How to avoid travel medical insurance problems
Jan 11 2013 · 16 comments · Travel
You can’t assume that your health insurance will go with you where ever you travel. It’s very important to find out before you travel abroad if your health insurance plan extends outside your country or not. If the answer is NO you need to buy additional Travel Health (Medical) insurance before you leave.
I am sure you would not like to become another statistic on a news flash:
Retired couple billed $50,000 despite travel insurance
People often get confused regarding the difference between Travel Insurance and Travel Health (Medical) Insurance.
What is Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance provides limited medical protection, and covers certain financial losses that may occur while you are traveling. It may or may not cover costs of extended medical attention you may need while abroad.
What is Travel Health (Medical) Insurance?
It covers only the costs of medical services you may need while traveling abroad based on the stipulated cover applied for at the time of purchasing your Insurance.
Make sure your travel insurance include the following medical requirements:
When considering a travel insurance policy regarding medical coverage, verify the specific details of medical care that you will be able to obtain.
- Will you be able to use a private hospital/clinic?
- Does your insurer offer a 24 hour contact service with emergency advice?
- Does the policy have adequate coverage for dental expenses?
- Coverage for emergency medical care?
- Medical evacuation?
- Medical transportation (ambulance) services?
- Repatriation coverage? (If you are killed on your trip, will they ensure that your body be transported back to your home country.)
Why should you be concerned about medical coverage abroad?
- Unforeseen accidents
- Many health insurance plans DO NOT provide medical coverage overseas.
- Many foreign private hospitals and clinics require payment in cash prior to providing a service.
- Payment of hospital and other medical expenses abroad is the responsibility of the traveler.
- Most countries require tourists to have travel insurance.
Terms and Conditions
- Read through the policy carefully regarding requirements for coverage and other possible limitations before going on a trip. (Policy wording varies depending on which country you come from.)
- Fill out the medical questionnaire as accurately as possible, disclosing all present medical conditions and medications.
- Check to see if the insurance provider will cover expenses upfront or whether you have to pay for medical expenses and clinics and be reimbursed at a later stage.
- Travel Insurance policies differ in their terms and conditions.
How much does Travel Medical insurance cost?
There are several packages that you can choose from, each reflecting its own cost. The premium amount for a travel medical plan is based on the length of the trip, the age of the traveler, medical and evacuation limits. It can be customized to suit your specific needs.
Duration of Coverage
You should review the dates of your policy coverage. This should include both the day upon which you depart as well as the day upon which you arrive back in your home country. To be on the safe side include an additional day or two for any unforeseen delays.
Additional Medical insurance cover can usually be arranged at the time of the booking of a trip to cover exactly the duration of that trip; alternatively a “multi-trip” policy can be purchased to cover an unlimited number of trips within a set time frame.
Where to buy Travel Medical Insurance?
It is important to buy insurance at a well established Insurance Company.
Medical Tourism International advises all leisure, business and medical travelers to be well informed before departing on their journey abroad.
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