Travel Health Insurance
HealthInsuranceFinders.com is your best destination for cheap travel insurance. In the event of atravel accident, insurance is essential to cover unexpected medicalcosts. Get free travel insurance quotes for cheap travel healthinsurance and travel medical insurance plans.
If you are a U.S. citizen and are planning a trip outside of the country, you might consider purchasing a travel health insurance policy.Travel medical insurance should be considered whether you travel for businessor pleasure because international travel involves risk. A personalemergency may necessitate an early return to your home country. Amedical emergency may require hospitalization or even air evacuation.In most cases, your existing health insurance will not provide adequate protection for these and other risks. Withoutappropriate travel accident insurance, you may be exposed tosignificant financial liability. Travel health insurance can take the risksout of international travel, so you can have an enjoyable andproductive trip.
A travel health insurance policy may havemore exclusions and restrictions than a domestic U.S. health plan.Travel health insurance is also available to non-U.S. residents who aretraveling to the U.S. or any other foreign country. Many countries havea socialized health care system that does not provide coverage outsideof the country. The cost of purchasing a travel insurance policy tocover trips to the U.S. will typically be higher because the cost ofhealth care in the Unites States is higher than in most othercountries. To better understand your options and make an educateddecision, review our How-To Guide for Choosing a Travel Medical Insurance Plan.
Althoughthe primary benefit of a travel medical insurance policy is the healthinsurance coverage, most travel plans will provide additional benefits.Benefits of purchasing a travel insurance plan may include: emergencydental coverage, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains,return trips to the U.S., trip interruption, lost luggage andaccidental death or dismemberment benefits. For more information anddefinitions on these additional travel insurance benefits, visit our travel healthinsurance benefits section.
Travel Medical Insurance Policies
As was mentioned above, travel medical insurance policies may have restrictions and limitations that might otherwise be expected from your domestic health plan in the United States. The most noticeable of these limitations is the length of coverage. Your domestic health insurance policy will not typically have an expiration date. Travel medical insurance policies are purchased only for the length of time that you will be outside of your home country and will expire immediately upon your return. Other limitations may include: treatment of pre-existing conditions, charges that exceed Reasonable and Customary fees, medical expenses that are not considered medically necessary, routine physical exams, immunizations, injury caused from hazardous sports or activities, maternity coverage, drug or overdose treatments, routine dental care and routine eye care. For more information and definitions on these common exclusions, visit our travel health insurance exclusions section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Itis important to understand that a travel insurance plan will not payfor pending medical treatments associated with a pre-existingcondition. Many non-U.S. citizens consider traveling to the U.S. forthe quality health care treatment offered in America. Since the healthinsurance coverage in their home country will not usually pay fortreatment received in the United States, they consider purchasing atravel health insurance policy. They will not find a travel insurancecompany that will pay for medical treatment incurred for which travelwas undertaken to seek this medical treatment. Travel insurancecoverage should only be purchased to cover unexpected medicalemergencies, not to provide coverage for current medical conditions andmedications.
Travel insurance may be purchased for periodsof travel as little as 5 days. Persons traveling or residing outside oftheir home country for longer periods of time may purchase coverage forup to one year. Many travel medical insurance policies are renewable for up tothree years. For expatriates who are moving to a foreign country maypurchase an international health insurance policy that is annuallyrenewable. These types of health plans are more similar to standarddomestic health plan. For information about more permanent long-termforeign coverage, visit our International Health Insurance section.
A type of insurance that you may also consider for your international travels is a trip cancellation policy.This type of insurance is designed to reimburse you for your prepaidtrip costs in the even that you are unable to complete your travelplans due to an unexpected event. Many travel agencies, airlines,hotels, cruise lines and vacation packages require a sizeable depositor full-payment well in advance of your scheduled travel date. If youwere to become ill prior to your trip, you are likely to loose yourreservation deposits. A trip cancellation policy will reimburse you forthese lost deposits. For more information about this type of coverage,visit our Trip Cancellation Insurance section.
* Please refer to our legal terms and conditions for disclaimers pertaining to the content on this page.