Travel Insurance Considerations
More trips means more opportunities to find a travel insurance plan with the right coverage
Ann purchased a travel insurance policy for emergency medical evacuation before climbing the mountains of a European country. A few days later, she suffered from severe chest pains and feared for her life. A private jet whisked her off from the mountain to the nearest local hospital.
A seasoned cardiologist treated her until she was back in shape. Deeming her fit to resume her mountain climbing activity, she went back to the mountain after receiving an evacuation coverage of $11,500 with medical services worth $5,000. Travel insurance companies that specialize in medical evacuation are doing their clients a great favor.
Travel planning will never be complete without travel insurance. As more and more people hunger for adventure, venturing out into far-flung places, policies are now offering more choices but have become more complicated as well. All your travel insurance decisions must take into account the scope of your coverage, hospital options, medical support and emergency evacuation at the very least.
How Travel Insurance Can Help You Abroad
In the past several months, enrolment among senior travellers age 65 above has significantly increased. Most medical complaints were cardiac and orthopedic problems.
Travellers with pre-existing chronic conditions exacerbate their situation by adding physically demanding activities to their itinerary. If you intend to fly off to a distant foreign country, then don't short-change yourself with run-of-the-mill trip cancellation coverage. Pick the most comprehensive travel insurance package you can find, ideally one that accounts for not more than eight percent of your total trip expense with full financial reimbursement in case you have to cancel your trip due to illness or injury. Your travel insurance plan must also cover medical assistance, medical evacuation, choice of hospital and all other important considerations mentioned earlier. You never know what to expect when you get to your destination so preparation is the key.
Pay attention because comprehensive plans are not the same. There are those that prioritize convenience over quality health-care and you'll soon find yourself receiving treatment from a hospital with standards below your expectations. Some insurance providers repackage their evacuation plans as travel insurance plans when they actually have nothing more to offer – not even the medical care. That's why read your policy at all times. The product description will expose the plan's real nature, giving you enough time to look for a better plan.
Examine Your Travel Insurance Policy
When in doubt, look to your travel insurance policy for enlightenment. Most of the things you need to know including the scope of your coverage can be found in your policy. A five-figure coverage for medical costs in countries like the United States does seem hefty but emergency evacuation from distant places may cost you hundreds of thousands.
See if your international travel is classified as “out of network” when checking your travel insurance policy. Should this be the case, check your reimbursement rate.
Don't forget to screen your travel insurer. List down a few basic questions to facilitate your decision-making. Start by asking the following:
- How soon would they respond to an emergency?
- Do they offer 24/7 medical assistance?
- Will experienced medical professionals handle my queries or concerns?
- Do they cover pre-existing conditions?
There's a silver lining to every piece of bad news and what's good is that nowadays travel insurance providers offer better access to health-care. We also see great improvement in the response department. Medipac Travel Insurance has a 24-hour emergency hotline operated by a dedicated team of medical professionals popularly known as Medipac Assist.
Medical evacuation presents the biggest financial risk to travellers. In this regard, your coverage has to to correspond with your destination. So if you need to be airlifted from Latin America to North America, your evacuation cost may not exceed $50,000. However, should you need to be evacuated from Europe or Asia, expenses could be between $100,000 and $200,000.
Compare Travel Insurance Plans and Prices
A political philosopher once said that you have to make comparisons so your mind can proceed. To come up with the best purchase decision, compare travel medical insurance plans and prices. Search online if you're pressed for time. You can also call different insurance providers or touch base with various agents. See what makes a particular policy different from the others.
Different plans have different coverages. Some providers charge for membership while others cover on a per-trip basis. A better option, though, particularly if you're a habitual traveller would be to get an annual travel insurance plan which provides coverage for all trips you'll be taking throughout the year.
The best travel policy is one that covers most stable pre-existing conditions. All that's required is for you to honestly disclose your medical situation to your insurance provider so adjustments and considerations can be made.