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- Travel medical insurance covers unexpected emergency medical expenses while traveling.
- Travelers off to foreign countries or remote areas should strongly consider travel medical insurance.
- If you have to use your travel medical insurance, keep all documents related to your treatment.
Of all the delights associated with travel to far-flung locales, getting sick or injured while away from home is low on the savvy traveler's list. Beyond gut-wrenching anxiety, seeking medical treatment in a foreign country can be exceedingly inconvenient and expensive.
The peace of mind that comes with travel insurance for the many things that could ail you while abroad is priceless. As options for travel-related insurance abound, it's essential to research, read the fine print, and act according to the specifics of your itinerary, pocketbook, and other needs.
Key benefits of travel medical insurance
Travel insurance reimburses you for any unexpected medical expenses incurred while traveling. On domestic trips, travel medical insurance usually take a backseat to your health insurance. However, when traveling to a foreign country, where your primary health insurance can't cover you, travel medical insurance takes the wheel. This can be especially helpful in countries with high medical care costs, such as Scandinavian countries.
Emergency medical evacuation insurance
Another benefit that often comes with travel medical insurance, emergency medical evacuation insurance covers you for any costs to transport you to an adequately equipped medical center. Emergency medical evacuation insurance is often paired with repatriation insurance, which covers costs associated with returning your remains to your home country if the worst happens.
These benefits are for worst-case scenarios, but they might be more necessary depending on the type of trips you take. Emergency medical evacuation insurance is helpful if you're planning on traveling to a remote location or if you're traveling on a cruise as sea to land evacuations can be costly. Some of the best travel insurance companies also offer non-medical evacuations as part of an adventure sports insurance package.
It's also worth mentioning that emergency medical evacuation insurance is required for international students studying in the US on a J Visa.
Types of coverage offered by travel medical insurance
The exact terms of your coverage will vary depending on your insurer, but you can expect most travel medical insurance policies to offer the following coverages.
- Hospital room and board
- Inpatient/outpatient hospital services
- Prescription Drugs
- COVID-19 treatment
- Emergency room services
- Urgent care visits
- Local ambulance
- Acute onset of pre-existing conditions
- Dental coverage (accident/sudden relief of pain)
- Medical care due to terrorist attack
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Repatriation of mortal remains
- Accidental death and dismemberment
Travel medical insurance and pre-existing conditions
Many travel insurance providers will cover pre-existing conditions as long as certain conditions are met. For one, travelers need to purchase their travel insurance within a certain time frame from when they placed a deposit on their trip, usually two to three weeks.
Additionally, travel insurance companies usually only cover stable medical conditions, which are conditions that don't need additional medical treatment, diagnosis, or medications.
Who needs travel medical insurance?
Even the best-laid travel plans can go awry. As such, it pays to consider your potential healthcare needs before taking off, even if you are generally healthy. Even if well-managed, preexisting conditions like diabetes or asthma can make a medical backup plan even more vital.
Having what you need to refill prescriptions or get other care if you get stuck somewhere other than home could be essential to your health and well-being. That's without counting all the accidents and illnesses that can hit us when away from home.
Individuals traveling for extended periods (more than six months) or engaging in high-risk activities (think scuba diving or parasailing) should also consider a solid medical travel plan. Both scenarios increase the likelihood that medical attention, whether routine or emergency, could be needed.
In the case of travel via the friendly seas, it's also worth considering cruise trip medical travel insurance. Routine care will be available onboard. But anything beyond that will require transportation to the nearest land mass (and could quickly become extremely expensive, especially if you're in another country).
Like other types of insurance, medical travel insurance rates are calculated based on various factors. Failing to disclose a preexisting health condition could result in a lapse of coverage right when you need it, as insurers can cancel your policy if you withhold material information. So honesty is always the best policy.
Choosing the right travel medical insurance
Even the best-laid travel plans can go awry. As such, it pays to consider your potential healthcare needs before taking off, even if you are generally healthy. Making the right choice when shopping for travel medical insurance can mean the difference between a minor hiccup in your travels and a financial nightmare.
When a travel insurance company comes up with a quote for your policy, they take a few factors into consideration, such as your age, your destination, and the duration of your trip. You should do the same when assessing a travel insurance company.
For example, older travelers who are more susceptible to injury may benefit from travel medical insurance (though your premiums will be higher). If you're traveling for extended periods throughout one calendar year, you should look into an annual travel medical insurance plan. If you're engaging in high-risk activities (think scuba diving or parasailing), you should seek a plan that includes coverage for injuries sustained in adventure sports.
In the case of travel via the friendly seas, it's also worth considering cruise trip medical travel insurance. Routine care will be available onboard. But anything beyond that will require transportation to the nearest land mass (and could quickly become extremely expensive, especially if you're in another country).
How to use travel medical insurance
Travel medical insurance isn't just for peace of mind. If you travel often enough, there's a good chance you'll eventually experience an incident where medical treatment is necessary.
Before you submit your claim, you should take some time to understand your policy. Your travel medical insurance is either primary (you can submit claims directly to your travel medical insurance provider) or secondary (you must first submit claims to your primary insurance provider). In the case of secondary travel medical insurance, a refusal notice from your primary insurance provider, even if it does not cover medical claims outside the US, is often required as evidence of protocol.
On that note, you should be sure to document every step of your medical treatment. You should keep any receipts for filled prescriptions, hospital bills, and anything else documenting your medical emergency.
As many people have found out the hard way, reading the fine print is vital. Most travel insurance policies will reimburse your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if you fall ill with a severe condition, including illnesses like COVID-19.
Is travel medical insurance right for your next trip?
Still on the fence about whether or not medical travel insurance is worth it? It's worth noting that many travel insurance plans also include medical protections, so you can also protect against trip cancellations and other unexpected developments while obtaining travel medical insurance.
While short, domestic trips may not warrant travel medical insurance, it may be a good idea to insure longer, international trips. You should also consider travel medical insurance for trips to remote areas, where a medical evacuation may be expensive, and more physically tasking trips.
While shopping for travel medical insurance may not be fun, a little advance leg work can let you relax on your trip and give you peace of mind. After all, that is the point of a vacation.
Medical travel insurance frequently asked questions
What's the difference between trip insurance and travel medical insurance?
Trip insurance covers any unexpected financial losses while traveling, such as the cost of replacing lost luggage, trip interruptions, and unexpected medical expenses. Travel medical insurance just covers those medical expenses without the trip interruption or cancellation insurance.
Are adventure sports and activities covered under travel medical insurance?
Travel insurance companies usually offer adventure sports as add-on coverage or a separate plan entirely. You'll likely pay more for a policy with adventure sports coverage.
Does travel medical insurance cover COVID-19 related medical expenses?
Many travel medical insurance policies now include coverage for COVID-19 related medical expenses and treat it like any other illness. However, you should double-check your policy to ensure that is the case.
Hannah Van Sickle is a freelance writer who lives and works in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. After a decade teaching English at public and private high schools, she made the switch to freelancing. Hannah works with college-bound seniors on their application essays and contributes regularly to Berkshire magazine and The Berkshire Edge; essays about her journey parenting daughters can be found at Refinery29, Modern Loss, and SheKnows.
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