Is Travel Health Insurance Necessary?
Travel health insurance is a special policy designed to cover medical expenses if you get sick or injured on a trip. A common question for those that do not travel often is if travel insurance is necessary.
Travel health insurance is usually purchased for foreign trips, and although it’s designed to be used for a limited period of time, there are travel medical policies for expats that can be purchased for trips that last multiple years.
Whether you need travel health insurance depends on how likely you think it is that you might need medical care during your trip, how well your existing health insurance policy covers you when you travel abroad, and on your ability to pay for medical care if the need arises.
For most people—and particularly for people who are older or are traveling to a less-developed area—the answer is probably yes. Here’s why:
Expenses of Foreign Medical Care
Before you plunge into a travel insurance policy, check your existing health insurance. Some companies will pay what they refer to as “customary and reasonable” medical costs if you need care in a foreign country, which means you don’t have to duplicate that kind of coverage in a travel policy.
Pay close attention to what’s not covered in your policy. Most domestic insurers will not pay to have you evacuated out of a foreign country for a medical emergency.
If that’s not a cost you are capable of paying—or are willing to pay—for the consequences of something as simple and unpredictable as an auto accident, for example, you might want to buy extra insurance.
Risks of Illness
Foreign travel can be rigorous for anyone, given the changes in elevation and climate, and the presence of unfamiliar microbes. In some parts of the world, questionable water quality and sanitation compound the hazards.
The State Department recommends that anyone with a pre-existing medical condition, ranging from a heart problem to allergies, carry a letter from their physician that describes the condition, the treatment for it, and any prescription drugs that are being used, including their generic names. Prescription drugs should be carried in their original containers with their original labels.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tips on the immunizations that are required for trips to foreign countries and special conditions that may exist in those countries.
If you do get sick while you are abroad, an American consulate will help you locate the medical care you need and help arrange for travel back to the US. You will need to pay the bills, however, so be sure to pack your regular medical policy’s ID card and confirmation of your travel policy, if you decide to buy one.
Combine Health Insurance with Travel Insurance
In addition to travel health insurance, you may want to consider travel insurance plans that combine travel medical insurance with coverage to protect your travel investment. Things like lost luggage, cancellation of flights, and cruise line or hotel bankruptcy can ruin your travel plans. Along with your health insurance, travel insurance agencies can provide you with cancellation insurance, which may cover all or some of your costs.
Don’t Forget Your Medications!
If you plan to travel to a foreign country, it is important that you provide for your medication needs before leaving. An illness in the middle of your trip can ruin your vacation and cost you money to get needed medications.
Before you leave for your trip, see your doctor to get an ample supply of all your prescription medications. Also, talk to your doctor about your change in schedule and ask when to take medications if you are moving through different time zones.
Article Sources
- U.S. Department of State. Travel.State.gov. Your Health Abroad; Check Your Health Insurance—Are You Covered Abroad?
- Medicare.gov. Your Medicare Coverage. Travel (when you need health care outside the U.S.).
Additional Reading
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Travelers’ Health. Vaccines. Medicines. Advice.
- U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. Insurance Providers for Overseas Coverage