Cheap Travel Health Insurance
If you’re one of the many people who doesn’t have travel insurance, you need to take a look at this post. Travelers often don't think about health insurance when they're planning their trips, but they should know that emergency medical treatment in a foreign country can be expensive and difficult to obtain.
Having travel health insurance can not only save your bank account should you experience any costly accidents or fall victim to an ailment while abroad, it also protects your credit standing! Plus it's better for the environment - no one wants to be responsible for that much CO2 emissions! Read on for more information on how travel health insurance works and why it's important.
Believe it or not, many people the world over do not have travel health insurance. I know, I know—how can this be? After all, if you're planning to travel internationally, you need to have some kind of coverage. (It doesn't hurt to make sure that you're covered in case of any major medical problems at home either.)
In order for the insurance you buy to be useful and worthwhile, it has to cover things that are common (and pricey) abroad. It's called the "ACT" rule—Air, Cruise, and Tour. That's because there are three types of medical emergencies that to be covered in the event of a trip:
Accidental injury (falls, accidents like broken bones) Hospitalization (lengthy stays in hospitals that force you to miss your flight home) Cancellation of your tour or cruise for medical reasons.
If you don't have travel health insurance, you may think nothing happens if you get sick in a foreign country while vacationing. A few days in the hospital and all is well! But that's not always how things work. Sometimes the cost to get you home from a foreign country can be so high that you can't afford it. Then you'll have to pay for your own trip.
The only reason why we give our money to insurance companies is because they use it wisely—to cover us in case illness or accident strikes while traveling. If they didn't use it wisely and spent our money just paying off other folks' medical bills, we'd get sicker because they wouldn't be paying for us! Think about that the next time your credit card bill comes in...
Not All Insurance Is Created Equal!
There are many different kinds of travel health insurance. They're not all created equal. Here's a quick breakdown of the types:
Travel Medical Insurance—this is the most basic level, and it will cover you for emergency medical care only. No pre-existing conditions are covered, and you'll have to find your own way home if you get sick while traveling. The upside is that it is less expensive than other plans! If your trip is short and your health good, check into this option before the other choices below. Note: This option won't cover things like dental or eye care—you'll have to look at supplemental insurance for those needs.
International Health Insurance—cover more of your medical needs when you travel. This is a more comprehensive coverage option and will cover a few things that the typical medical insurance won't—namely your transportation home if you need a medical evacuation. These policies usually will cover things like vision and dental care. Keep in mind though, that the price for this type of coverage is higher than that of the basic travel medical insurance.
Trip Cancellation Insurance—this is an added layer of protection (and it should be included with any health insurance policy in case you can't complete your trip). It will cover your expenses in the event of a trip cancellation due to illness or injury.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions—if you're already sick and planning on traveling, this is a coverage option you need. It covers the costs associated with your treatment if you become ill or injured while traveling. These policies are often very expensive.
Children's Health Insurance—this will cover your kids when they travel abroad for longer stays than most adults do (like during school breaks or family vacations). Make sure that you don't forget about them—many policies will not cover minors without an adult to sign for them as well as be listed on the policy.
If you have additional questions about travel health insurance, please check out the government's more extensive site on travel health. The site contains links to publications, plus it has useful information on some common medical needs and conditions that travelers face.
How much should you pay for travel health insurance?
The cost of travel health insurance varies from plan to plan. The cost will depend on your age, how long you're traveling for, and what type of coverage you want (you may not need all the options covered).
This site has some good tips for narrowing down the cost for your plan. It will help you to understand each component so you can make an informed decision about your coverage.
What if I don't have travel health insurance?
If you don't want to buy travel health insurance, think long and hard about how much the trip is really worth to you. It may be smart to save up and go instead. If you're healthy, it might be best to stay home. If the trip is dangerous, or if you have a pre-existing condition that's likely to cause problems, then by all means - buy travel health insurance!
Good luck on your trip! Stay healthy—and don't forget about those shoes...they'll come in handy!
More Questions About Travel Health Insurance?
Have further questions about what travel health insurance covers? Check out this site for an overview of how it works.
Conclusion
Take all the steps you feel you need to protect yourself from an unfortunate medical accident or illness while traveling. Travel health insurance is one of the necessary expenses that we all have to face when traveling. If you don't have it, there's no way to know if your trip will be ruined by illness or injury.