An unexpected injury or illness can quickly ruin a vacation. The best way to protect yourself while you are travelling abroad is to purchase visitors health insurance before you leave for your trip.
Your traditional coverage may not provide the same coverage that insurance for tourist does. Many travelers think that they will be covered by the same insurance plan that they have in their home country, but when they are travelling abroad, that is not always the case.
Tourist medical insurance is designed to protect you in case of an emergency medical situation. These types of plans provide for non-U.S. citizens who are travelling outside of the U.S. for a minimum of 5 days, and for non-U.S. citizens travelling outside of their home country for a minimum of 5 days. Each plan can offer coverage for a maximum of up to 1 to 3 years depending upon the plan selected.
How much the deductible for your plan costs depends on how much coverage you want and how much you can afford to pay. You can choose from the following deductibles: $0, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or $2500.
When you are covered by visitor health insurance, you will receive coverage for emergency care, including hospital stays, prescription costs and medically necessary services. For U.S. citizens, each plan also includes valuable coverage for emergency evacuation in a life threatening situation. As these can often costs thousands of dollars if you aren’t insured, it is vital to have an insurance plan that offers this important benefit.
Tourist health insurance also includes additional helpful benefits. Useful additions to any insurance for tourist include assistance with identity theft, lost baggage and trip interruption. Coverage can be extended for two months once they return to the U.S. when travelers purchase End of Trip Home Country coverage.
The cost of your health insurance for visitors depends on your age, the number of days you need coverage, the coverage amount and your desired deductible amount. Optional coverage for extreme sports for travelers up to age 65 is available for the more adventurous travelers.
Before you leave for an overseas trip, make sure that you are protected with insurance for tourist. It’s a necessity for anyone who is planning a trip abroad and the plans are designed for travelers like you.
Dan Miller frequently writes about health insurance for tourist