not taking responsibility for your own actions mentality that seems to be the norm nowadays and expecting someone else to bail you out. It is in my opinion selfish and ignorant to expect others to pay for your stupidity.

Next time you or anyone else has an accident, whether scooter or anything else or contracts an illness and incurs significant medical expenses don't bother with travel insirance just contact 366dorcam, he will be the first to dip his hands into his pocket to bail you out!

So selfish. If something happened to him why should he care about the impact on his family or others paying hundreds of thousands for him when he has carefully calculated the odds and saved himself perhaps a hundred quid!

But you would have been able to pay for that without having any insurance, right? How much was the bill? Private hospital I guess?

Jay, I recall previously pointing out on a similar thread some time ago that some 'fools' do travel without travel insurance...I am one of them. But I am not in my opinion a fool, it is just that I cannot get insurance because of my medical and previous claims history combined with my age. If I could I would - if anyone can give me a pointer towards a company that will take on high risk travellers who are 70+ please PM me details.

It is my decision to carry on travelling. I self insure....ie if anything happens I will pay myself - I will certainly not expect or ask strangers on the Internet to contribute.

• Worst pollution 10:38 pm
• Phuket krabi 10:30 pm
• Birthday Activity & Meal 10:23 pm
• Exchange rate @ Bangkok airport 10:16 pm
• Paracetamol 10:04 pm
• Fisherman’s night market 10:03 pm
• Shops 9:52 pm
• Decaff coffee? 9:50 pm
• Renent a car from budget car rental with a debit card 9:47 pm
• Chao Phraya Tourist Boat- start time - Wat Saket 9:25 pm
• BKOK to Pattaya private Transfers Recomendations? 9:20 pm
• Battambang to Ko Chang with Boonsiri ferries 9:01 pm
• Elopement in Phuket - Need Help. 8:37 pm
• Les Mills fitness classes 7:06 pm
• Agoda Problem; Don't Use Agoda 49 replies
• Other Resorts Close to Bangkok 2 replies
• Best Beach huts/Beach accomodation/ Beach resorts 2 replies
• Topless beach/pool 28 replies
• Need help choosing - Thailand vs. Malaysia...!!! 19 replies
• Luggage locker at BKK airport 4 replies
• Night train from Ayuthaya to Chiang Mai? 3 replies
• thailand weather in december? best places to stay? 4 replies
• Koh Samui vs Phuket vs Krabi 14 replies
• Secluded Thailand Beaches? 2 replies

Thailand Hotels and Places to Stay

• FAQ WHY Thailand?
• FAQ VISA INFO (incl. visitors from India)
• FAQ HELPFUL TRAVEL WEBSITES & ADVICE
• FAQ: How to get from the AIRPORT to your HOTEL
• FAQ Flight Connections
• FAQ benefits of opening a THAI BANK ACCOUNT?
• FAQ Other Bangkok Airport services and amenities
• FAQ SIM cards, iPhones etc
• FAQ BUDGET Airlines (LCC's)
• FAQ TRAIN Travel
• FAQ Personal SAFETY
• FAQ Floating Markets
• FAQ Visit Isaan
• FAQ IMPORTANT LAWS IN THAILAND
• FAQ Information on ISLANDS OF THAILAND
• FAQ Buses to and from Phuket & Bangkok
• FAQ How to find a travel buddy - don't use TA
• FAQ Fees for visitors to NATIONAL PARKS
• FAQ GETTING MARRIED in Thailand

• Thailand Tourism
• Thailand Hotels
• Thailand Bed and Breakfast
• Thailand Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Thailand
• Thailand Restaurants
• Thailand Attractions
• Thailand Travel Forum
• Thailand Photos
• All Thailand Hotels
• Thailand Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Thailand
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

No travel Insurance. No Scooter Insuramce - GoFundMe - Thailand Forum

• Asia    
• Thailand    

No travel Insurance. No Scooter Insuramce - GoFundMe

• Canada Forums
• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Asia forums
• Thailand forum

When will they learn!

It’s very sad for the rider and his family.

I wonder when travellers will wake up and pay travel insurance. The higher the excess the cheaper it is.

If you can’t afford the insurance, surely you really can’t afford to travel.

A very sad story, but there will always be those who say 'it won't happen to me'.

Poor guy. Don't know the exact circumstances but if he didn't have a helmet on, or didn't have the proper licence he might not be covered even if he did have insurance. The fact he was hit from behind may become irrelevant.

Trying to save a few bucks and he is in this situation making a very stressful time for his family even moreso. Why should they have to fundraise and possibly use lifesavings and assets for his stupidity. I know it sounds harsh and I really hope he recovers but I'm past feeling sorry for people like this.

I think it is irresponsible and unbelievable if anyone on this or any Thailand forum does NOT specifically discourage the hiring of scooters without the proper licence or insurance - but it happens, Accidents can and do happen anytime, anywhere no matter how carefully you drive or how "safe" you think the area is.

Too many fools travel without insurance

"When will they learn!"

Looks like they already have learnt - that there is no need to buy travel insurance because strangers on the internet will help you out if the unlikely happens.

Even if you have insurance, riding a scooter on Thailand's roads is a dangerous game - see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38660283

I have a motorbike licence, but there's no way I'm riding a bike there!

• Worst pollution 22:38
• Phuket krabi 22:30
• Birthday Activity & Meal 22:23
• Exchange rate @ Bangkok airport 22:16
• Paracetamol 22:04
• Fisherman’s night market 22:03
• Shops 21:52
• Decaff coffee? 21:50
• Renent a car from budget car rental with a debit card 21:47
• Chao Phraya Tourist Boat- start time - Wat Saket 21:25
• BKOK to Pattaya private Transfers Recomendations? 21:20
• Battambang to Ko Chang with Boonsiri ferries 21:01
• Elopement in Phuket - Need Help. 20:37
• Les Mills fitness classes 19:06
• Koh Samui vs Phuket vs Krabi 14 replies
• Your ideal Thailand itinerary - max 3 weeks 25 replies
• Koh Samui v Phuket v Langkawi 12 replies
• SmarTours Amazing Thailand - January 2011 Trip Report 33 replies
• Any good tour companies running trips to Thailand? 65 replies
• what tour company??? 7 replies
• Agoda is a Scam 101 replies
• Is Asia Web Direct a real booking site 8 replies
• What areas in Thailand are off the beaten path? 25 replies
• Thailand in June - Honeymoon Help! 4 replies

Thailand Hotels and Places to Stay

• FAQ WHY Thailand?
• FAQ VISA INFO (incl. visitors from India)
• FAQ HELPFUL TRAVEL WEBSITES & ADVICE
• FAQ: How to get from the AIRPORT to your HOTEL
• FAQ Flight Connections
• FAQ benefits of opening a THAI BANK ACCOUNT?
• FAQ Other Bangkok Airport services and amenities
• FAQ SIM cards, iPhones etc
• FAQ BUDGET Airlines (LCC's)
• FAQ TRAIN Travel
• FAQ Personal SAFETY
• FAQ Floating Markets
• FAQ Visit Isaan
• FAQ IMPORTANT LAWS IN THAILAND
• FAQ Information on ISLANDS OF THAILAND
• FAQ Buses to and from Phuket & Bangkok
• FAQ How to find a travel buddy - don't use TA
• FAQ Fees for visitors to NATIONAL PARKS
• FAQ GETTING MARRIED in Thailand

• COVID-19 Full Coverage
• Cover Stories
• Ulat Filipino
• Special Reports
• Personal Finance
• Other sports
• Pinoy Achievers
• Immigration Guide
• Science and Research
• Technology, Gadgets and Gaming
• Chika Minute
• Showbiz Abroad
• Family and Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Health and Wellness
• Shopping and Fashion
• Hobbies and Activities
• News Hardcore
• Walang Pasok
• Transportation
• Missing Persons
• Community Bulletin Board
• GMA Public Affairs
• State of the Nation
• Unang Balita
• Balitanghali
• News TV Live

PH Ports Authority warns Holy Week commuters vs. travel insurance scam

As millions of ship passengers are expected to travel this Holy Week, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on Tuesday warned passengers against falling victim to travel insurance scammers.

PPA spokesperson Eunice Samonte said two victims, a mother and her child, paid P500 to an individual offering them travel insurance at the Manila North Port Passenger Terminal on Monday.

"May mga hindi natin maiwasan na mga tao na nagbebenta online at mga nagbebenta sa labas ng pantalan ng mga travel insurance. Paalala po natin sa ating mga kababayan, itong travel insurance ay kasama na po sa ticket na inyong binili. Ibig sabihin, hindi na po kailangang magbabayad pa ng additional na anumang halaga para sa travel insurance," Samonte told GMA Integrated News in a phone interview.

(There are individuals selling travel insurance online, and outside of port areas. May we remind our countrymen that travel insurance is part of the tickets you purchase. That means you don't need to pay any additional fees for travel insurance.)

Samonte said the peak period of Holy Week travel is likely on Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday, when nearly 300,000 passengers per day are expected at all ports in the country.

Earlier in the day, Samonte told Unang Balita that over 2 million passengers were projected to travel by sea during Holy Week .

Meanwhile, passengers were advised to be at the ports two to three hours before their scheduled departure.

Samonte also advised passengers to avoid bringing items that may be confiscated.

"Hanggang ngayon, may mga nakukumpiska pa tayo na mga kitchen knife at saka po yung mga flammable material, mga gas at butane. 'Yun po ang pinakakaraniwan nating nakukumpiska. Sana po huwag na pong magdala ng mga ganitong bagay ang ating mga kababayan," she said.

(Until now, kitchen knives and flammable materials like gas and butane have been confiscated. These are the usual items we confiscate. We ask our countrymen to refrain from bringing these things.)

Travelers were also advised to pack light amid tighter security at all ports.

"Dahil nga mas mahigpit ang seguridad natin sa mga pantalan, mas maigi pa rin po kung kakaunting gamit na lang ‘yung dalhin nila dahil daraan po yang lahat sa X-ray machine at saka po sa matinding screening," Samonte added.

(Because of heightened security in our ports, it is better to travel light because all belongings will pass through x-ray machines and strict screening.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News

Australia survives sold out Taylor Swift shows without spike in inflation

RENTS, INSURANCE ACCELERATE

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

Reporting by Stella Qiu and Wayne Cole; Editing by Tom Hogue and Jamie Freed

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

US artist Richard Serra, known for enormous steel sculptures, dead at 85

American artist Richard Serra, whose enormous steel sculptures coated with a fine patina of rust decorated landscapes and dominated oversized galleries in the world's finest museums, died on Tuesday, the New York Times reported. He was 85.