The following are the things to consider:

• exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions
• out-of-network policy services
• coverage for pregnancy complications
• exclusions for high-risk activities such as SCUBA diving and mountain climbing
• exclusions for injuries due to terrorist attacks or acts of war
• whether pre-authorization is necessary for treatment
• whether a second opinion is required for emergency treatment

Another consideration is whether there is a toll-free number the traveler can call 24-hours a day for plan information and/or to speak to a representative.

While Medicare and Medicaid will not cover services outside the U.S., some traveler insured by more liberal plans may find that they have some coverage available outside the country.

Typically, even if you are covered abroad, you’ll have to pay for your care out of pocket and submit a claim with the receipts and medical records for reimbursement. That being said, an injured or ill traveler should not wait to contact their health insurance provider until after they return. The sooner you can get in touch and let them know that you are in trouble, the better.

Some of the more common dangers travelers experience, however, are diseases such as the following:

1. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever – most common in the Southeast and South-Central regions (particularly in Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Tennessee), this is a tick-borne illness that occurs primarily in Spring and Summer. Immediate treatment with antibiotics can prevent progression of the disease and the potentially fatal outcome, but early detection is typically hard.
2. Lyme Disease – the country’s most common tick-related illness, Lyme Disease occurs usually in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states as well as northern California. Early treatment with antibiotics can lead to full recovery, but the initial symptoms resemble the flu.
3. West Nile Virus – transmitted by mosquitoes, most cases of West Nile go undetected as there are usually no symptoms. When and if symptoms do begin, there is little to do but wait it out. Some cases get sever and require hospitalization. Outbreaks can occur anywhere mosquitoes are active.
4. Influenza – because the flu is easily transmitted in confined spaces (such as airplanes and trains), and because the strains change and adapt, this respiratory illness is a seasonal menace and sometimes kills those affected.
5. Traveler diarrhea – one of the most common travel diseases, it’s associated with severe vomiting, fever and abdominal pain. Sometimes due to bacterial causes, such as Salmonella, or viral causes, such as norovirus, or parasitic causes, such as Giardia, this is a highly common problem.

Prevention for these common US-based diseases includes:

1. Wearing insect repellent
2. Examining yourself and others for ticks after outdoor activities
3. Annual flu vaccines
4. Good hygiene: washing your hands thoroughly and often, cooking food properly, and peeling or washing produce
5. Avoiding untreated or unsafe water

If you are traveling in the U.S. from another country, it’s important to have travel medical insurance in case you have to visit a medical clinic, or worse, you have to be medically evacuated to a hospital for care.

If you are a U.S. citizen, check your health insurance plan to find out whether you will be paying out-of-pocket costs if you experience a medical emergency where you are traveling.

Start by doing an accurate assessment:

1. Examine your current medical insurance plan. Check whether travel medical insurance is available with that plan and find out if that travel medical coverage is primary or secondary. In most cases, your health insurance plan is primary at home and, if travel medical coverage is available, it is secondary outside the country. That means you will have to pay for your medical costs when you travel and apply for reimbursement after. See our page on understanding primary vs. secondary medical coverage for more information.
2. Determine your medical transportation coverage. In most cases, your need for transportation back home is covered through emergency ambulance services, but medical transport and medical treatment are two distinct sections of a travel medical plan, so you’ll need to look for both. The costs for emergency medical transportation can be quite high, and if you don’t have coverage, you’ll have to foot the bill yourself. See this story on one traveler who encountered a horrific situation on a vacation to Mexico. If you’re taking a Mediterranean cruise or a trip to China, your emergency transportation costs could run into the tens or hundreds of thousands, depending on the situation.
3. Rate your own health. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, such as heart disease or diabetes, then traveling without travel medical coverage and failing to get a pre-existing medical condition waiver is a recipe for disaster. Even if you’re very healthy, if you’ve visited a doctor in the past 180 days, you should be careful that a recurrence of the condition that caused you to see the doctor won’t reemerge because that situation won’t be covered by your travel medical insurance.
4. Determine your travel activities and relative risks. If you plan to bungee jump off a bridge on your trip, then you will want to be sure that you have a waiver for high adventure activities with your travel insurance plan. Most travel insurance plans specifically exclude activities like hang gliding, skiing, parasailing, whitewater rafting, and more, but purchasing either an adventure travel insurance plan or a plan with a waiver for adventure activities will provide the coverage you need.

Then, purchase a plan to cover those needs:

1. If you want your travel medical plan to pay the hospital and medical facilities directly, then you’ll want to be sure that your travel insurance plan offers primary medical coverage.
2. If you want protection for emergency medical transportation, then you’ll want to think about how far you will have to travel to get back home and have enough coverage. Remember, with a travel insurance plan, you’ll have coverage for medical transport to an appropriate medical facility and also back home after you’ve adequately recovered.
3. Depending on your current health, you’ll want to purchase coverage that will cover your medical costs if you experience the recurrence of a pre-existing medical condition. Any condition for which you’ve sought treatment in the past few months can be considered a pre-existing condition.
4. Depending on your current health, you’ll choose a travel medical plan with enough coverage for the risks you are taking

Supplies at the hospital were limited, and so, as Acosta’s children (he has seven) started arriving in Mexico, they took turns walking to the nearest pharmacy over a mile away to buy the medications and gauze their father needed. Any medical care ordered at the hospital had to be paid for in advance and in cash. The kids slept on the floor near his bed, but they were not given pillows or blankets. They also ate very little, hording their cash for their father’s care.

Repeated calls to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico gave the family no help in getting their father out of Mexico, and the family accuses the hospital of holding their father hostage for the money the family was repeatedly shelling out.

The family tried calling medical evacuation flight companies, but because Acosta didn’t have coverage before he left, most companies refused. Ultimately, they were able to contact an independent pilot to whom they paid $12,500 in advance who agreed to fly Acosta from the hospital in Toluca to Houston, Texas. Finally, after a final struggle with hospital staff to release their father, they had him on a flight back to the U.S. on November 18th. According to the latest reports, Acosta is expected to make a full recovery.

At Travel Insurance Review, we extend our sympathies to the Acosta family and express our gratitude that he is safely back in the States.

Our Strongest Recommendation to Travelers

For travelers who plan trips outside the U.S., we strongly recommend you have medical evacuation coverage from a reputable travel insurance company who can provide the kind of coordination assistance the Acosta family so desperately needed.

We ran these details through our travel insurance comparison tool to see how much travel insurance protection would have cost for a traveler like Alfonso Acosta:

• 1 traveler
• Iowa resident
• 79 years old
• Staying one month in Mexico
• No trip cancellation included
• At least $50,000 medical coverage
• At least $100,000 evacuation coverage

The following plans, among many others, showed up as available (examples are shown priced lowest to higher):

• Global Alert Preferred – $100,000 medical and $500,000 evacuation included at a price of $62.00.
• Seven Corners RoundTrip – $75,000 medical and $350,000 evacuation included at a price of $64.00.
• MH Ross Bridge – $100,000 medical and $500,000 evacuation included at a price of $75.00.
• Travelex TraveLite – $50,000 medical and $250,000 evacuation included at a price of $76.00.

As you can see, purchasing even a small amount of coverage is ideal when compared to the horrific struggles the Acosta family endured. Your family will have a travel assistance services hotline to contact and coordination support to get you to a place where you can receive qualified medical care.

“When thunder roars, go indoors.”

Lightning is a long-studied and barely understood natural phenomenon. It can travel horizontally many miles away from a thunderstorm and even strike the ground out of a clear blue sky.

People who are struck by lightning suffer a number of injuries from severe burns to violent muscle contractions to difficulty breathing. Many injuries turn into long-term problems such as memory loss, sleep disorders, chronic dizziness and fatigue, and more.

When attending outdoor activities, from the golf course to family reunions, be sure some level of shelter is nearby to duck under (even a hard-topped car will do).  If you’re traveling in an unfamiliar area, check the weather conditions before you head out.

See these NOAA resources for more information about lightning safety:

• Lightning: What you need to know
• Lightning Safety for You and Your Family
• Lightning Myths
• Lightning Safety and Science

Here is a complete list of lightning safety resources. ]]> http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/2011/07/04/summer-is-peak-season-for-lightning-strikes/feed/ 0 http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/2011/02/17/skiing-travel-insurance/ http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/2011/02/17/skiing-travel-insurance/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:24:16 +0000 Damian http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/?p=3818 Skiing trips have several risks:

Cancellation costs
Trips can get canceled for a number of reasons, and travel insurance with trip cancellation coverage can help reimburse your pre-paid, non-refundable costs if you need to cancel for a covered reason. For example: you, your wife, your kids, or even your parents could get sick a week before the trip. The doctor says they cannot travel and need to stay home. This is a covered reason under trip cancellation insurance, and you would be able to recoup pre-paid expenses such as hotel, rental car, airfare, and even lift tickets.

Lost or delayed baggage
Travel insurance also provides coverage for lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed baggage. This can provide coverage if your ski equipment is lost forever, but it can also help if the bags are just delayed the first day of your trip. You will need to rent some skis and buy a pair of gloves, hat and goggles. Baggage delay coverage reimburses a daily amount for necessary expenses while you wait for delayed baggage to arrive.

Medical costs
Skiing can also be dangerous. If you are skiing in your home country where your health insurance covers you, medical costs are not as much of a concern. However, traveling abroad to ski add a new element if your health insurance from home stays behind. Many plans do not cover you when you leave your home country, and you would be stuck with high medical bills if an accident occured.

Regardless of foreign or domestic ski trips, an emergency evacuation would be a huge expense to be burdened with. Many helicopter evacuations can cost tens of thousands of dollars, if not over $100,000. Travel insurance with emergency medical and evacuation coverage provides financial protection against these costs.

It is important to note that medical coverage covers “regular skiing”. as opposed to heli-skiing, extreme skiing, or skiing outside marked areas. This is an important distinction and should be noted if you are purchasing travel insurance with the medical coverage in mind.

Travel medical insurance is usually offered as part of a basic travel insurance policy, and it provides coverage for hospital or doctor bills. Some insurance policies will also compensate for the costs of medications and dental treatment, or provide special features such as: preventive services, chiropractic, acupuncture, and maternity benefits. The maximum compensation offered by a travel medical insurance can range from thousands to tens of millions of dollars. While a low compensation may not be sufficient to cover medical bills, a policy with a high compensation can be costly. The best thing to do is to opt for a policy offering maximum compensation of one or two million dollars. Travel medical insurance policies provide coverage for a limited duration of time, which can range from one day to six months, but options are available to extend the coverage duration to beyond six months.

Other than compensation for medical expenses, a travel medical insurance policy may also offer coverage for medical evacuation. In the event of a medical emergency, this coverage will provide protection for the costs of transporting a person to a medical facility. It is particularly useful for those who are traveling to rural places where there are no hospitals nearby. In some cases, transportation cost for a trip from a rural area to a hospital may amount to thousands of dollars.

Another option available for travel medical insurance is trip cancellation or interruption coverage. This type of coverage will provide compensation for the amount of money lost when the policy holder cancels or interrupts their trip due to medical reasons. Those who are spending a lot of money for their travels should get trip cancellation or interruption coverage because it will ensure full reimbursement of their travel investment if the travel company refuses to give a full refund.

Senior travelers and those suffering from pre-existing medical conditions require special travel medical insurance policies. Such policies offer great benefits that will make their trips more convenient and worry free. Travelers who are taking part in hazardous activities can also apply for special policies to provide coverage for such activities.

Travelers should provide honest information about their health when they are completing the travel insurance application forms. This will enable insurance providers to plan the right policies.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pdenker/

Monitor the Situation: Don’t make the mistake of jumping into false conclusions. If you have a fever or flu, it doesn’t mean that it’s definitely something as serious as the Swine Flu or malaria. Assuming you have brought along your supply of over-the-counter medication to treat common illnesses, just take the recommended amount and watch what happens. It’s wise to monitor the situation on the more common illnesses such as fever, cough, stomach upset, and others. Sometimes, it’s just the body’s reaction to differences in climate, humidity, food, air, or extensive traveling. If the situation improves, you should have nothing to worry about, go ahead an enjoy your vacation. Otherwise, you will need to go to the next step.

Minor Illnesses: For the treatment of minor illnesses like cough, cold, and common fever, go to a local clinic. The doctor will be able to give you prescribed medication which may deal with your illnesses much more effectively than over-the-counter medication. If the doctor believes you may have developed a more serious condition, he will recommend that you be admitted to a hospital. Since the cost of visiting a doctor in a clinic is rather affordable, pay for it first and submit the claim to the travel insurance company later.

Major Illnesses: Sometimes, it’s rather difficult to assess the seriousness of an illness. In this sense, it’s logical to consider if the illness is life-threatening. For instance, you have been having a diarrhea after consuming some food in a restaurant and the condition worsens even after taking some over-the-counter medication. There’s now a high chance you are suffering from a serious bout of food poisoning; you will have to be admitted to a hospital as soon as possible. In another scenario, you may have suffered a heart attack while watching a show so it’s a rather straight forward hospital case. If admitted to a hospital, it’s extremely important to contact the local representative of your travel medical insurance company so necessary arrangements can be made. The cost of hospitalization can be rather astronomical, it’s best to check to be sure your policy covers the country of your vacation, before purchasing it.

Inform Your Loved Ones: This may not be necessary if you only suffer a minor illness, but if you are to be hospitalized, inform your loved ones as soon as possible.

To become ill while traveling can be discouraging. For this reason, you should know what to do in such a situation.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alandesitter/

Medical costs and evacuation can easily cost over $100,000
Getting sick overseas, or anywhere in the world, can be a vary scary experience. There are language issues, local customs, local conditions, facilities, and payment systems. The need for an evacuation is even worse, because you need to be put on a transport, such as a medically equipped airplane, with trained nurses. These costs can easily total in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Around the world, travel insurance will protect you
If you travel for business, make sure your employer has taken the proper measured to ensure you are covered. Don’t wait until something happens. The time to check is now, before you even depart. Also make sure your policy includes medical evacuation coverage, and a 24/7 help line that you can call in a time of need.

Related Links
How do I know my travel insurance company is reputable?
3 Steps to finding the right travel insurance
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