Frequently Asked Questions about Insurance

• Do I need long-term medical insurance when I travel?
• Who needs emergency travel medical insurance?
• What is Medical Evacuation (Medevac) insurance?
• What does trip cancellation and interruption travel insurance cover?

Do I need long-term medical insurance when I travel?

Our long term medical insurance is designed for people, who don't have any other medical insurance. Since most people who can afford it have health care coverage in their home country, comprehensive travel medical insurance is of interest primarily to long-term travelers who have no medical insurance, or who are living and working outside their country of citizenship or permanent residence.

Who needs emergency travel medical insurance?

Travel medical insurance is designed for people who have medical coverage at home, but whose health plan doesn't cover them while they are traveling. Emergency travel medical insurance only covers emergency services abroad; once you get home, you're on your own (or presumably, back under your regular home coverage) for any necessary follow-up treatment or continuing care. Most health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations in the U.S.A include their own provisions for emergency care while abroad, at least for trips of less than 30 days. Check with your current insurer or HMO before you purchase an emergency travel medical plan that duplicates your existing coverage.

What is Medical Evacuation (Medevac) insurance?

Medevac insurance covers the cost of an air ambulance, attending physician and nurse, etc. if you are injured or so ill that you can't return home (or get to a suitable medical facility) on a scheduled commercial passenger flight. Medical evacuations can cost tens of thousands of dollars. This is coverage for the really big problems such as a helicopter rescue, which can run you in the tens of thousands of dollars. It makes sense to buy this coverage if you're going on an "adventure" vacation, or to an area where you'll be far from modern medical facilities.

Medicare does not provide for payment of hospital or medical services outside the United States.
Medicare provides no benefits outside the United States, and Medigap only pays for emergency care during the first 60 days you are outside the U.S. This leaves retiree's traveling for 61 days or longer with only two options: buy private coverage individually or through a group, or go without medical protection.

American Based HMOs and PPOs.
HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations), while covering emergency room treatment anywhere, generally provide other coverage only through networks of doctors in your own state. PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations) cover a greater portion of your medical costs only if you go to doctors in network, and again, the networks are usually only local.

What does trip cancellation and interruption travel insurance cover?

Trip cancellation and interruption travel insurance covers the cost of cancellation penalties or the cost of returning home if you have to cancel your trip, or cut it short, for specified reasons. The reasons are weather, injury, illness, termination of employment or financial default of the airline, cruise operator, or tour operator which results in bankruptcy or discontinued services, terrorism, or jury duty.