Whether you are going abroad on vacation or business, to study or to relocate, you need to think about your health insurance coverage in the foreign country. This article tells you how to choose the right international travel medical insurance plan.
Whether you are going abroad on vacation or business, to study or to
relocate, you need to think about your health insurance coverage in the
foreign country. Many countries require you provide proof of travel
medical insurance when you enter their borders. You might have a
standard policy, but this won’t do once you leave home. What you need is
comprehensive international medical coverage for health-related
incidents, car accidents, natural disasters or other possible injuries
and incidents, however minor. This article tells you how to choose the
right international travel medical insurance plan.
Points
to Consider When Choosing an International Travel Medical Insurance
Plan
• Purpose of travel: There are
two types of plans available depending upon the purpose of your trip:
International Travel Medical Insurance and International Medical
Insurance.
If you are going abroad on holiday or business, you
require International Travel Medical Insurance. For vacation travel,
look for a plan that covers a single trip. If you are staying abroad for
more than a year, you can get a plan that is renewable. If you’re going
abroad on business and may need to make several trips abroad during a
year, choose an annual plan that covers multiple journeys. Plans are
also available for people who maintain more than one country of
residence. International Medical Insurance is what you need when you
are moving to or relocating to another country. It can provide
comprehensive coverage for a wide range of routine and emergency medical
services and treatment in the foreign country such as: -
-
Medical benefits including hospital room and stay, out-patient services,
intensive care medical expenses, and local ambulance - Prescription
drugs - Emergency room admission due to accident and illness along
with in-patient admission - Dental injury caused by accidents and
unexpected dental pain
• Destination:
Corporate travelers and missionaries travel different countries and will
have to find adequate international health insurance coverage for those
regions. Also, note that as medical care can be expensive in North
America, plans that cover both the USA and Canada might cost more than
other countries.
• Additional benefits:
Besides these standard benefits, always look for additional benefits.
Coverage for medical evacuation and return of mortal remains is
important as it could cost from $50,000 to $100,000. Other things which
your plan should ideally cover includes sports and other activities,
sudden aggravation of a pre-existing condition, food poisoning,
accidental death and dismemberment, emergency medical evacuation,
redundant, political evacuation, trip interruption, and baggage loss.
•
Services for your global requirements: You are in a foreign
country where language could be a problem. So make sure your plan offers
access to international, multilingual customer service including
translation and interpretation support. Moreover, international claims
processing services and 24-hour access to efficient emergency services
are crucial. Travel alert warnings, lost passport/travel document
assistance, and provider referrals are also extremely useful for
international travelers.
Benefit from Professional
Guidance
It’s easy to purchase travel medical insurance because it is
relatively inexpensive. But navigating plans and choosing the right one
is easier when you have professional guidance. An experienced
independent health insurance broker that represents leading travel insurance companies can help you
find a plan that offers you comprehensive coverage with access to
medical services worldwide.
Tracy McManamon is a health and travel insurance consultant at One Source Benefits. He offers travel medical insurance plans that meets client specific requirements.
