When you’re insured, you can breathe easier. You know if there’s a medical emergency, you catch the flu or even need a routine checkup, you’re covered, and you won’t be hit with an astronomical bill. However, is your medical insurance good if you’re traveling?
Does it cover medical expenses? Sadly, not every health insurance plan will cover you all over the world and for any situation.
If you break your leg in Europe, you might have to pay cash if the hospital won’t take your insurance – this is a common scenario.
Before traveling, you should call your insurance company to see if your plan includes overseas health insurance. Find out from your insurance company if the policy will cover treatment overseas, if the insurance will cover emergency expenses to return you to the United States for treatment, and if they require pre-authorization or second opinions before treatment overseas is given.
If your current health insurance doesn’t cover abroad travel, you may want to purchase travel insurance, especially if traveling is a part of your normal schedule. Travel insurance is very low in cost and doesn’t just cover medical expenses; it can cover trip/flight cancellations, loss/damage to baggage and evacuations.
Details About Travel Insurance
Why is it important to buy travel insurance? Well, travel insurance will cover your medical expenses regardless of what they are whereas some of the major healthcare companies may only cover “emergency care,” but that definition gets a little tricky – what YOU think an emergency is your insurer may not agree and thus wouldn’t cover your expense – that’s where travel insurance steps in.
If you have Medicare, you would still benefit from travel insurance, because health care while traveling outside the United States isn’t covered with a few rare exceptions.
Travel insurance isn’t the same as health insurance – travel insurance covers losses due to medical emergencies. Travel insurance doesn’t cover preventative, routine, or elective medical or dental care. Travel insurance, unlike health insurance, can offer medical transportation benefits for you to travel to the nearest medical facility or to return home for treatment.
Travel insurance also protects you and reimburses you for non-refundable trip payments if you had to cancel a trip due to a covered illness, injury, or other reason.
Most tour companies and charities mandate that travelers get travel health insurance, even if just temporarily – travel insurance “fills in the gaps” of what your current health plan won’t cover.
Within your travel health insurance coverage, you should get Extreme Sports Coverage. You may not participate in extreme sports, per se, but if you hurt yourself while riding a bike or on a motorcycle taxi, or on a hang glider, you want to be covered – this additional insurance is usually minimal to add on.
Buying a Travel Health Insurance Plan
Accidents or illnesses can strike at any time – even when we’re careful and prepared. To be truly prepared on a trip, purchasing travel insurance from a good insurance provider will help keep you from getting an insane medical bill and allow you to get the proper care that you need.
At Thomas & Associates, we recommend companies that have many years of experience and a reputable reputation like Seven Corners, HTH Worldwide and GeoBlue. You want to choose a travel insurance agent you can talk to.
Our certified agent brokers at Thomas & Associates insurance agency in Jacksonville, Florida, can help you select a low-cost travel insurance plan that is customized to fit your budget and coverage period.
We want to help you find the right travel insurance plan so you can travel with peace of mind. Contact us to get a quote today! To get started with us, click our Jacksonville travel health insurance contact page or call 904-730-3900 .