Travel Insurance

Going Abroad: Travel Health Insurance Options

Unfortunately, we cannot control getting sick, and no matter how many precautions we take, accidents can still happen while on holiday or overseas business trip. The only think you could do is get informed beforehand and choose the insurance solution that best serves your travelling needs. In this post, we are going to address the importance of travel health insurance plans when going abroad. Namely, we are going to compare the privileges offered to you through your credit card and the ones covered by a travel insurance company.

Before planning your trip abroad, it is essential to check coverage types, insurance plans and companies that are meant to take care of you while you are away. Then, you should consider the purpose of your trip, the elements of risks, so that you choose the right travel health insurance provider. There is a difference between visiting a high-risk country and going sightseeing in London or skiing in the Alps, isn’t it?

Here are the aspects we are going to approach in the sections below:

What do you do when you need medical care outside the borders of your country?
Does your traveler insurance cover your treatment or not?
What are the best options out there?

Credit Card Travel Insurance: Advantages and Disadvantages

Most of the times, travelers do not purchase any form of travel health insurance because they think they already have it in their wallet. But that is far from being true. Your credit card travel insurance offers protection in situations like:

Flight delays or cancelations.
Lost or even destroyed baggage.
Accidental death or dismemberment.
Emergency assistance and concierge services.

However, the privileges covered by your credit card (such as Visa Infinite, American Express, World MasterCard) may not reach the level of protection given to you by travel insurance company policies.

Why isn’t your credit card enough? First of all, when traveling abroad, you have no international medical nor evacuation coverage. This means that if you have an accident outside the borders of your country and you need medical care, the credit card protection will come in handy with assistance service helping you to arrange the needed care, but no reimbursement will be made. So, all medical expenses will be on you.

Your residence country offers you certain privileges that you may find it hard to get someplace else. That is not the case with a proper international medical insurance. We will, therefore, refer to health privileges and insurance plans you can benefit globally.

International Medical Insurance Solutions

For your peace of mind, please note that there are many international travel health insurance companies that can provide you with solid trip protection plans. Based on consumer reviews, some of the best services are offered by CSA Travel Protection, BUPA, CSA Travel Protection, and TravelSafe Insurance, to name just a few.

BUPA, for instance, is an international healthcare group which is currently serving over 22 million customers in over 190 countries. BUPA stands for ‘the British United Provident Association’ and it is a private healthcare company, founded in 1947, even before the NHS ( National Health Service). Among other, it specializes in travel insurances.

To make things easier for you and save you all the hassle and time, BUPA has created MembersWorld, which is an exclusive and secure members website. What are the benefits of registering for this service?

You do not need to carry documents with you when travelling except your membership card.
You can access your documents 24/7 regardless of your location. This must be the best thing about BUPA. If the unexpected happens, it is unfortunate enough. But also worrying about kafka-ish hospitals, lines, strange procedures and documents is not something you need in those situations.
BUPA also has a 24/7 Healthline you can call ( +44 (0) 1273 333 9111 ) and guidance will be offered.

As regards health privileges, this travel insurance option includes air ambulance transportation, commercial flights, with or without medical escorts, transportation of mortal remains or travel arrangements for relatives and escorts. The Healthline is always open so you can always call if unsure of something.

Note that you should always carry your membership card when you contact BUPA representatives so they can confirm if the treatment you are having is covered. Bupa will pay for treatment and conditions included in your plan as long as your membership is valid. Also, they will pay for the treatment suitable for you.

Bupa’s ways of paying are either by electronic transfer directly to your bank account or by cheque. It’s advisable to go for the electronic transfer as it is very quick, fuss free and you get paid in whichever currency you have previously chosen.

Important information:

Your plan is an annual contract; your membership is automatically continued every passing year, regardless of you age, or current state of health.
You, as the main member, have formed an agreement with your insurer, so only you and your insurer have legal rights under this agreement, this means you are the only one who can enforce the terms and conditions. Do not be fooled.
The membership with Bupa consists of an application that you have sent either via telephone or online, and your membership certificate, which shows full details of your insurer.
Depending on which plan you choose (with its own price), you benefit from certain services. Always make sure you choose the right plan that is most suitable for you and do not hesitate to ask for help if in doubt.
The plans are personalized on your needs. You can opt for a student or singles plan, couples or families or you can choose the senior travellers insurance features.

For more information on BUPA, you can visit their global official page: www.bupa-int.com. This is a user-friendly platform where you can find all details needed about international health plans, quotes, and medical facilities worldwide.

Was this information useful to you? Are there any other concerns you have as regards your travel insurance options? Feel free to leave your message in the comment section below. We are going to get back to you shortly. Happy traveling!

Photo Credits: 1.

When Travel Plans Go Awry

Sometimes, you can do all the planning in the world, you can take every little possible mishap into account, and still, you may find yourself surprised. But not in a good way. This post addresses the biggest problems that can occur in your travels and how we can solve them.

Travel Insurance

All travel insurances do the same thing: they cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accidents and other losses or accidents that occur while traveling. So, if they all offer the same things, what difference does it make choosing one over another?

Well, the first criteria on which traveling insurances can be differentiated is type of coverage:

The most common situations most policies cover are:

Medical expenses ( per occurrence/ maximum limit)
Emergency evacuation
Repatriation of remains, accidental death, injury or disablement benefit
Trip cancellation or interruption
Visitor health insurance
Lost, stolen, damaged or delayed baggage and other personal effects or even travel documents
Hijacking, flight delays, basically, anything that can get in the way of you reaching your destination

All the policies above are related to accidents happening to you. You are not guilty of any of these, hence not responsible. However, there are some optional coverage policies that provide special cover for additional costs. If you suffer from pre-existing conditions or are voluntarily practising high-risk sports or you travel to high risk countries you should consider personalizing your plan according to your needs.

So, what type of plan do you need?

Once you grasp the difference between these types of insurances, researching and buying a plan that will suit you best will be easier than you would have ever imagined.

#1 Trip Cancellation

If you want coverage for cancellation, you need to do your research. Travel insurance package plans deliver coverage for cancellations, interruptions, natural disasters or medical emergencies. You should keep in mind that there are no plans that only cover trip cancellation, so always look for a bundle package.

True, trip cancellation insurances are a bit more expensive, but you never know what can happen. The kind of policy that deals with cancellation, interruption, delay is based mostly on the cost of the trip. Of course, this plan can easily turn into a small fortune.

So, to make things straight: what qualifies as a legit cancellation?

Injury or illness: of you, destination host, one of your travelling companions, be it a family member or not.
Weather or a natural disaster, hurricane: a natural occurrence that destroys your destination or your own home
Schedule conflicts: jury duty, court summons, school year extension
Traffic accidents: you are directly involved
Property damage: your business, destination accommodations or your own home are wither vandalized, burglarized or damaged in any other way.
Terrorism or mandatory evacuations/ assaults
Bankruptcy or financial default
Labor strikes
Theft or loss of traveling documents ( passport or visa)

So, to remember it more easily: anything that happens and affects you in a bad manner, and was completely unforeseen qualifies as a legit cancellation reason.

Some people invoke these as reasons for cancellation. They are not accepted anywhere and refund is not granted.

-Canceling a trip because the weather is not favorable.

-Canceling because you have jitters. You chose your destination; no one else has to pay for your decisions.

-Canceling a trip due to pregnancy, child birth or an elective abortion.

-Canceling a trip due to alcohol or substance abuse

-Canceling a trip due to an intentionally self-inflicted injury or attempted suicide. Also, you will not be covered if you suffer from mental illnesses, panic attacks, mental or psychological disorders, anxiety or depression.

However, if you check the ‘cancel for any reason’ option on your insurance plan, chances are you will be allowed to cancel and still benefit from the insurance.

So, to conclude this chapter, the reason for cancellation must be listed in the policy for cancellation. Also, coverage provides full reimbursement.

Do not cancel unless you have a valid reason.

And now, we have an even more serious issue to address.

What happens when you get stranded somewhere?

In the unfortunate case where you get stranded somewhere because of a delayed flight, most airports will give you overnight accommodation and a voucher for food. The airline is contractually obliged to provide passengers with food, water, housing and transportation if there is a mechanical problem, a detour, a hijack, or anything at all that would cause the plane to not reach its destination.

It sounds perfect in theory, only the reality is a bit different. More often than not, passengers must fend for themselves as the airlines will not pay for meals or hotels, although many airlines will give you a discount. Airlines use well known hotel chains that are close to the airport to host their stranded customers.

But when an airline will fail to accommodate you, do it yourself. Find one room by searching them all. When you are stuck away from home, go online to search for a room. It is fast and effective. There are many of websites that help stranded passengers in times of need. Try https://www.expedia.com/, https://www.getaroom.com, or https://www.orbitz.com. If you do not have Internet Access, go to the baggage-claim area and check the hotel board. Information will always be there.

Do not panic, do not get frustrated or show that you are angry. The airline knows you are angry, as well as the other 400 passengers, but there is nothing they can do about it.

For you to sleep safe, you should know that you can get coverage for situations like this. Usually, when booking a plane ticket, there is an option for this exact scenario for which you have to pay extra, but at least, if it does happen, you will get your money back. If that option does not exist, you could always file a complaint to the airline.

Reimbursements

Getting reimbursed always seems like a lot of trouble. It always seems as if the company is avoiding to make the payment. It is annoying and can get frustrating, of course.

Depending on the agreement with the vendor, reimbursement of your travel expenses may be at rates no higher than the ones allowed the Federal Travel Regulation. According to ssa.gov, it is important the vendor is aware of the expenses allowed for reimbursement and invoice accordingly.

Get informed first. You do not wish to find yourself in the situation where you do not know whom to blame. Because it will usually no one else but you. You are responsible of your own actions, so act accordingly.

Travel wise!

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3

Types of Travel Insurance

When planning for a vacation there are several, often overlooked, aspects that travelers should be reminded of. Truth be told, the last thing on our minds –while preparing for the vacation of our dreams- is obtaining travel insurance, and this is why, in most situations, it becomes a last minute purchase. Before you start packing your bags, even before you begin writing your checklists, you should consider purchasing a good travel insurance policy.

The first thing you should know about travel insurance is the fact that it can significantly reduce financial and health risks associated with traveling abroad. Although chances of accidents are very low, you never know what may happen, and being prepared for unexpected situations is extremely important when you are on foreign soil. Travel insurance covers risks such as missed flights, canceled tours, lost baggage, accidents, illness, travel-company bankruptcies, emergency evacuations and even bringing a body home in case of fatal injuries.

The question on every traveler’s mind is if travel insurance is really worth it. Yes and No. Each traveler’s potential loss varies depending on the type of trip planned, destination, airline and already existent coverage. Today we would like to take a look at the basics of travel insurance as well as the most important plans.

Travel Insurance Basics

There are five major ‘courses’ that one should factor into a travel insurance policy:

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Medical insurance abroad
Evacuation insurance
Baggage insurance
Flight insurance
Supplemental policies: identity theft, political evacuation, specialty insurance (mountain climbing, SCUBA, motorcycle etc.)

Types of Travel Insurance In general, an agent will offer you a combination of these 5 elements, plus supplemental policies. At the moment, there are many companies that offer comprehensive packages without asking you about your primary coverage policies. This is great because it will save you from out-of-pocket expenses.

As far as prices are concerned, we can honestly not give you a real estimate because packages vary ever so slightly, depending on health condition, age etc. Age is probably the number one factor that will increase the price of your travel coverage. In most situations, the cost of a policy costs between 5 and 12 percent of the trip’s value.

Pay close attention to the type of reimbursement offered by your policy. For example, some trip cancellation policies are reimbursement only, which means that you will have to pay for your expenses yourself, and then submit specific paperwork to get your money back. If you have proper medical insurance for abroad, you will be able to arrange to have doctor and hospital bills covered by the insurance company. You should, however, contact your insurance company as soon as a problem occurs. Not doing so might result in the cancellation of your policy.

Most Important Types of Coverage

Below you can find brief descriptions of the most important types of coverage that you can get. Be warned – the following information can only serve as guideline, because policies can differ from one state to another, and from one company to the other. Each travel insurance agency has different levels of coverage based on parameters such as age, duration of trip etc. We urge you to ask a lot of questions and to read the conditions of coverage before signing on the dotted line. An informed decision is always the best one.

1. Medical Insurance for Traveling Abroad

First up on our checklist is medical insurance for traveling abroad. Do you really need it? In a previous article we have addressed this question. If you ever happen to fall into a sewer in Prague you will be happy you had medical insurance. The first thing you should know is that if you are young, and in good health, medical insurance isn’t very expensive.

Also, if you are older or have health problems that might lead to difficult situations, you might want to pay a little something extra to make sure you aren’t left defenseless in No-man’s land. Typical medical insurance for traveling abroad plans include medical and dental expenses associated with injury or illness.

2. Evacuation Insurance & Supplemental Plans

In addition to this, the medical evacuation coverage will ensure that you are transported to the hospital in case of injury (even if you are in a remote area). This type of coverage is extremely important. Let’s imagine that you have had an accident. You are currently located on the top of a mountain, or you require transportation to a specialized facility.

A helicopter or private jet would leave a whole through your pocket under normal circumstances, but with the evacuation insurance you can dodge these costs. As far as ‘medical repatriation’ (moving you all the way home) is concerned, it will only be considered if your medical situation is dire. Evacuation insurance might not cover you if you are deliberately exposing yourself to activities that the insurer considers dangerous (mountain climbing, scuba diving etc.). That’s what specialty insurance is for.

Another supplemental plan that is worth consideration is accidental death and dismemberment. Brutal as it may sound, it covers huge expenses in case of death.

3. Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance

As the name suggests, this type of policy will cover you in case of trip interruption or delay. This type of coverage is usually meant for illness, death or injury suffered by the individual insured. Some policies also cover expense for the insured’s travel companion.

Additional Cancellation reasons covered by this policy:

Weather-related problems
Change of mind
Delay in processing passport or visa
Medical problems
Unexpected business conflicts
Additional coverage: fire/floor, accidents on the way to the airport, jury duty, terrorist acts, vendor going out of business etc.

It is important to understand what exactly it is that your trip cancellation policy covers. For example, many companies don’t cover interruptions in case of war, civil disturbance, if the tour operator defaults, or in case of bad financial circumstances of the insured.

4. Luggage & Car Rental Protection

Luggage protection covers your loss of personal items if they are stolen or damaged and car rental protection will insure you in case of accident. We strongly recommend you to read the fine print, especially for luggage protection, because most insurance companies do not cover loss or damage during flight, or items that are too expensive. If you have personal car insurance, look through your coverage again to see if you have any protection extended to rented cars. You should also include collision insurance for rental cars in a comprehensive plan.

5. Specialty Insurance

If you feel that your life needs more adrenaline, you might be surprised to find out that dangerous hobbies such as mountain climbing, scuba diving or motorcycling are adding significant costs to your insurance plan. According to a recent study by AnnualMedicalReport, the costs for activities considered dangerous are the following:

Scuba diving: around 2.500$ per year
Motorcycling: approximately 1.000$ per year
Had gliding: roughly 1.500$ per year
Mountain climbing: 1.500$ per year

There are several travel insurance companies, granted very many, that offer specialty insurance, under specific conditions, for better prices. Read the fine print in order to learn the specifics.

US Seniors Travel Insurance: How to Stay Safe Overseas, at 65+ Years Old

“Life is like wine – it gets better with age.” That’s a popular old adage that certainly applies to international travel. Senior citizens nowadays are definitely living up to it, by embarking upon cruises, taking that long postponed trip of a lifetime, going on second honeymoons and generally exploring parts of the world that they always wished they could visit. In essence, not only is there nothing wrong with this, but it’s actually recommended. After all, with retirement comes more time to spare pursuing your hobbies. To boot, people in the U.S. now live longer, are healthier, happier, and overall more affluent. The increase of health and life expectancy in the United States over the 1990 to 1999 decade alone was dramatic. The average life span for U.S. citizens lengthened by over 30 years and 25 years of that improvement can be chalked up to public health improvements. So, then, where’s the problem with traveling abroad as a senior? One answer to that question comes from exploring US seniors travel insurance.

As is the case with any other type of insurance, it’s difficult to get a hold of affordable coverage when you’re suffering from a chronic disease such as diabetes or a heart condition. What’s more, travel insurance is complex and needs to cover for travel interruption, luggage, air travel, and health.

1. Can you get affordable insurance for traveling abroad as a senior?

The elderly are more likely to use travel insurance, which is basically why they also end up paying more for it. Of course, if your overall health is good, you might have to pay less on your US seniors travel insurance – yet chances are you’re at least suffering from some minor chronic health issue that will up your premium costs. So, do you stand any chance at finding affordable travel coverage as a US senior? Yes, you do. Here are a few tips and tricks:

Buy travel insurance through your travel agent or your regular insurance agent. Both should be able to score you a good deal, based on your pre-existent relationship with them. To boot, it’s also a way of testing your tour operator: the good ones have established relationships with insurers, which you should be able to benefit from.
Contact the American Association of Retired Persons to ask about medical coverage abroad, which can supplement your Medicare plan. Make sure to check out their message boards to ask questions and read about similar experiences from fellow senior travelers.
‘Window shop’ online, via insurance comparison sites. Make sure to take all the variables and details into consideration. Some policies cover pre-existing conditions, while others don’t. The same goes for sports injuries, in the case of senior citizens and overseas travel.

2. Why do you need US seniors travel insurance?

What if you break your leg in Slovenia? How are you going to fly back home to nurse your injury? What about coming down with the flu three days before your scheduled trip to Paris? What happens if your cruise ship can’t leave your city, due to dramatic weather conditions such as a hurricane?

The answer and only viable solution to all the above scenarios is US seniors travel insurance. It’s definitely worth the money, since your regular Medicare or Medicaid health coverage will only pay for healthcare expenses you incur in the United States. Moreover, seniors who are insured via HMOs need to check out whether or not emergency healthcare outside the HMO’s service area is covered and comes with deductibles. Some HMOs don’t cover for overseas medical expenses, which is why travel insurance comes in particularly handy for some.

According to the Bureau of Consular Affairs with the U.S. Department of State, evacuations for medical reasons (such as the broken knee situation described above) can come to cost as much as $10,000! Needless to say, premium costs on insurance for traveling abroad as a senior are far lower than that. Aside from healthcare costs, travel insurance also covers trip cancelation costs. Prepaid tours or cruises often come with hefty penalties for canceling and these penalties also greatly exceed the cost of coverage.

3. Is expensive travel insurance ever really useful?

Some sources, including Consumer Reports will tell you that travel insurance for senior citizens is unnecessary and many will frown upon recommending it. Indeed, the fact of the matter is that most travel insurance providers regard elderly citizens as high-risk members. The premium costs for an overseas travel policy incurred by a 70 year-old will usually exceed those that a 50 year-old needs to pay. This is true even if the older person is healthier or more physically fit than the younger one – travel insurance can increase the cost of your trip by as much as 10 per cent.

As such, if you find yourself traveling a lot as a senior, you might want to consider paying for a travel insurance membership plan. Perhaps the best part about such plans is the fact that they come with emergency evacuation benefits, all for the price of a couple hundred dollars each year. Such multi-trip packs often come with much lower age limits than regular insurance for traveling abroad as a senior.

4. What factors should you take into account before buying US seniors travel insurance?

If you’re over 65 and are looking to purchase insurance for traveling abroad as a senior, there are several factors that you need to take into account:

Overall health. As mentioned above, it doesn’t matter that much if you’re physically fit. As a senior, you will still end up paying more than a younger person. However, the overall state of your health matters when it comes to figuring out how much coverage you should take out. If you know you’re suffering from some pre-existing conditions, it’s best to take out a more expensive insurance plan.
Trip duration. Longer trips increase the risk of injury, so the longer your stay abroad, the more comprehensive your insurance plan should be.
Type of travel. Consider any high-risk activities, such as sports. Take into account the type of transportation you will be using – car fares, for instance, will increase your risks of illness and injury. Last, but not least, some trips will require you to take out coverage that also accounts for cancelations.

Medical Insurance for Travel Abroad: Best Deals for UK Senior Holidaymakers

Whoever said that older people shouldn’t embark on international journeys has definitely never met a savvy senior traveler before. One of the major trends of today’s society is for seniors to buy plane tickets and explore the world. If you think about it for a second, it makes perfect sense to invest in something worthwhile when you have so much free time. As many senior travelers love to say, “Age matters only if you’re a cheese”, and apparently, travel is the fountain of youth.

travel insurance for elderly

Nevertheless, even with better health in old age and an increasing affluence, elderly people are still having problems with medical insurance for travel abroad. The truth is that it can be very complicated to buy travel health insurance if you are past your prime, or suffering from long-term illnesses (eg. heart-disease, diabetes).

The good news is that elderly people can also get affordable travel insurance, according to Express.co.uk. You probably already know that regular travel insurance includes travel interruption insurances, baggage, health, evacuation and flight insurance. Let’s see how you can make it happen even if you are older.

1. How Do Elderly Pay for Travel Insurance?

Everybody knows that elderly people pay more for any type of insurance, because they are most likely to actually need it. If you are in excellent physical health, it will be easier to get insurance, but chances are that you are already suffering from a minor long-term illness, that can add to the costs. Although most insurance companies are reluctant to give out policies to senior citizens, due to the misconception that they have worse health than younger people, however, a revolution has begun. First of all, companies which cannot provide with offline or online travel health insurance are obliged to redirect them to a capable specialist.

In addition to this, more and more insurance companies, like Staysure.co.uk understand that in the future, the population of senior citizens and old age pensioners will reach unprecedented numbers. It is actually predicted that over one third of the UK’s population will be older than 55. The dynamics of modern population has changed significantly: we live longer and healthier, have less children and remain active later in life. All of these things indicate to better insurance rates for elderly people.

2. Why Get Old-Age-Pensioners (OAP) Health Insurance?

Traveling may sound like a lot of fun, but nothing is without risks, especially for seniors. The stress of a 20 hour flight is a lot even for people in their thirties, so you can only imagine what sort of nightmare it will be for you. As much as we would like to block negative thoughts from our heads, there’s no need to be irresponsible. It’s always good to know that you are covered in case of complications while you are away. The OAP travel policy will do this for you.

OAP insurance

Not only is it not expensive, but it also has good coverage. It is a small investment that can prevent the worse from happening. You should make sure to add it to your travelers’ insurance policy before setting out on your trip. According to Sundaytimes the average cost of treating serious illnesses abroad costs, on average, 2,040 pounds, while an uninsured hospital visit in the United States is approximately 6,000 pounds.

3. Why are Some Premiums Expensive, and Are they Useful?

The generic answers that insurance companies give when they refuse to insure older people is that premiums reflect an increased risk. Sadly, age is one of the major factors when it comes to calculating premium rates. Basically, the older you are, the higher the chance that you will fall ill, or be involved in some sort of accident. The insurance company will set its price irrespective of the fact that many 70 or 80 year olds are healthier than 50 year olds. They have no interest in rewarding you for being fit, but they will definitely not spare you if you are suffering from a long-term illness, because their ultimate goal is to make more money.

things to consider

So should you buy travel insurance? The answer is a definite yes, especially since you are facing more risks, and can probably not afford out-of-pocket expenses. If you travel at least six-seven times per year, you could definitely consider the annual “multi-trip” policy that will have all of your trips covered. Keep in mind that upper age limits for this policy are a lot lower than regular covers.

4. What to Consider Before Purchasing a Plan

People over the age of 65 who are in search of medical insurance for travel abroad should take into account general health conditions, duration of the trip and activities required during it. This way, they will better understand how much coverage they need (and avoid additional costs).

General health condition: As we already mentioned, many people in their 60-70’s are a lot healthier than younger people. This matters not for the insurance companies, but it will help you determine how much coverage you should purchase: if you are susceptible to diseases and infections, you should go for a higher policy plan.

Duration of Trip: The longer you stay abroad, the higher the chances of falling sick or having an accident. Opt for a better policy in this situation.

Activities Required during the Trip: Do you have any idea what you will be doing during your vacation? We are not talking about beach volleyball or anything of the sort. For senior citizens something as trivial as a car drive can be strenuous and lead to sickness. Comprehensive coverage policy should be considered in this situation.

Medical Insurance Travel Abroad Advice: Do You Really Need it?

Traveling is not always fun and games. In order to have the best time of your life, you should plan well in advance and take care of the organizational and insurance issues. Whether you are traveling for business purposes, in connection with your studies or for leisure, there are certain steps that you should take to avoid health problems and accidents. Preparing for a trip is not only about choosing the destination, itinerary and packing your bags, it is also about taking necessary steps to avoid complications.

should you buy travel insurance

In addition to standard precautions, if you travel outside North America, Australia, or Europe, you might also require vaccinations or protection against exotic diseases like malaria. If you have no idea how to prepare, you needn’t panic, because not even the most seasoned traveler knows all there is to know about medical insurance for travel abroad. The question remains: Do You Really Need Travel insurance? We would like to share with you general information that you might find helpful before setting out on your new adventure.

1 First Things First: Should You Buy Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance can be extremely useful on certain occasions, or completely useless in others. It is important to weigh out the pros and cons before deciding should you buy travel health insurance or regular insurance or not. As a rule of thumb, travelers’ insurance policies can significantly minimize financial risks of illness, missed flights, lost baggage, theft, travel-company bankruptcies, emergency evacuation, getting your body home, death, accidents etc.

Travel insurance is an added cost, and it all boils down to how many risks you are willing to take. If you are traveling to a country that is known for violence, you might want to at least have some peace of mind. Each traveler’s potential loss is different, and it depends on how much they have paid for the trip in advance, their destination, the financial health of the company or airline that they use, already existing coverage (which include homeowner’s, credit card, and medical insurance) and refundability of the ticket. It’s up to you to understand your options and make a decision.

Tip: Don’t believe travel agents when they encourage you to purchase travel insurance, as they often do it simply to increase the costs of your trip.

2 Travel Insurance Basics: What you Should Know

There are basically five elements included in travel insurance. We are talking about travel interruption insurance (for trip cancellation or interruption), baggage, evacuation, medical and flight insurance. Obviously, you could supplement your policy with additional safety methods, like identity theft or political evacuation or specific insurances for a sporting endeavor, like rock climbing or SCUBA, but in most situations they are not needed. It is very difficult to only purchase one type of insurance. For example, if you are interested to buy travel health insurance (the medical risks of traveling abroad can be covered by your standard health insurance), it might only be possible to purchase it together with baggage or cancellation policies as well.

vaccinations and health insurance

Comprehensive insurance refers to the type of policy which includes the five elements presented above, as well as expenses incurred if the trip is delayed, or if your tour company decides to change the itinerary. This is an excellent insurance to have, because it will take care of all the costs, even if your policies over-lapse with others. For example, if you already have medical insurance separately, your travel insurer will pay for costs without having you worry about out-of-pocket expenses.

Please note that the trip-cancellation coverage works as a reimbursement-only policy. In other words, you will have to prepare for out-of-pocket expenses, and after submitting proper paperwork you will have your money restored. If you are ever in a dire situation, you should contact your insurance company straight away, and ask them how you should proceed.

3 Vaccinations and Other Personal Safety Concerns

Personal safety is imperative when traveling abroad. If you have the feeling that you might be at risk, the costs of travel insurance don’t really matter. The truth is that many people don’t even bother thinking about it if they leave for a two-day London trip, but if you are planning on a longer one you should definitely research the Foreign Office web pages for recommendations on security risks as well as online travel health insurance information beforehand. Additionally, you should leave information about your travel arrangements, return date, emergency contact information and destination with your department or friends.

Should you purchase travel insurance for a lengthy journey? The answer is yes, if you care about your health and wish to avoid out-of-pocket expenses. We have already mentioned that vaccinations are a must when traveling to Europe, Australia or North America, and we urge you not to ignore them. Fit For Travel is an excellent resource for possible diseases in different regions. In most cases, the need for vaccination depends on the destination, period and the activities you will be doing. So if you are only leaving for a conference or meeting, checking into a high-class accommodation and eating in, the chances of catching a disease are slim. However, if you are exposing yourself to places and people with poor hygiene or sanitation, doctors strongly recommend that you get your vaccinations.

Assuming that you have a special situation, which forces you to expose yourself to natural disaster or population disturbance areas, there are additional counter-measures that you should take. Also, if you need two shots, you will probably have to take them a few weeks apart because immunity takes time to develop. Protection against Malaria can be secured through recommended tablets.

4 What is Already Covered By Home, Credit Card and Medical Insurance?

Many people ask themselves: Do you have to have travel insurance? Sometimes the answer is no, simply because the person in question already has excellent coverage from home, medical and credit card insurance. Medical insurance, for example, can cover possible injuries while traveling abroad, while home insurance will often include personal possessions when away from home (this can protect your baggage). Last but not least, your credit card or current account might already include travel insurance with certain limitations (travel insurance from credit cards are usually very basic).

Your First Trip Overseas: Honing the Right Mindset in 7 Easy Steps

Excited about your first trip across the border? You should be, because it’s going to be the kind of experience you remember for the rest of your life. However, you should bear in mind that there’s a right and a wrong way to travel abroad and it’s all about your mindset. Lucky for you, we’re here with tips on how to achieve the right attitude while traveling. first trip overseas - Istanbul Grand Bazaar

1. Things are nothing like at home

This bears repeating into infinity: your first time traveling overseas is going to cause culture shock. It’s going to have you discover realities and cultures you’ve never seen before. It will amaze, scare, and tire you but, at the end of the day, you will love it for this. Don’t take this lightly: there are customs around the world that will come as a major surprise – did you know, for instance, that in parts of Asia, passing gas after a meal is considered the supreme compliment? There are plenty more ‘weird’ habits such as this one out there, so the key is to be prepared to meet them all without judgment.

2. Bargain, but do it cleverly

In some parts of the world, not bargaining for souvenirs or other purchases is considered an offense. Yes, that’s right: if you’re heading to Turkey or parts of the Middle East, you need to understand that the local vendors do expect you to bargain. It’s a social practice very deeply ingrained in their culture – only if you consider the over 3,000 shops in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, you’ll get a feel of what we mean. There is, of course, an art to bargaining, from the time of the day you choose (11:00 to 13:00 works best at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar), to how you play into the seller’s power plays. But, at the end of the day, it’s also an exercise in flexibility, and a skill that’s likely to help you get better deals back home, too.

3. Always try the food

Trying out local cuisines is probably one of the best parts about traveling overseas. From the amazing array of wines and cheeses in France, to some seriously weird street food in Singapore, Thailand, or China, it’s worth trying everything once (unless, of course, you have an allergy). The point is not to act reckless in order to look cool, but to stay open-minded and try to create as authentic an experience as possible. If you’re visiting Tuscany or Sicily, steer clear of the high-end fancy tourist trap restaurants. Invest in a visit to a restaurant with Michelin stars, if you can (but be warned that you probably need to book well in advance). Or, better yet, follow some locals and check out their favorite eateries: they will have you eating pasta and pizza like you never even knew existed!

4. Make friends

Go out to the public square with a bottle of the preferred local beverage: you’re guaranteed to meet interesting new people within minutes, and end up discovering new attractions, sharing tips and tales, and just soaking in the atmosphere. Alternatively, if you’re technologically inclined and bring along a mobile device while you travel, you can use an app like Trippal. This app will allow you to create and tag your own route and search for international travelers with the same route, or for local users of the app. You can share details of your trip with them, ask for advice, or even arrange to meet up, for socializing and making new friends during your first international trip.

5. Have insurance, will travel

No, we’re not trying to sell you anything here, except, perhaps a bit of common sense. No, no one wants to think about accidents, health hazards, and death risks when traveling abroad – especially if it’s their first time. However, you wouldn’t want to be faced with an exorbitant healthcare bill, if push comes to shove, would you? And the worst part is that you can’t even foretell and budget for those costs, according to industry analyses. In the United States, for instance, health care costs vary widely across areas. A routine dentist visit may cost you around $100, but it can go all the way up to $300. Get travel health insurance, because, let’s face it, you’d much rather spend the kind of money healthcare requires on more fun things.

6. Don’t try to see the whole world in one go

Since this is your first time overseas, you might be tempted to take a month, or even a gap year off, and spend six months in eighty different places on the world map. However, the best and most memorable travel experiences are never these, but the ones which allow you to spend a lot of time in fewer places. Think about it: the more destinations you try to cram into a single journey, the more bus terminals, airports, customs checks and visas you will require. And it’s not that you can’t pull off all these things, but, at the end of the journey, they will leave you feeling depleted of energy and zombie-like.

Why not try an approach like ethical traveling, which is partly based on eco-tourism? This can give you the jolt of excitement that multiple destinations can provide, but you would actually be spending a lot of time in one or a handful of places, working toward restoring the economical welfare of an area. Research says integrated ecotourism can generate up to 95 per cent in revenue for local economies.

7. Forget the comfort zone

The comfort zone is all well and good, for, well, comfort – but staying resolutely inside it at all times will do nothing for enriching your experiences. Ever though rice wine (which is 50 per cent alcohol, by the way) could be a good idea in the morning? In some parts of Asia, for instance, you’ll be hard-pressed to turn down an offer of the beverage, no matter how early in the day it may be for you, as this tale from Lintao, County Gansu, China, will tell you. No matter how convinced you are that you know what will happen, give everything a shot once. You never know what’s going to happen.

Do You Need Travel Insurance To Travel Abroad?

Hmmm, perhaps a better question is, Do you need supplemental medical insurance to travel abroad? Even qualified in this manner, the question is still complicated.

Let’s start with what kind of medical insurance do you have in your home country? If the answer is none, perhaps you should still consider medical insurance abroad. Perhaps you believe at home you will be able to rely on the emergency room, or clinics or negotiating with a doctor. But do you want to make the same assumptions in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language? The answer may still be that you don’t need/want the insurance, but you should at least do enough investigation on the internet to know you have a fighting chance if something happens to you. This is more likely to be true in developed, Western countries, and much less likely in developing countries.

If you do have medical insurance at home does it cover you abroad? Probably the easiest thing to do is to call your medical insurance company and ask them directly. But even if they say yes, that does not necessarily mean you are covered. Did they say something like, “reasonable and customary”? Hmmm, if you have to go to a hospital in the Azores, will your insurance company back in the US find those charges reasonable and customary.

As it turns out, in the Azores (and many, but certainly not all, countries in Western Europe) the cost of medical care charged to foreigners is quite reasonably priced. And in most of Western Europe it is pretty easy to find an English speaking doctor. But will your luck be the same in Russia? Or Kenya? Or Thailand? In many 2^nd and 3^rd world countries there are multiple levels of care. The care administered to those with the least amount of money is often free, or at a small cost. But if you want “Western standards of care”, then you will go to a private clinic, and be charged what the market will bear. Sometime/many times this still looks like a bargain rate compared to US prices, but sometimes not.

What if you are on Medicare? The short answer is NO, you are not covered under regular Medicare, with some very specialized exceptions (certain care in Canada and on cruises.) Some supplemental insurance, such as Medigap plans, provide coverage for foreign travel. Medigap plans C through G and M and N cover 80 percent of the cost of emergency care abroad during the first two months of a trip with a $250 deductible and up to $50,000 in a lifetime. Some Medicare private health plans also cover emergency care when you travel outside the United States. Check with your plan

And how do you find out where to go for the level of care you need (e.g., you don’t want to be treated for a stroke in Turkmenistan) can you be medi-vac’d back to your home country?

American Express Platinum offers a concierge service to help get you to a doctor who speaks English and might provide international standards of care. And if required will medi-vac you back to your home country.

Platinum Travel Assistance https://www.americanexpress.com/lacidc/en/laccards/assistancetravel.shtml

Should you have a medical emergency while traveling, Platinum Assistance can provide you with medical assistance in consultation with local attending physicians. Medical visits to your hotel can also be arranged, depending on the circumstances and the resources available in each country. This comprehensive assistance program includes:   • Emergency medical evacuation up to USD $100,000  • Emergency medical services up to USD $20,000  • Emergency dental treatment up to USD $1,000  • Prescription expenses up to USD $1,000  • Hospitalization arrangements, coordination of arrangements for surgery when necessary, medical monitoring, Intensive Therapy or Coronary Care arrangements, emergency message relay.

SOS offers a similar service, as well as actual medical insurance when you travel abroad. https://buymembership.internationalsos.com The key benefit of membership is access. With membership, you gain a 24/7 connection to International SOS’ worldwide infrastructure and resources—logistics coordinators, doctors, security professionals and network providers like hospitals, physicians, ambulances and aviation resources.

About $900 for a 63 year old male for multiple trips over a year. Much less for a single 3 week trip ($166). These prices include full medical insurance traveling abroad as well as medi-vac.