Medical travel insurance helps travelers pay for health care costs incurred while away from home. The main types of medical travel insurance include short and multi-trip travel medical insurance and major medical insurance. Short and multi-trip medical plans cover emergency care for travelers who become sick or injured during their journeys. Major medical insurance for travelers is suitable for those who plan to be abroad for six months or more and offers more comprehensive coverage, including routine wellness care. Other types of coverage include evacuation insurance and specialized policies for those engaging in athletic competitions or high-risk activities.
Travel medical insurance is designed for the casual or business traveler who will be out of the country for less than six months, and policies can be issued for a single trip or for a period of time that can include multiple trips in and out of the traveler's home country. There are different levels of coverage available with this type of medical travel insurance, so it's a good idea for travelers to review available policies to make sure that they're getting the kind of coverage they need.
Major medical travel insurance is an option for those who will be overseas for a long duration of time. This type of insurance is more like standard health insurance and covers examinations as well as emergency and long-term medical treatment. For travelers who have their own health insurance, either type of travel medical insurance can be a good way of supplementing their regular insurance and reducing out-of-pocket costs if they become ill or injured while traveling. Medical travel insurance will usually pay up front for overseas medical care, while standard health insurance policies often require the traveler to pay for his care and then submit his bill for reimbursement after he gets home.
Travelers should always check with their insurance company to find out what kind of coverage they have while traveling. In the United States, for example, Medicare does not provide any coverage for those who travel outside the country. Travelers should also find out if their insurance will even be honored in the country where they plan to visit. Travelers should also ask about evacuation insurance. If a traveler becomes sick while traveling and needs to be brought home or to a hospital for treatment, the cost of evacuation can be substantial, making evacuation insurance an important add-on to a travel insurance policy.
