No one wants to visit the doctor on vacation. Yet it is crucial to purchase a travel medical insurance option to ensure we get the proper care in an unforeseen medical emergency.
Read this blog to find out if you need travel medical insurance for your international trip and why it is important for overseas travel.
What Does Travel Medical Insurance Cover?
The costs to cover medical expenses can add up in no time, considering they are an expensive affair overseas. Travel medical insurance is short-term insurance to cover the expenses related to unforeseen medical emergencies, such as
- Ambulance services
- Labs, X-rays, anesthetics
- Doctor and hospital visits,
- Surgery
- Emergency Evacuation
- Return of Mortal Remains
Already Have a Standard Healthcare Plan?
Most of us possess standard healthcare plans which cover medical expenses incurred in our own country. We should not assume our standard healthcare plans cover overseas medical emergencies. You should contact your insurance carrier to determine if your plan provides coverage for medical expenses incurred during your trip.
Travel medical insurance for USA or any other country, on the other hand, will get you the help you need. It may also cover expenses, such as the loss of checked luggage. Read your policy to find out what is covered.
When Might You Need Travel Medical Insurance?
No one wants to be sick on their trip, yet there is a high possibility for this to happen. There could be many reasons that could ruin a trip, such as –
- Contracting illnesses like Malaria, Dengue, Covid-19, or even the flu. Your insurance will cover costs, such as evacuation and treatment fees.
- Injuries, such as falls, and accidents, cover costs related to an ambulance and medical treatment.
- Local Burial and Cremations in the place of death up to a maximum limit mentioned in your policy.
- Trip Interruptions caused by a sudden change of events in your personal or professional life impose a return to your home country.
- Repatriation of remains, in the event of death, requires your remains to be transported back to your home country per your policy.
- Loss of checked luggage with your belongings.
Is Travel Health Insurance Worth It?
International health insurance for visitors is a means to pay off expenses arising from a medical emergency. It’s not like we expect to fall off our skis or trip down the stairs when traveling abroad. Without insurance, you run the risk of incurring costs incurred for treatment. It is worth purchasing travel visitor health insurance to prevent unexpected expenses and seek high-quality healthcare when an emergency strikes.
Do I Need Travel Medical Insurance If I Have Health Insurance?
Firstly, most regular health insurance policies cover expenses incurred in your own country, which do not cover illness and medical assistance fees during a trip. On the other hand, visitor medical insurance is designed to protect people traveling and can potentially run into a medical emergency or a trip interruption.
Some of the benefits of purchasing travel medical insurance —
Be stress-free
There’s no way to know when a medical emergency is likely to happen. Travel medical insurance gets you the assistance you need, leaving you stress-free on your vacation.
High-quality care
You deserve the best. Travel medical insurance gives you the best care right when needed instead of delaying and possibly worsening your situation.
No need for prior research
As a foreigner, you simply don’t have time to figure things out in a foreign country. Your insurance provider can connect you with the right services you need without any hassle.
Should I Get Travel Health Insurance?
Yes! Even if you’re fully vaccinated or consider yourself a low-risk candidate, travel medical insurance is essential to travel overseas.
Do You Require Travel Health Insurance for Your Visa?
No. While it is not mandatory, it is highly recommended by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to purchase travel health insurance for USA. Some countries, especially European countries, have a mandatory requirement for travelers to purchase travel medical insurance to be eligible for their visas.
Who May Not Benefit from Travel Health Insurance?
We highly recommend travel health insurance for most travelers. However, the travel health insurance plan may not benefit everyone entirely.
People with pre-existing conditions
Many pre-existing conditions are not covered in several travel health insurance plans. You can still purchase travel health insurance with a pre-existing condition to cover unexpected expenses not related to a pre-existing condition.
Medical tourism
Traveling overseas to obtain a medical procedure is not usually covered by travel health insurance. Like with pre-existing conditions, you can still purchase travel health insurance to cover unexpected expenses unrelated to the treatment you traveled for to the overseas destination.
How Much Does Travel Health Insurance Cost?
The cost of a travel medical insurance policy depends on several variables, such as
- Your age
- Policy Maximum
- Deductible
- Places involved (Origin and Destination country)
- Length of the trip
Let’s look at the cost of procuring travel medical insurance for your trip abroad.
Remember that your travel medical insurance also includes benefits and exclusions. Benefits are the coverage within your policy. An exclusion is what is excluded from the coverage.
Conclusion
Travel health insurance is a true savior during travel. There is nothing worse than using the money you had allocated for your travel towards a medical emergency during your trip. Choosing your travel health insurance wisely is important, keeping in mind the risks involved during your trip. Head to VisitorPLANS to learn more about our travel medical plans and their benefits.
