Most Americans have some type of insurance, whether it’s home, auto, renter’s, life, or another type. However, an important type of insurance that is underutilized is travel insurance. Many people take vacations without it, often because they don’t know enough about it or, in some cases, that it even exists. Let’s take a look at how travel insurance can help you if you’re on vacation or a work trip abroad and suddenly become sick.
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Getting Sick Abroad
Imagine you’ve taken a trip outside of the United States that is scheduled to last three weeks and involves stops in four countries. Now, let’s say that you reach the final stop on your trip. You were planning on waiting until you returned home to see your doctor but the pain has become too great and you go to an emergency room near your hotel.
After an examination, the doctor gives you the diagnosis and says that you must remain in the hospital for three days for observation while you recover. Your regular health insurance company might not be willing to pay because you’re out of network. However, traveler’s insurance will make sure that you aren’t financially ruined by an illness while you’re aboard.
This is especially important if you’re a senior on Medicare, as the program primarily only covers medical treatments in the United States. Under most circumstances, anything that happens abroad is generally not covered and must be paid out of pocket (unless you have traveler’s insurance).
What About Universal Healthcare?
Now, let’s imagine that you’ve gone to a country with universal healthcare where all medical expenses are covered by the government and you don’t have a bill to pay. In this situation, there are still benefits that you can receive by having traveler’s insurance.
Going back to our hypothetical scenario, now let’s say you find yourself ill in the first country on your itinerary. Because the country has universal healthcare, there are no medical bills that you’re required to pay. However, those aren’t the only expenses that you’re likely to have. y
Let’s say you’re in the hospital for three days and then the doctor recommends that you return home immediately. If this were to happen, you would have a number of expenses and potentially non-refundable purchases already made, including (but not limited to) the airline’s ticket change fee, your transportation to the three cities remaining on your itinerary, your hotels or other lodging in those cities, and tours or excursions booked for the remainder of your trip.
Traveler’s insurance will cover all of this and more, which can protect you from being out thousands of dollars due to an accident or illness. Instead of losing that money, your insurance payout can help you pay for a new trip.
By purchasing traveler’s insurance, you can ensure that everything is covered and you won’t suffer financial hardship due to an injury or illness abroad. It’ll also make it easier to enjoy your vacation because you won’t have to worry or stress about the what-ifs while you’re checking everything off your vacation bucket list.
