Traveling abroad sounds exciting because you can explore unfamiliar places and experience new cultures. Whether traveling abroad for work or meeting your family, you need travel insurance to protect you from mishaps. A travel insurance plan comes in handy when you fall sick or injured in an international country. Whether you are a non-US citizen coming to the US or a US citizen going outside the US, you need an insurance plan.
How does travel insurance help?
A travel insurance plan is an excellent option if you are interested in buying an insurance plan that will cover your health and travel costs. Not only will these plans cover you for doctor visits and hospitalizations, but they also cover emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, and various travel benefits like trip cancellation or trip interruption and lost luggage.
Let us have a look at how your plan can help you. As each plan varies, it is essential to read the brochure before proceeding.
- Inpatient and outpatient treatment
One of the most significant benefits of a travel insurance plan is that it covers your health in unfortunate cases. Suppose you fall ill or become injured while on your trip; your chosen plan can cover you for new illnesses or injuries. However, travel insurance plans do not cover pre-existing conditions, but they can help you with the acute onset of a pre-existing condition, which needs immediate medical attention. Read the brochure to know the difference between the two.
- Prescriptions
Besides inpatient and outpatient coverage, travel plans also include coverage for prescription medications. So, when your plan covers the new illness and treatment, it can also cover prescription medications for those new illness/injuries.
- Emergency reunion
Suppose you have suffered a severe illness or injury and have been medically evacuated. In that case, travel plans can typically pay for an economy round-trip ticket for a relative (parent, spouse, or child) to visit you for a brief period.
- Trip cancellation
The trip cancellation benefit helps protect you against unforeseen events by reimbursing any non-refundable trip costs you have already paid. Severe sickness, injury, severe weather, natural disaster, and traffic accidents can typically qualify for a trip cancellation benefit. You must read the wording of your policy to be sure because you can be reimbursed if you cancel the trip for a covered reason. You can upgrade your plan to ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ and pay an extra premium.
- Trip interruption
Like trip cancellation, trip interruption protects you after you have left for your trip. It covers the cost of your return trip and non-refundable trip payments for an event outside your control, such as a death or sickness of a family member, a strike, war, military actions, or bankruptcy.
- Emergency medical evacuation
When traveling to remote locations where adequate medical facilities are unavailable, this benefit can provide transportation to the nearest medical facility equipped to provide care and treatment. An ambulance can cost thousands of dollars which can be covered by your plan. You can request to be transported to your home country, but it depends on the plan you have bought.
- Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
In case of death or loss of a limb or death due to an accident while traveling, this benefit can provide a defined amount of money to you, or your beneficiary named on the policy.
- Repatriation of Remains
This benefit can cover the cost of transporting the remains back to the home country if the insured passes away during the trip. Repatriation coverage is one of the requirements for a J-1 visa in the US.
Conclusion
Travel insurance is a plan you purchase that protects you from certain financial risks and losses that can occur while traveling. These losses can be minor to severe, but a travel medical insurance plan keeps you mentally and financially prepared overseas. The plan coverage varies. Therefore, choosing a plan that fits your needs, budget, and travel requirements is essential. Typically, the plans will not cover every possible medical situation, which is why reading the policy brochure is always recommended. Travel insurance is designed to cover unforeseeable events and any new illnesses. Though buying one policy before traveling abroad is essential, it is also necessary to know what the plan covers. For more concerns, talk to your insurance provider.
