You need travel insurance or health insurance for travelers if you are traveling internationally. Say your travel plans are set – from where you are staying to what you will do when you arrive at your destination abroad. But what if something unexpected should happen and you end up in the hospital? Your health insurance may give you the best coverage here in the U.S., but there are limitations once you leave the country, and you do not want to be caught off guard.
Lets say you are hiking in Europe, take a fall, and break your ankle. You are rushed to the local hospital and given emergency care. Or what if the injury was so severe, that you had to be kept overnight in a foreign hospital? If you needed to be transported by helicopter or airplane to another facility, this can also get costly. If you were home, your health insurance would cover these expenses, but because you are out of the country, your healthcare plan will not give you sufficient protection against these risks. There are short term health insurance plans available that can ease the anxiety of traveling abroad, so that you can truly enjoy your time away.
Travel health insurance is a form of short term health insurance that can provide proper coverage while you are away. It can also protect you from be held liable for medical expenses that may occur, should something happen during your out-of-country stay. One of the most common limitations is the time period for which you are covered – which expires as soon as your return back to your home country. Another limitation is that it is only usable for medical health emergencies, meaning that you cannot purchase coverage and expect to be treated for pre-existing conditions or for a procedure that is not deemed medically necessary. Travel health coverage will also not pay for treatments that are pending – again, something that is related to a pre-existing condition.
With this kind of insurance, you can feel protected during your travels and not be hit with big bills once you return home. And with the assurance that you are covered should you unexpectedly get hurt or sick, you can truly go out and have a good time on your vacation.
