We live on a dynamic planet that’s prone to constant change, for example, you never know how certain environmental factors are going to affect you. Ask yourself this question, what if you end up in an emergency room in some foreign country, how will you pay? If you’re traveling internationally, there are potential risks to your health, most people are clearly aware of this and that’s why they elect to purchase medical insurance for their trip(s).
An international medical / insurance policy will allow you to pay for any emergency room visits / necessary treatments while abroad. Unless you’re a frequent flyer or a jet-setting businessperson, your international policy will only cover a short term, like a couple of weeks or months.
Rather than seeking out coverage from a completely new company, the first thing you should do is check with your current insurance provider to see if they have any special offers for international travel. In fact, many policies might already have included some coverage for international trips; in other words, you might be “good to go” already. Regardless of whether or not you have to buy new coverage, or get it through your current provider there are some other things you need to consider. For instance, if you plan on engaging in some potentially hazardous activity like mountain climbing, you’ll want to check and see if this is covered by your policy (obviously). Similarly, be sure to check out all the fine print and details about coverage for basic medicines, specific treatments as well as whether or not there are limitations with regards to borders, etc…
If you have any pre-existing conditions which might cause complications or problems, make sure that your insurance policy is able to cover emergency treatment for them as well. At the same time, you might find that there are hidden stipulations that change certain coverage factors depending on the length of your stay, so do some homework and make sure that you’re covered once everything is said, done and signed.
Furthermore, if you’re going to have to purchase a new temporary plan, make sure that you go with an established company that is both accredited and recognizable in the country you’re traveling to. There’s nothing worse than having full coverage medical insurance and not being able to use it because your hospital doesn’t accept your provider’s credentials.
Additionally, if for example, you know for a fact that you might be involved in some physically dangerous sport, you’re going to want to take the time to check and see if your insurance plan covers things like emergency transport (either via standard vehicles or something more expensive like a helicopter air-lift). The exact same thing can be said for people who have some pre-existing condition which might make them susceptible to illness or malady; take the time to think ahead and plan for the worst, if something bad were to happen, you’ll thank yourself later.
