Lock-In Travel Medical Insurance Before You Hit the Road
When you’re going on a trip, one of the most important coverage that you can get is travel medical insurance. It is important to choose travel insurance with an excellent medical care package. There is nothing more devastating that the need for urgent medical care when you’re so far away from home.
The Need for Travel Medical Insurance
Getting medical attention in another country can be very expensive. When you’re traveling outside your home country, it is vital to get travel medical insurance in order to cover yourself against unprecedented illnesses or accidents.
If you’re from the UK, the EEA or Switzerland and you’re going to a country covered under the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), you may have access to free or reduced health services. However, EHIC will not cover all of your medical procedures. It will also not cover repatriation costs should you need to go back to your home country.
Hospital costs and medical evacuation in countries outside the EU are costly. In the US, it may reach up to $10,000 a day. If you’re travelling to Asia, some of the best hospitals in the region are privately-run and therefore very pricey. If you need medical expenses, repatriation and emergency evacuation while abroad, your travel insurance will cover them.
What are the inclusions of the best travel medical insurance?
The best travel medical insurance gives travelers a lot of options. If you get the right policy, you will even have the freedom to seek treatment with a hospital or doctor of your choice. The maximum limits usually range from $50,000 to $2,000,000. You can also have 24/7 access to emergency assistance or a medical hotline. It also includes repatriation and emergency evacuation costs. Some even have universal pharmacy discount savings.
Coverage for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
You also have to take note that unless specified, some pre-existing medical conditions may be excluded, so you need to ask for additional information. Some policies cover many pre-existing medical conditions, which are usually specified in the policy. These medical conditions may include arthritis, ADHD, glaucoma, gastric reflux, hay fever, hypertension, migraine, diabetes, cataracts, and more. To be clear, a pre-existing medical condition is a condition wherein you’re taking prescribed drugs, you have received a terminal prognosis, surgery, or in-patient treatment.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you have two choices. The first choice is you can choose to be covered with the standard terms of the policy but anything related to the declared condition will be excluded. The second option is you can request to be covered for a pre-existing condition but there will be an additional premium to pay. There may also be some alterations to the policy terms and conditions.
Just having travel medical insurance as part of your policy is a great relief. This ensures you that you and your family are covered should an unprecedented medical emergency occurs while you’re far away from home. An ideal insurance package combines great benefits at an affordable price.
