How To Choose Travel Health Insurance for International Trips

Travel insurance with medical coverage can be a lifesaver on international trips. Not only can it help cover the high costs of healthcare overseas, but it doesn’t even have to be expensive.

If your primary medical coverage doesn’t cover emergencies out of the country, travel health insurance is vitally important. 

For example, even if you’re on Medicaid or Medicare, you may not receive any medical coverage when traveling internationally — at least, not without paying a lot out of your pocket.

Why You Need Travel Health Insurance for International Trips

Travel insurance policies with health insurance coverage can save you from massive healthcare costs if you get sick or hurt while traveling abroad. 

Here are a few reasons you absolutely need a policy in place when traveling internationally:

Gaps in domestic insurance

Many domestic health insurance providers don’t offer medical coverage across country borders. And those that do have very strict coverage limits on what’s covered and what isn’t. 

Plus, Medicaid doesn’t offer emergency coverage outside the U.S., and Medicare is very limited in coverage as well.

If your health insurance doesn’t cover you when you’re traveling, you could get stuck with pricey medical bills from hospital stays, emergency evacuations (think: ambulance or being airlifted to a hospital), and specialist care.

Travel insurance covers those gaps in coverage. This could save you tens of thousands of dollars in unexpected bills.

Access to reliable medical care

If you’re in a foreign country and become ill or get injured, you might not have time to research the best medical care around. 

Travel insurance providers will usually have a list of providers that have been vetted and are part of a trusted healthcare network. This will ensure you get the best possible care — and it’s covered under your travel insurance policy.

. . .

What To Look for in an International Travel Health Insurance Plan

When you’re shopping around for a travel insurance plan, here are a few things to look for:

Medical emergency coverage

First and foremost, you want your travel insurance to offer emergency medical coverage for any country you plan on visiting. This includes things like hospital stays, doctor visits, and prescription medications.

You’ll also want to ensure the coverage amount is high enough to cover these potential costs. Look up average emergency medical costs for the location you’re traveling to for an idea of what it might cost you.

Emergency evacuation

If you get in a serious accident or are in a remote area, you may need emergency medical evacuation. This includes things like an ambulance ride or airlift to a hospital to get the proper treatment. 

For example, if you fall while hiking Mount Kilimanjaro and break your leg, you may need an airlift to the nearest hospital.

Make sure your insurance covers these services, as well as emergency transport back to your home country in case you need more advanced and specific care. 

Pre-existing condition waivers

If you have a pre-existing health condition (such as a chronic illness) that might cause a medical emergency when you’re traveling, make sure your travel insurance policy has a pre-existing condition waiver. 

This waiver essentially removes any clause in your travel insurance that would exclude you from getting coverage because of your condition.

This way, your insurer will still cover your emergency medical costs up to the policy limits.

24/7 assistance services

Emergencies don’t happen when it’s convenient. So, you’ll want a travel insurance plan that offers 24/7 assistance to help you find a preferred medical provider in your location. This may include a hotline or an online chat service.

And if you’re traveling overseas, the language barrier may make it hard to get the best medical care. Working with a travel insurance provider that offers translation services can help you get the right information to your doctors.

READ MORE: How To Access Emergency Assistance Abroad

How To Compare Providers and Policies

To get the best price and flexibility from your travel insurance policy, you’ll want to compare providers and policies.

Pricing, flexibility, and add-ons 

Obviously getting the best price for insurance is important. But make sure you’re comparing apples to apples when looking at different policies. Don’t pick a policy with the lowest price if it comes with insufficient coverage and low limits.

Instead, pick a few policies that offer the types of medical coverage you need, then compare prices between policies and providers. Make sure all things are equal, then lock in the best price from a provider you trust.

If you need extra coverage, make sure your provider offers policy add-ons such as adventure and sports coverage or dental coverage.

Coverage limits and exclusions

Most travel insurance companies have coverage limits and will exclude certain activities and types of injuries or illnesses. 

Dig into the details of a policy before signing up to make sure you’re comfortable with the coverage limit amounts and that you’re covered for the type of travel you’re planning.

For example, if you’re headed to a remote region and planning to be very active, a basic plan with a $10,000 limit might not cut it. Instead, find a policy with emergency medical coverage up to $200,000 (or more) to make sure you’re not hit with a surprise bill.

It’s also important to review the things that aren’t covered in your policy. For example, most travel insurance doesn’t cover injuries due to foreseeable events, such as an ongoing war.

Customer support and claims process

If you can’t get ahold of someone at your travel insurance company when you need them, you might regret going with a cheap travel insurance plan.

When comparing providers, find one that makes it easy to contact them. This includes a user-friendly claims process, and the ability to contact someone any time, day or night. 

And read reviews from customers who have submitted a claim — this will tell you whether you’ll have a tough time when trying to actually use your medical coverage.

. . .

When To Purchase Travel Health Insurance

Once your trip is booked, it’s a good idea to pick up a travel insurance policy as soon as possible. This helps cover you in case of trip cancellation — covering your plane tickets and other travel costs.

And if you have policy add-ons like a pre-existing medical condition waiver or cancel for any reason (CFAR) insurance, you’ll likely need to purchase it within 14 to 21 days of booking your trip. 

Bottom line: Sooner is better.

Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing Travel Health Insurance

• Overlooking exclusions. If you don’t research which activities or events are excluded, you could be on the hook for high medical bills. Common exclusions include high-risk activities or pre-existing medical conditions.
• Choosing based solely on price. A low price is great — but not at the cost of coverage. Low-cost policies may lack critical features like emergency evacuation or might have very low coverage limits.
• Ignoring policy details. Not everyone loves the fine print like we do, but knowing the details of your policy can save you a massive financial headache. Know your policy limits, exclusions, and claims process, so you can get money back in your pocket faster.

FAQs About Travel Health Insurance

What’s the difference between single-trip and annual travel health insurance policies?

Annual travel insurance plans cover multiple trips within a single year, but there are usually limits on the total number of travel days (usually 50 or less). 

Single-trip plans cover you for a single trip but can extend for much longer periods — even up to a full year. Make sure to compare policy limits for each before choosing a plan.

Does travel health insurance cover pandemics or epidemics like COVID-19?

While travel health insurance usually excludes ongoing pandemics or epidemics, there is now policy coverage for COVID-19 through most providers. 

Are adventure activities automatically covered under standard policies?

No, adventure activities usually require an add-on to your travel insurance policy. So, if you plan on dropping from a helicopter to ski down a mountain, your standard policy won’t cover it. 

Make sure to add adventure and sports coverage before doing any high-risk activities while traveling.

Can I extend my policy if my trip is longer than expected?

Yes, most travel insurance providers allow a short extension to your policy if you are delayed in returning home from your trip. You’ll be required to pay an additional premium for the coverage.

TL;DR: Travel Health Insurance for International Travel

The right travel health insurance will give you financial protection and access to quality medical care overseas. 

Before you buy, compare a few different policies. Look for ones that include emergency medical care, evacuation coverage, and 24/7 assistance. 

And check the coverage limits and exclusions rather than focusing solely on price — a cheap policy won’t do you any good if it can’t actually cover you in a medical emergency. 

. . .