When we travel within the U.S., I don’t give much thought to travel insurance before the trip. I make sure to use a credit card with good travel protections, and if I rent a car, I use a card that acts as the primary coverage if there’s damage to the vehicle. For medical coverage, I’ll have my insurance card in my wallet if I get sick or, even worse if there’s some sort of emergency.
When traveling outside the United States, there are a bunch of things to think about. You need to reconfirm travel arrangements, make sure you have all the necessary travel documents and visas and arrange for your mail to be held, your pets to be looked after and everything else that goes through your head. It’s easy to forget that you should also consider buying a travel medical insurance policy for your trip.
That’s because even if your medical insurance reimburses you for expenses abroad, they will most likely be considered out-of-network charges with high deductibles and copays. If you have Medicare, you don’t have any coverage at all.
According to an article from Consumer Reports,
“Most domestic health plans provide limited coverage overseas and won’t cover prescriptions abroad,” says Margaret Wilson, M.D., chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare Global, which is part of UnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurer in the U.S.
If your insurer does provide coverage for medical treatment you get in another country, the care is typically reimbursed at an out-of-network rate, which means higher out-of-pocket costs.
So while medical costs outside the U.S. may be lower than what we’re used to here, I don’t want to pay out of pocket if I need to see a doctor while I’m away.
How to find an insurance company
I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to spend time searching around websites of insurance companies comparing policies. I’ve found that in this instance, using a comparison-shopping website works best for my needs. For as long as I can remember, I’ve used InsureMyTrip.com. I can’t say if they’re the best, easiest to use or the cheapest website but I’ve always been able to find coverages for our trips. All you need to do is plug in the information about your trip (countries visited, activities planned and dates of travel) and some personal information (the ages of the travelers is all they ask for a quote). The website searches for policies from many different insurance providers.
The default setting is for a comprehensive policy which includes:
- Trip delay, cancellation, and interruption
- Baggage delay or loss
- Accidental death
- Medical Evacuation
- Medical and dental coverage
- and other coverages
Medical Coverage Policies
The premiums will vary based on your age, where you’re traveling, the level of coverage you choose and the duration of your trip. Several countries require you to have medical coverage to enter.
If you travel outside the U.S. several times a year, it may make sense to purchase a multi-trip policy.
Final Thoughts
I wouldn’t think of traveling outside the United States without having medical coverage. This doesn’t mean that I’ve forgotten until the day before the trip to purchase the policy. Fortunately, unlike getting other types of insurance, the process is quick and straightforward. I’m sure I might be able to find a better price if I went around and searched policies myself, but since the price is already relatively low, this is an instance where I’m happy to save some time even if I have to pay a few extra dollars.
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