Medical Insurance for Foreign Travel?

[Guest tomcal]

Does anyone regularly buy Medical Insurance when you are traveling to Foreign countries? I have never done it, but after hearing about a couple different people who had serious medical problems while traveling out of the country and their issues with the Hospitals they were admitted to and getting bills paid, makes me think it might be a wise investment. Thoughts or experiences?

[msclelovr]

Wow, Tom, I am astonished that you travel WITHOUT medical insurance. I urge you (and anyone else who travels overseas) to get insured pronto.

As a European, I'm accustomed to having such insurance. It not only is widely recommended here but also routinely offered by airlines as part of the travel arrangements. For many years I have had an annual policy that covers me worldwide, for any number of trips upto 60 days duration each. The cost is about US$200 yearly but it provides coverage in the US, for instance, upto US$18 million in medical expenses. Over the years, I've claimed 3x.

Here are the details of one claim. Some years ago, I was stricken with meningitis while travelling in southern Africa. Luckily, I have a great physician at home who diagnosed me over the phone (!) and I phoned the insurance company to arrange care instantly. Within an hour of that call, I had blood-work done; within 4 hours, an MRI scan done; and within 7 hours, I was admitted to the leading private hospital in Cape Town. After a week's recovery, the viral meningitis returned and I was hospitalised for a further week.

On being released, the hospital consultant insisted I not return home until after a convalescence of 10 days, with daily gentle exercise and a high-fat diet. The insurance company put me in a 5* hotel and paid for everything. I reckon that my medical bills alone amounted to about US$15,000 and the hotel/convalescence costs to about US$6,000. In addition, the insurance covered the costs of the hotel-room and hire-car while I was hospitalised; this was about US$4-5,000.

Less than one week after I returned home, I received a cheque from the insurance company for about US$28,000 (ie about US$2000 MORE than I had claimed). I phoned them immediately to put this right, but they pointed out that the policy included a benefit of a daily cash sum for being hospitalised and having my holiday interrupted! And the following year, my insurance premium was unchanged.

You can understand why, despite being a cynic, I enthusiastically offered to write my insurance company a testimonial letter. And I always insist that friends with whom I travel have insurance.

[Lucky]

Contact travelguard.com. They will provide options on insurance, and, if you book within 14 days of making your first reservation, will cover pre-existing conditions.

[boiworship]

Wow, that's great advice. I just got back from three weeks in Spain and assumed that my Blue Shield and Visa Signature would have me covered.

[JKane]

Wow, that's great advice. I just got back from three weeks in Spain and assumed that my Blue Shield and Visa Signature would have me covered.

I think some US insurance has some international benefits, but the time to check into it is before you travel, not after you get sick or injured.

This kind of insurance is *very* common for Europeans to take out, as their state-run healthcare doesn't have any connections outside their country, and they've heard what a nightmare our system is for the uninsured.

I think many Americans assume if they travel somewhere with a state health system they'd get the same free coverage the local tax payers get, but that's not exactly the case and should be looked into before as well.

[flipao]

Travel Guard, Allianz Global Assistance (known as access america) and Mapfre