What Is Travel Insurance Medical Coverage? (2024)

FAQs

What Is Travel Insurance Medical Coverage? ›

Travel medical insurance helps cover the cost of many emergency medical treatments during a trip. If you're traveling and have an unexpected illness, medical condition or injury that's covered by your travel medical insurance, you typically will be reimbursed up to the plan limits.

Travel Health Insurance pays for emergency and/or routine medical services overseas. If you have health insurance in the United States, find out if it provides coverage for routine and/or emergency medical services abroad. More information is available on our page about Your Health Abroad.

While travel insurance can be a helpful purchase to protect your non-refundable trip expenses, it's not always necessary in every situation. For example, if you're taking a cheap domestic trip and you're not concerned about potentially losing its total costs, a policy may not be worth the extra money.

Comprehensive travel insurance

The comprehensive policy usually covers delays, cancellation due to sickness or death, lost luggage and some emergency medical costs.

Medical insurance for travel is specifically designed to cover any medical expenses you may incur while traveling. Travel insurance, on the other hand, provides more comprehensive coverage, including things like trip cancellation, lost luggage, and emergency medical evacuation.

The average cost of a standard travel insurance policy is $221, according to research conducted by the MarketWatch Guides team. However, the destination, number of travelers, trip price and more can affect the exact cost of a policy.

The nearest US embassy or consulate can help travelers locate medical services and notify your friends, family, or employer of an emergency. They are available for emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, overseas and in Washington, DC (888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444).

Cost: Travel insurance will add to the overall cost of your trip. Some may choose to forgo it to save money, especially on shorter or less expensive trips. Exclusions and Limitations: Policies may have various exclusions and limitations, so it's essential to read the fine print.

Most travel insurance policies won't pay out if you're negligent while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and have an accident or have property stolen.

Is it smart to get travel insurance? ›

It could be particularly useful if: You've spent a lot on prepaid, non-refundable expenses. You're traveling internationally where your health insurance won't apply. You're traveling to a remote area.

By far, the most common and often most significant travel insurance claim is for medical emergencies. A sudden illness or injury during your trip can not only ruin your plans but also cause a severe financial strain.

Does travel insurance cover cancellation due to illness? Travel insurance with Trip Cancellation coverage will cover you if you, a traveling companion or family member come down with an illness before your trip and an in-person visit to a doctor certifies that you're too sick to travel.

Generally, most domestic health insurance policies are not accepted abroad, so there is a benefit to purchasing travel medical insurance as a supplement to your health insurance coverage. The travel medical coverage is only valid while you're traveling.

But even if your trip isn't 100% refundable, insurance may not be necessary. For example, a cheap flight and hotel stay may not be worth covering, though you may still want to purchase travel insurance for medical situations.

How much does international health insurance cost? The annual cost of an international medical insurance plan will range from as low as $500, with limited benefits, to as much as $8,000 for a comprehensive global medical insurance policy, including coverage in the USA. The average cost is $5,500 per year.

Who Needs Travel Medical Insurance? Purchasing health insurance for traveling abroad is a simple way to save money in an emergency, and anyone can benefit from the coverage. If you're traveling to a country in which your health insurance provider doesn't provide coverage, buying travel medical insurance is a must.

U.S. health insurance plans typically do not cover regular and routine medical care required overseas. This means your health insurance won't pay for care if you need to visit a doctor for a prescription medicine, or if you need treatment for a condition that is not considered an emergency.

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You will usually receive reimbursem*nt if your trip is cancelled for: unexpected illness or injury of you or a traveling companion that deems you unfit to travel; hospitalization or death of non-traveling family member; weather or common carrier issues; unforeseen natural disaster at home or the destination; a legal ...