Going on vacation abroad is a fun and dangerous adventure but illness and accidents are always possible although the medical expenses are expensive. The level of international medical coverage provided by your domestic insurance provider can vary greatly depending on your plan, so you may have very limited coverage or no coverage at all. A travel medical insurance plan can provide the coverage you need.
What factors should I consider?
Requirements of the country
The country might ask you to get travel medical insurance to enter. Schengen countries insist that visa applicants provide proof of travel medical insurance to cover repatriation, emergency medical care, hospitalization on an urgent basis, etc.
Paying Out of Pocket
Traveling without insurance exposes you to huge out-of-pocket medical costs and trying to negotiate a foreign healthcare system with no support.
Quality Medical Care
There are some places where you can’t access high-quality medical care and there are also destinations that are unsafe for health and safety reasons. Think of pandemics in the world, terrorist threats, politics, and so on.
Language and Currency Barriers
You may have language and currency restrictions that prevent you from accessing high-quality medical services. There are almost 7,000 world languages and 180 world currencies.
Other Requirements
You may also be asked to take out travel health insurance depending on the reason for your visit. Participants going on certain voyages, organized tours, working holidays, missionary travel, and cruises — might also need to purchase coverage.
Additional Plans
International Tourists
Travelers even with the best plans don’t get free of car accidents, hurricanes, political protests, and other surprises. You probably know what you’re going to get for your current medical insurance but there are instances where it’s not.
Family from Outside of the U.S.
Visitor Insurance is usually used to describe medical travel insurance policies for foreigners coming to the U.S.A. They are ideal for non-U.S. citizens who have U.S. health insurance but aren’t covered outside the U.S.
International Student Health Insurance Plans
International student health insurance plans have the right combination of plan benefits, coverage, and price to cover you. IMG student health plans will be healthy for your pocketbook, too.
Global Business Professionals
Employees on the move and in residence abroad require constant access to excellent health care, health insurance, and the kind of personal attention that shows you value their health and well-being as an organization.
Comparing Travel Insurance Plans
There is a lot to choose from when choosing the right travel insurance policy. There are so many and they can appear almost the same. All plans have similar features and coverage amounts for cancellation, trip interruption, medical bills, and evacuation expenses. You will know what to look for and it will be a lot easier to pick the right plan. Here are six things to remember when shopping for travel insurance.
Primary vs. Secondary Insurance:
If you need health care on your trip, know what type of coverage you have. If you have primary coverage that means you will make the claim directly with the travel insurance company and they will be the first to pay out any eligible medical claims irrespective of your other insurance. Only after primary coverage has made its payment does secondary coverage cover the remaining eligible costs.
That means you might need to claim for different providers and this can cause your claim to get delayed. The general rule of thumb is that if you want the fastest claims processing without a lot of headaches, go with a primary plan. But you will also find that some people might want to get a secondary coverage plan if they have other coverage as secondary plans are usually cheaper.
Total Trip Cost Limits:
While all plans offer trip cancellation protection of 100% of your trip expenses, it’s important to know the maximum trip expense you can cover with each plan because it will be different. If you are going on a vacation, either a luxury vacation or a large family vacation abroad, make sure the plan you are purchasing has a maximum trip cost that is enough to be refunded for the trip’s non-refundable expenses. There are plans with maximum trip amounts of $10,000 and less and plans with maximum sums up to $150,000.
Be Selective with Maximum Benefit Limits:
When first comparing plans, you might be tempted to choose the plan that offers the most benefits overall, but often it is smarter to choose one where the maximums seem like they are right for the kind of trip you’re planning. Medical evacuation maximums are yours to weigh, so where you are going, what you doing, what you’re getting, etc. The same goes for the evacuation coverage limits; a higher maximum limit is important for journeys where you’re more likely to find yourself in an evacuation scenario, such as a vacation to a foreign country. When you’re shopping, you can easily see the plan with the most cap in the highlighted benefits, but then weigh in on trip risks or trip costs to figure out which is right for you.
Reasons Covered:
Do not miss a plan’s reasons covered. These are the scenarios that could happen that you could use your trip cancellation benefit, and you want to know them. Depending on what definitions are in a plan language, sickness for a loved one might mean quite differently than in another plan. Are grandparents included? What about step-children? A few have even a dog or cat in the covered reasons for delaying a vacation. Also, ask what’s needed to establish the covered reason (a doctor’s note, if it’s for a pet, veterinarian). Always read the fine print!
Niche Benefits:
There is no universal travel insurance benefit structure, so look out for some extras. Some plans have dog owners included, such as insurance to cover an extra night in the kennel in case you’re late on your return home. When traveling for a trip where you are renting a car, make sure you have a plan that will include rental car damage or theft coverage. And, if your equipment (like golf clubs or skis) goes missing, late, or damaged on the way somewhere, some policies will help you to rent them instead. So, depending on the travel purpose you’re making it could be a plan that’s ideal because of one of these unique inclusions only a certain plan has.
Name Of Company:
After you find the plan of your dreams, always consider the name of the company that provides the plan. Search for one that’s a veteran company that can be counted on to pay. As for claims and service, ask the provider if they outsource their claims//customer service departments or if they do everything in-house. The care, service, and timeframe that you get can sometimes be the difference between a good travel insurance experience and a great one.
Difference Between Travel Medical Insurance and Health Insurance
Travel medical insurance is a complementary policy that covers you while traveling. It’s valid for the amount of time you’re away and is designed to replace your health insurance when you’re out of coverage.
You may not have health insurance if you have a health emergency during your trip, and the treatment and services you need may not be covered by your policy. Travel medical insurance is there to fill in the gaps here.
How Law and Visas Can Help?
At Law and Visas, our team of expert immigration consultants is here to make your travel straightforward and successful. Whether you’re applying for a Schengen Visa or a UK Visa, we handle every step—from preparing your application to gathering the required documents.
Our Immigration Consultants and Lawyers ensure that your application meets the highest standards, with no details missed. We’ll also keep you informed throughout the process and coordinate with the immigration office or embassy on your behalf.
Law and Visas have a strong record of helping clients secure the visas/permits they need for International travel. You can call us today at +234 812 5505 986 to learn how we can help you.