Medical travel insurance covers the policyholder for any medical costs incurred while traveling abroad. Many people need it because they want to have the comfort of knowing they are covered in case of an emergency, and because many insurance companies do not cover international travel.
Medical travel insurance sometimes is sold under the names international travel insurance, international medical insurance or worldwide travel insurance.
What Does Medical Travel Insurance Cover?
There are insurance policies available that cover all kinds of “what ifs” involving travel. Those include having to cancel the trip because of illness and severe weather. Insurance also can cover the cost of lost luggage. Most of that falls under the term “trip insurance.”
However, medical travel insurance is not trip insurance. It focuses on any costs on the trip from medical care. Those costs can include the following.
- An emergency trip to the hospital because of an accident
- Having to see a physician because of illness.
- Emergency dental costs
- Having to get emergency medical evacuation from a remote area and transport to a medical facility
- Costs for transporting your body back home in the event of death
An Inexpensive Alternative
Medical travel insurance provides a less expensive alternative to trip insurance, according to Travel Insurance Review. Medical travel insurance policies are priced based on your age, the length of your trip and the amount of coverage.
That can add up to as little as a few dollars a day, according to Travel Insurance Review. Because trip insurance policies are based on the cost of the trip, they can cost hundreds of dollars more.
Also, medical travel insurance has some of the same benefits of trip insurance. Many policies will cover costs associated with trip interruption, trip delays or lost luggage.
How to Shop for Medical Travel Insurance
When looking for the best medical travel insurance policies, it’s important to consider some of the key issues, in addition to cost.
For example, you want to make sure that the policy covers the costs that your medical insurance at home covers. That way, you are not stuck paying for basic medical tests if you feel ill. To be on the safe side and make sure that a hospital stay is covered, look for a minimum of $50,000 in coverage.
You also want adequate medical transportation costs covered. That typically means about $250,000 in coverage.
Some companies offer annual Multi Trip Travel Medical Insurance policies that provide coverage for an unlimited number of trips.
Further, you want a company that provides around the clock customer service. That way they can help you file a claim, find a doctor or arrange medical transport no matter what time zone you happen to be traveling in. Medical travel insurance provides a needed safety net for those who plan to travel out of the country. It’s important to know what it can do for you, and how it differs from trip insurance. Read the fine print and ensure that it’s the right policy for you.
