Travel Medical Insurance

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Travel medical plans are focused on medical and evacuation coverage. In some cases, it will include package-like benefits, but they are typically limited.

What makes Travel Medical insurance unique?

Travel medical insurance is sometimes called International Medical Insurance or a Medical Protection Plan, depending on the company selling it. In general, all of these names refer to medical insurance that covers you while traveling outside your home country.

Focuses on emergency medical, evacuation and repatriation

With a travel medical plan, the focus is on emergency medical and evacuation costs. Coverage for emergency dental treatment to sound natural teeth is usually included (up to a policy limit) and emergency medical transportation (ambulance) services are also covered. Emergency medical evacuations will get you out of a remote area and transported to a place where you can receive proper medical care. If you are killed or die on your trip, the repatriation coverage will ensure your body is properly transported home or to a funeral home nearby.

Often includes AD&D and term life benefits

Travel medical plans often include some Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) and/or term life benefits which are paid regardless of any coverage you may have back home for a covered injury. This coverage can fill out your life insurance benefits and provide extra coverage for you or your family in the case of a serious accident.

Some package-like benefits in some plans

Some travel medical plans offer a few package-like benefits such as minimal trip interruption coverage, coverage for lost or delayed baggage and even trip delays.

Why would you need Travel Medical insurance?

• You’re sent on a long business trip and contract a severe case of food poisoning.
• You trip on a cobblestone street and break a tooth.
• You are traveling ahead of your church missionary group to organize housing and get in a traffic accident.
• You are traveling in a foreign country with your children and are injured in a fall.
• You want the assurance of having extra AD&D or term life benefits for yourself and your family if you are in a travel accident.
• You want the assurance of having travel medical assistance services to help you in an emergency.

What coverage is included in Travel Medical insurance?

The following coverage is typically found in a Travel Medical insurance plan.

• Reimbursement for unexpected medical costs due to emergency medical care.
• Reimbursement for unexpected dental costs due to an accident.
• Advance payments to medical facilities and help obtaining emergency medical transportation when you are injured.
• Coordination of and payment for emergency medical evacuation services, including medical care providers to attend to you until you reach an appropriate medical care facility.
• AD&D and travel accident benefits to help take care of you or your family if you are seriously injured or killed while traveling.
• Emergency travel assistance services to help you locate a local and appropriate medical facility to care for your medical needs and those of your family.

Who should buy Travel Medical insurance?

Travelers like these should purchase travel medical insurance:

• Business travelers working overseas. If your health insurance plan doesn’t extend outside the U.S. (and most don’t), you’ll need some medical and evacuation coverage if you’re working overseas.
• Travelers going abroad. A typical health insurance plan doesn’t extend outside the U.S. borders, so if you’re traveling abroad, you’ll want travel medical coverage for accidental illnesses and injuries that occur outside your health insurance coverage zone.
• Long-term travelers visiting multiple countries. Not only does your own health insurance (even Medicare) fail to cover you outside the U.S., if you are visiting multiple countries, you’ll want to ensure you have the same coverage no matter where you travel.
• Missionaries and foreign aid workers. Just because you are traveling to make a difference in someone else’s life doesn’t mean something bad can’t happen to you. Be sure you are protected in case you have a medical emergency or need to be evacuated to safety.
• Individuals and families traveling in the U.S. but outside their health insurance network. Most U.S. health insurance plans provide 80-100% coverage while inside the network, but your out-of-pocket expenses go way up when you get outside the network. A little travel medical coverage can go a long way if you have a car accident, fall off your bike, or pick up an ugly case of food poisoning and have to visit the emergency room.

What types of Travel Medical insurance plans are there?

Travel medical plans come in three types:

• Single trip travel medical – this is coverage for a single trip up to six months. It covers the length of the vacation and is paid for up front.
• Multi-trip travel medical – this coverage is for multiple trips and often purchased in 3-, 6-, and 12-month segments.
• Long-term major medical – this is continuous medical coverage for the long term traveler and typically paid on a monthly basis. These plans can often be renewed.

How much does Travel Medical insurance cost?

Since travel medical insurance does not provide trip cancellation and other package-like benefits, the cost of the plan is often quite economical. A typical single trip travel medical plan can range from $40-$80 for a relatively short overseas trip. In general, the premium amount for a travel medical plan is based on:

• The length of the trip
• The age of the traveler
• The medical and evacuation limits

While some travel medical plans will cover a few package-like benefits, the typical travel medical plan does not cover trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage loss, travel delays and other benefits typically associated with package plans. Travel medical plans are meant for the overseas traveler seeking medical insurance protection outside their home coverage network.

• 4 Steps to 100% confidence in your travel insurance plan
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Where should you buy your Travel Medical insurance?

You have two options for buying travel insurance – the best option is to compare plans from all companies, get quotes, and purchase your travel insurance plan online:

1. Compare plans from all companies: Compare travel insurance plans from all companies, get quotes, and buy online.
2. Quote and buy direct: Review the travel insurance companies and plans and purchase directly from the company.

All travel insurance companies include a free look period with a refund that lets you review the plan documentation. If you decide you need something a little different, you can make changes to your policy or cancel it for a refund (minus a small fee).

Which companies offer Travel Medical insurance plans?

Summary

• Travel medical plans are focused on medical and evacuation coverage
• Because this type of plan doesn’t include many package plan benefits, it’s usually very affordable
• This type of coverage is crucial for those traveling abroad to protect against financial losses due to an illness or injury
• You can shop for and compare travel medical plans from a number of companies using our travel insurance comparison tool