How Does Insurance Help When You Need Travel Medical Assistance?

What Is Travel Medical Insurance?

The last thing you want to deal with is getting sick abroad. Thankfully, travel medical insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection. Travel medical insurance is a type of coverage for medical and health-related expenses incurred when traveling abroad. For instance, medical travel insurance can cover international doctor visits, hospital stays, ambulance transportation, and medication, depending on the plan.

You can purchase travel medical insurance as a standalone policy or include it as part of comprehensive travel insurance coverage. It ensures access to necessary medical care and dramatically lessens your worries about the high costs and logistical headaches associated with foreign medical treatment. 

Will My Health Insurance Cover Me While I Am Abroad?

Medical assistance or treatment abroad can be significantly more expensive than treatment at home. Coverage from your existing plan can differ from policy to policy, ranging from limited coverage to none at all. For example, most plans provide little to no coverage outside of the U.S. while almost no policies will cover the exorbitant costs of emergency medical evacuations. 

Does Travel Medical Insurance Cover COVID-19?

Some travel medical insurance policies may provide coverage for COVID-19-related costs, including medical treatment and hospitalization, while others may exclude or limit coverage for pandemic-related illnesses. That’s why it’s important to carefully review the terms and conditions of your travel medical insurance policy or pick a policy designed for pandemic travel. For example, Aegis’s Go Ready Pandemic Travel Insurance Plus Plan offers a comprehensive range of COVID-19-related coverage.

How Much Does Travel Medical Insurance Cost?

The cost of travel medical insurance can vary widely depending on your trip length, destination, age, level of coverage desired, and health status. On average, travel medical insurance can cost anywhere from one to five dollars per day and the price may vary for an extended trip.

However, this is a small amount compared with how much you might have to spend if you get sick or need emergency medical care abroad without travel medical insurance. Travel medical insurance costs also vary depending on the insurer, the policy type, and the desired coverage level.

How Do You Find Care When You Have an Emergency While Traveling?

The quickest way to find urgent emergency care while traveling is to call emergency services such as 911 in the United States and Canada or 112 in Europe and parts of Asia. You can also contact your hotel front desk or tour guide to ask for recommendations for local medical facilities and doctors.

Your travel medical insurance provider may have an emergency hotline. As one of our Stress Less Benefits, we offer this service to our customers. If they run into an issue or need medical care during their trip, they can contact our 24/7/365 Emergency Response Team. Our team provides travel medical assistance by helping clients find the nearest emergency room, coordinating specialized care, or arranging medical evacuation in serious situations. In some cases, we can even cover these costs as they’re being incurred, which spares the insured from having to worry about going through a claims reimbursement process.

What Medical Documents Should You Pack When Traveling Abroad?

You should carry essential medical information, including allergies and pre-existing conditions, and your insurance information when you go abroad. Being prepared with the proper documents can make getting travel medical assistance easier. Make sure you have the following on your packing list:

• A list of medications you’re taking
• Proof of travel medical insurance
• Copies of your prescriptions
• Proof of travel vaccinations (if required)
• An emergency contact card with phone numbers and email addresses of a family member or friend
• Names and contact information of your health care providers at home

Travel Medical Assistance for Emergency Medical Evacuations

In the rare case of a severe emergency or life-or-death situation, travel medical insurance plans usually include coverage for emergency medical evacuations. The insurance covers the costs of traveling to the nearest medical center or hospital equipped to handle the emergency, even if that means transporting the patient to another country. Emergency medical evacuation coverage may also include the cost of medical personnel accompanying you to the hospital (such as doctors, nurses, or emergency medical staff in an air ambulance).

Do You Need Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage?

Even if you’re young and relatively healthy, it’s essential to have emergency medical evacuation coverage, especially if you’re traveling to remote or developing countries where accessing medical care can be complicated. Travel medical insurance with emergency medical evacuation coverage offers peace of mind for all the “what ifs” that can occur with a medical emergency during your trip. After all, most people are even more active on their vacations than at home, and unfortunately, trying new things can sometimes lead to serious accidents regardless of age.

Should You Purchase Travel Insurance for Medical Emergencies?

Experts recommend purchasing medical travel insurance to ensure you are covered when you travel abroad. Medical emergencies can be expensive, especially in foreign countries where you may not be familiar with the local healthcare system. Travel medical insurance can help cover the costs of medical treatment, including emergency transportation and hospitalization, and provide support in navigating the local healthcare system.

Some countries, including some hospitals and clinics, require travelers to have insurance before entering. Having travel medical insurance ensures that you comply with these requirements and are never denied entrance to a facility when you’re in time-sensitive need of treatment.

Aegis Insurance for Travel Medical Assistance

You can travel confidently with travel medical assistance through an Aegis travel insurance plan. Our management team has over 30 years of combined experience in travel and insurance. Compare our policies today and get a free quote!

We design plans that fit the needs of every type of traveler, whether you’re vacationing, visiting family, traveling for business, or studying abroad. The industry’s top A-rated underwriters back our plans so you can buy confidently.