Traveling overseas is usually a fun, safe activity that broadens your horizons in a way no other activity can. Unfortunately, unforeseen illnesses and accidents can strike even the most prepared travelers. To guard against this, on every trip you take overseas you should consider purchasing travel medical insurance.
Who Needs Travel Health Insurance
Your need for international travel insurance will depend on your insurance provider back home and where you are traveling to. First, you will need to check with your current health plan to see if you are covered overseas and what countries you are covered for. Some insurers will cover you, while others, like Medicare, won’t cover any overseas expenses. The country you are traveling to will matter as well, since many countries rated as high-risk by the U.S. State Department will not be covered under any healthcare plans.
Even if you’re young and healthy and you’re planning a visit to a country where health care costs are low, travel medical insurance is still an important part about planning your trip. A few cuts and bruises won’t set you back much, but in the event of a catastrophic accident or even death, the hospital and other costs can spiral out of control quickly. Even a bare-bones plan will benefit nearly every international traveler.
The Nuts and Bolts
Most travel health insurance is reimbursement only. This means that you will have to pay out of pocket for your expenses and then submit paperwork to the insurance company. However, this isn’t always true. Some companies will require you to contact them before seeking treatment; others will be more hands off. Make sure that you know all the benefit caps, deductibles, other benefits, and fine print associated with your insurance plan before you go overseas so you know what to expect if the worst should happen. Some of the well-known established providers of medical travel insurance coverage are Gateway Insurance, HTH Worldwide, and Travel Guard.
International travel insurance is an important part of planning any trip abroad. Just because you’re overseas doesn’t mean you should leave your family saddled with medical or burial costs. You wouldn’t do it at home, so don’t make the mistake of doing it abroad.
