UNDERSTANDING TRAVEL INSURANCE
A Travel Insurance Primer
By Webmaster

Introduction

Traveling and living in a foreign country can be exciting and rewarding, but it can quickly become a nightmare when sickness or injury occurs and medical services or worse, medical evacuation is needed. Medical costs have risen dramatically worldwide. Traveling has also become a costly venture; with airline tickets costing well over $1,000 and non-refundable. Unforeseen liabilities such as rental cars; insurance is no longer provided by most rental agencies. The traveler many times overlooks liabilities and possible disasters that can occur while traveling.

The smart traveler can minimize the outcome of disasters or avoid them all together by taking reasonability for their safety before the trip. Plan ahead making a list of possible foreseeable disasters and then make plans to deal with each one. One strong piece of advise, make sure you have traveler's insurance.

Many people haven’t heard of travelers insurance before; including major airline employees and travel agents have never heard of this type of coverage or companies offering it. Several years ago I took the initiative to start my worldly adventures abroad. I have completed several international adventures to Australia without having traveler’s insurance simply due to the fact no one ever told me it was available. I called the major international airline I use several times looking for traveler's insurance information of any kind. Each time I called, the person from the airline told me they never heard of traveler's insurance; an Unbelievable response from a major International airline's "traveler's assistance" line. I also called several travel agents here in Milwaukee and only one of the agents had any knowledge of traveler’s insurance; and that knowledge was limited to a simple flyer. It is sad how some companies and employees just do not give basic service that is related to their industry or job; not true at Casanova's Outdoor Adventure Store.

I am an adventurer by nature; it’s in my blood, and traveling is a part of the adventures. I am also a determined sort, not easily discouraged when I set my mind to something. My close friend in Australia, concerned about my well being, insisted I keep calling and searching for information. So I decided to start data-mining the Internet for traveler’s insurance. The following information is what I have discovered so far and is provided to you, free of charge in the traditional ways of Casanova's Outdoor Adventure Store.

Planning

Many world travelers purchase supplementary international medical insurance or travel insurance in order to avoid the potentially staggering financial costs that could result from serious sickness or injury in a foreign country.

When planning a short or long-term trip abroad it is best to find out directly from your primary home-country health care provider (i.e., health insurance, HMO, ministry of health) whether and to what extent, and under what circumstances, you are covered for medical expenses emergency and routine medical expenses incurred while traveling abroad. Many people are surprised to discover that their health care provider offers little or no protection or reimbursement for the costs of any type of medical treatment received in a foreign country.

The Insurance Plans

There are many types of insurance for the world traveler and choosing the right plan can be confusing. Becoming familiar with the basic types of plans and the specialized terms will make it easier to compare plans, and ultimately choose the right plan for your needs.

Often people think travel insurance means flight accident insurance, i.e., the kind of insurance that pays the insured or its beneficiary a lump sum when an airplane accident results in death or serious injury. Flight accident insurance plans are commonly found at airports and they pay substantial sums to accident victims and their families.

However, there are two other primary types of travel insurance that are designed to reduce the financial risk posed by unforeseen medical expenses and other crises that can confront international travelers. Although the distinctions can be blurred between the two types of plans, they are generally categorized separately as international medical insurance and travel protection plans, both of which may be offered in single-trip, multi-trip, or renewable versions.

International Medical Insurance is short or long term medical insurance designed to reimburse you for medical expenses incurred when you are traveling or living in a foreign country. Maximum policy coverage levels can be substantial enough to cover major medical expenses such as emergency surgery and extended hospital stays. The "American-style" of international medical insurance coverage is subject to the specified deductible and co-insurance or co-pay. Plans may include emergency evacuation, reunion, and repatriation benefits as well as other travel assistance services.

Travel Protection Plans typically reimburse your non-reimbursed travel expenses if an emergency (death, sickness, airline strike, travel company bankruptcy, etc.) occurs right before or during your trip causing it to be canceled, interrupted or delayed. Often these plans include travel assistance services, protection for lost or damaged baggage, as well as limited coverage for incurred medical expenses. In many cases there is no deductible or co-pay for covered medical expenses.

Travel Insurance Online

Although there are more and more web sites that offer travel insurance online, most sites offer only one type of coverage -- either a travel protection plan or international medical insurance -- or only offer coverage to citizens of a particular country. A select few offer a variety of plans for world travelers of all nationalities. Do your homework and research well in advance of your next adventure.

Travel Insurance Glossary

Make Your Adventures Happen, And Enjoy Them With Peace of Mind!  G. Casanova