How Travelers Health Insurance Can Protect You Overseas

When you're planning your vacation overseas you look forward to sunny skies,
romantic nights, and spectacular sights. What you don't look forward to is
the possibility of becoming ill or injured during your trip, but it happens.

If your regular group health policy doesn't cover your medical expenses
overseas, they won't be much help if you have a medical emergency on your
trip. Fortunately, many travelers'
insurance companies now offer medical coverage during your trip anywhere in
the world, at an affordable price.

Before searching for a new policy, check with your current health insurance
company. Many large carriers, such as the BlueCross BlueShield association
members, offer coverage for foreign claims, and also have customer service
departments that are trained to help you navigate through a foreign health
care system in case of emergency.

However, this benefit may not be available to you if your group insurance
requires you to seek treatment from a specific provider network. Most HMO
and managed care plans restrict their coverage to a specific service area.

If you're covered by a smaller group insurance company they may accept
claims from doctors or hospitals in other countries, but you may want to
give them a call to see if their customer service staff is familiar with
foreign health care systems, and if the company has developed long-term
relationships with hospital systems outside the US. If not, they may not be
able to help you find care in an emergency.

Many Medicare supplements also exclude claims from foreign countries, as
does Medicare itself.

For peace of mind, you will want a temporary travelers health insurance
policy if your own group plan does not cover medical costs overseas. When
searching for your new policy, make sure you read the contract to find out
if the policy covers pre-existing conditions, medical evacuation, and
emergency travel services.

Your travelers' medical insurance carrier's customer service representatives
will be your first resource in case of emergency overseas. Some companies go
far beyond paying medical claims and help you to:

- Find a new flight in case your scheduled flight was cancelled.

- Help you fill an emergency prescription if your medication is lost or
stolen.

- Get you emergency cash if your wallet is stolen, and help you replace a
stolen passport.

- Arrange and pay for emergency evacuation to the nearest hospital in case
of accident or illness.

- Reimburse you for non-refundable costs if your trip is cancelled due to
illness.

- Help you find lost luggage.

- Schedule an appointment with a qualified English-speaking physician in the
city you're visiting.

The services offered, and the premiums charged will vary greatly between
insurance companies and between policies. The premiums will go up as the
benefits increase and the deductible goes down, so careful shopping is
important. For instance, you will want to be careful to choose a policy that
covers pre-existing conditions if you have a chronic illness, such as
diabetes, that may cause you to seek medical attention on your trip.

Before leaving home, be sure to find out if your group policy will cover
your medical expenses overseas. If not, a good travelers' health insurance
policy will give you peace of mind on your next vacation.

About The Author: Learn more about travelers' health insurance, as well as
global medical insurance and expatriates' health insurance, at
http://www.worldwide-health-insurance.com/