Travel Insurance

One of the most important decisions you can make when planning a trip or vacation is the decision to purchase travel health insurance.

Imagine for a moment that you and your family have embarked on a long-awaited and planned-for vacation to Europe. You finally arrive at your destination and excitedly set out on a day tour of your first city. During the day, one of your family members falls ill or slips and breaks a leg. Do you have any idea how much it will cost for an ambulance trip in this foreign country? How about doctor’s fees, hospital services and medications?…

Many people neglect to buy this ‘just-in-case’ coverage, and every year thousands are stranded in faraway places when they are hurt or struck with illness. Don’t let a vacation incident become a vacation nightmare when you cannot pay for emergency medical coverage you sorely need.

Unfamiliar Territory

When you are visiting foreign places there are often aspects you will be unfamiliar with; the local terrain, animals, plants and insects, and food are just some examples. Add to this possible difficulties in communicating because you don’t speak the language or understand the local customs, and you could be setting yourself up for a difficult time should anything unexpected happen.

Like any good insurance product, the premium is always worth the coverage when you need it, and is often overlooked by consumers. Most people have an ‘it won’t happen to me’ complex - don’t be most people!

What to Know

The following are things to look for when perusing travel health insurance (also known as travel accident insurance) options. Make sure the Policy offers at least the following:

• Any charges for ambulance services to the nearest hospital
• Hospital accommodations as needed
• Any laboratory testing and x-rays
• Doctors, surgeons and nurses’ fees
• Emergency prescribed medications

In general, be sure and ask for a policy which covers at least the above-mentioned. Additional questions to ask include:

• Specific amounts of coverage and what is excluded, if anything
• Is there a deductible and how much?
• Are sports related injuries covered?
• Are any medical emergencies due to pre-existing conditions covered or excluded?
• Is every member of your family or travel group covered in the plan?
• Is there a provision for costs incurred if a flight is missed and a more expensive flight has to be booked? What about missed work due to illness or accident?
• Is the cost of returning the sick or injured person home covered?

Medical emergencies can be expensive no matter where they occur. Add to this the disappointment and confusion that comes with being ill or injured while on vacation, and you have a disaster in the making. Travel health insurance is an effective and cost-efficient way to secure peace of mind so you can go have some fun!