| Medical Insurance for Travelers |
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| Written by Nancy Sathre-Vogel |
| Thursday, 08 April 2010 18:19 |
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If you travel long enough it is inevitable that you will get sick or have an accident at some point and need medical care. What you will do in that circumstance is hard to predict as there are so many possible scenarios. It is tempting to figure you'll deal with it when it comes and forget about it. But there is something you can do now to prepare for that day - buy medical insurance.
If you travel long enough it is inevitable that you will get sick or have an accident at some point and need medical care. What you will do in that circumstance is hard to predict as there are so many possible scenarios. It is tempting to figure you'll deal with it when it comes and forget about it. But there is something you can do now to prepare for that day - buy medical insurance. Most travelers that are reasonably healthy will never need insurance. I suggest looking at it as asset protection - you could lose everything and be in debt for the rest of your life if something big were to happen. One trip in an air ambulance could leave you paying for the next 50 years. The risk simply isn't worth it. There are plenty of companies selling travel insurance and you won't have any trouble finding them. But - be sure to read the fine print. Each policy is a bit different and will cover different things. One might cover you only in specific countries; another has a high deductible. Some policies only cover certain activities. Be sure to read the policy carefully and, if you don't understand something, call the company and ask. We've opted for a high-deductible travelers' policy through IMG. The stipulations are that we are outside of the USA for at least six months each year, and we could not pick it up until the day we planned to leave the country. But, when we do return to the US on vacation, we will still be covered there. In all honesty, we never plan to use our insurance policy - we have it only as a backup. Given the price of health care in most parts of the world, we can cover most things out of pocket. It would take a pretty big accident or illness to rack up bills over $5000! It's tempting to forego the insurance when medical costs are so low in other countries. However, don't dismiss the possibility of some fluke accident which leads to you being evacuated in an air ambulance. That plane could cost up to $100,000! Is it really worth not getting insurance when you could be facing DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice. Long term travel is Nancy Sathre-Vogel's passion. She has traveled widely and has experienced her share of medical issues. |