While not strictly travel insurance it is an important consideration when traveling. For some reason, people seem to think that their health insurance automatically covers them when traveling. The number of times we hear of someone who heads across the border for a few days and ends up bankrupting themselves because of a fall is alarming. We still have the attitude that it will never happen to us even if it happens to someone we know. If you don't have insurance you may get minimal attention if any. You may get top notch healthcare at five star prices. No matter how long you are traveling for, get the insurance - the downside of the gamble is too great.
This might apply for the residents of USA, but not for Europeans! Europeans have to order an international healthcare card from the national healthcare website and they can be treated in any European country free of charge! You can still buy additional health insurance if you wish, but it's definitely not needed! If you are leaving Europe, however, you have to buy insurance! You don't want to go bankrupt while on a holiday, as you've correctly pointed out!
Health insurance is very important for us. Especially before going somewhere faraway form your hometown. About one year ago I also visited Canada. I do my insurance through “safe visit” and I must say a very nice and cooperative sit for tourists. Fast Stats provides quick access to statistics on topics of public health importance, including: diseases and conditions, injuries, life stages and populations and health care insurance.
I always make sure to get the best health insurance when I'm abroad. It's one of the most important factors to consider when leaving the country. With a health insurance, you know you're covered for 99% of the medical issues that could happen there.
The above posts are really informative and help to know much about the Health Insurance. But I have no idea how to take any policy and what are the formalities to be fulfill before taking any health insurance.? Guys, Who will like to brief it completely because I never get health policy before.
Thanks for reminding me of this! I'm thinking about going on a trip with my friends in a few months to Europe. We know that it's really important to get health insurance, but major thanks for this article. I have known some people that didn't and they're in quite a lot of trouble right now.
You know, I never took travel insurance seriously until I actually got to work in a company that provides travel insurance plans. True enough, it is not the same as a regular health insurance or life insurance for that matter. Travel insurance is simply a different dimension all on its own. What's great about travel insurance is that you get covered regardless of your location - particularly if you get a plan with medical insurance. That's the most disastrous thing that can happen to a person. When they get sick whilst travelling and so many issues to consider too including language, scope of coverage and overall cost of hospitalization.
As a frequent traveler - travel insurance with comprehensive health cover is always a must have for me, regardless of what country I'm visiting - however as it is often an area that tends to get over looked when booking holidays - especially as many people assume that their basic travel insurance covers all medical costs too. I would just say - that as most basic travel insurance policies generally only offer limited medical cover - for example emergency treatment for accidents and injuries - but not ongoing treatment after that or treatment for pre-existing conditions - taking our extra health cover is the sensible thing to do and especially now that many countries who still have nationalized health care programs are now only treating citizens and not visitors. Which as that means - should you need to visit a hospital, a clinic or be hospitalized - that not only would your treatment be delayed if you didn't have cover - as you would be expected to pay for all services and treatment up front prior to receiving any kind of treatment - but also that it would be extremely expensive - particularly as visitors or rather tourists are now generally referred to the private health sector - and even more so - if medical evacuation to a better equipped medical facility or to your home country is needed - taking out extra health insurance when traveling is very definitely worthwhile - especially as all the costs previously mentioned can easily amount to a huge amount of cash in a matter of hours.
I made the stupid mistake of not getting good health insurance and ended up paying for it! So nowadays I always make sure I have good health cover whilst going abroad. I think its better for your children if you do this also. Finding good health insurance is a must. Great point to make!
I believe you are referring toPlease Log In to view this link! It is still a type ofPlease Log In to view this link! but its main focus is on the preservation of your health in the event of a disease or medical emergency while travelling abroad. Though travel medical insurance is part and parcel of travel insurance, it is a major plan type. Many people get travel medical insurance and incorporate it into their multi-trip plan. They sometimes avail of optional features like coverage for baggage loss and trip cancellations and delays.
When I think of travel insurance I always think of coverage for missed flights or lost baggage. I know better now, I need to look into the health coverage that is available not just when I go out of the country but also from one state to another. It has come to my attention that if a helicopter needs to take you to a hospital it can be very expensive, like thousands of dollars, which cab bankrupt a person if they do not have the correct coverage.
Yeah it is an important travel consideration. I found this thread useful for me although i have my insurance but my cousin he is not in this favour.
Yes. I think I said the same thing on another thread as well. Insurance is a must while traveling because even though each country has a different healthcare system and may have different levels of infrastructure, the one thing that's common across the board is money. You need it to get anything fixed well no matter where you are in the world. And its not a wise thing to leave things to chance in a foreign country. So, get the best insurance travel+health that you can get.
My husband and I are travelers but we never considered getting an insurance. I actually have a life insurance already but the airline's offer of travel insurance is always ignored whenever we book online. My husband says that the travel insurance is just extra expenses and if something happens, we wouldn't know if we would get a benefit from it. And I have to agree because the insurance is not clear with the coverage.
Health insurance is a mandatory condition by certain countries if you are visiting them even on tourist Visa because they do not want to take any responsibility of visitors. The health insurance provider in my country know that and take full advantage of it. They charge very high premium but return so little and the worst thing there are too many fine prints which makes it almost impossible to claim anything unless one is claiming the ultimate- For Death. Even that has too many conditions.
If you don't have health insurance, you should at least subscribe to health insurance plan when you are traveling. When you are traveling, you may become sick because various factors such as change in weather, change in food habit, travel related stress etc. If you have health insurance while traveling,it will cover your expenses on your medical bills.
I already have health insurance to fulfill the need of my health problems I may face while in my country and never travel outside of my country without having a travel insurance plan which covers my health as well other problems like passport, baggage and other losses. They provide you a fixed amount for each problem depending upon the amount of insurance.
