International Medical Insurance - Stay Safe When You Travel

By Judy Wellsworth

Everyday you can go about your business with the peace of mind of knowing that you are covered. When life throws something unexpected your way, your medical insurance has you covered. But what about when you leave the safety of your country's soil? If you are traveling abroad and not covered by your regular health insurance, international medical insurance can help you fill the gaps.

Most regular insurance plans do not cover you when you are overseas. In all the excitement of planning our trips, we often fail to think about the fact that, if some unforeseen medical emergency were to occur, we have no coverage. You would be at the mercy of a foreign country's healthcare system, which may not provide the adequate care or payment solutions that you need.

Getting Traveler's Insurance
The first step in planning for your medical needs overseas is to look at your regular insurance policy. It will tell you all the specifics about what is covered and what is not covered. Most plans have some limited coverage options for travelers built in. For example, there may be coverage for life-threatening illnesses or serious accidents. Look at your plan carefully and see what is already offered.

If there is some coverage that you lack in your regular plan, you can sometimes get short-term coverage for your trip. Your insurance company can attach what is called a "rider" to your current policy, extending coverage for the specific times you will be traveling.

If they can't cover you, or if you aren't happy with the coverage options, you can also take out a supplemental insurance policy from another company to cover your visit. This might be especially handy if you will be away from your home country for a long trip. Coverage from your company may be hard to get for more than a week or two.

How Much Will It Cost?
Rates vary among different companies and for different lengths of time. Different carriers will also get different rates. Some countries will carry higher insurance policies than others. For example, a country where there are certain risks may be harder to insure. It also depends on the healthcare structure of the country.

You will also be asked if you will be engaging in any risky behavior overseas. This would include extreme sports such as mountain climbing or deep sea diving. These activities carry high risks and are hard to insure, but some companies offer special supplemental package deals for extreme sports travelers.

Coverage Options
Depending on where you are heading and what you are doing, you may want to consider some different options with your coverage. For example, you may want coverage for medical supplies.
If you are going to a remote area and may need to provide your own First Aid, you can get covered for this.

Another possible option is evacuation. Nobody wants to think about something terrible happening when they are overseas, but there are sometimes emergencies. Evacuation insurance will cover the costs of getting you to a safe place.

Billing options also vary. Some companies will expect you to pay everything out of pocket, and they will reimburse you later. This is an important issue, because you need to make sure you have the cash on hand to pay. In some countries, medical attention may be denied until the bill is paid.

International Medical Insurance Tips
Your insurance company will issue you an ID card and you should keep it with you at all times. It may be more important than the money you are carrying.

There are several international organizations that provide emergency help for international travelers. These include Medex and SOS. There is also the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT), which offers free services.

When you are traveling, it is important that you have the same peace of mind you would have at home. Look at your insurance policy's international medical insurance coverage and pick the best option for you.

You can also find more information at Short Term Health Insurance and Travel Medical Insurance.

Medicalhealthinsuranceguide.org is a comprehensive resource to get help about health insurance.

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