What Is Emergency Travel Insurance?
Emergency Medical is a popular travel insurance that can cover the cost of emergency medical treatment during your trip.
Illness or injury abroad is a big concern among travelers and can lead to expensive out-of-pocket medical expenses if not covered. Emergency Medical can provide peace of mind by offering reimbursement for unforeseen emergency medical services and medical transportation.
Most travel insurance companies include medical benefits such as emergency medical assistance and medical evacuation in their policies. However, coverage limits and exclusions may vary from plan to plan.
If a medical emergency occurs during the trip, the policyholder may be required to pay for the medical treatment out of pocket and submit a claim for reimbursement after returning home. In certain situations, the provider may pre-authorize medical bills under the emergency medicine benefit, but this is not guaranteed.
What Does Emergency Travel Insurance Cover?
In short, an emergency medical allowance will usually cover unforeseen emergency medical expenses that may occur during your trip.
Examples of medical expenses that are usually covered by travel insurance include:
Rescue services
Hospital stays
Emergency room and doctor visits
X-rays and laboratory work
Emergency dental expenses
Prescription drugs
Common emergency medical exclusions
Travel health insurance covers a wide range of unforeseen medical expenses. However, emergency insurance is not all-inclusive.
While exclusions and limitations may vary between travel insurance providers, most travel medical plans do not offer cover for the following:
Pre-existing medical condition (unless otherwise stated)
Injury while participating in an excluded activity
Routine inspections or inspections
Normal pregnancy or birth
Deliberate self-harm
Is Emergency Medical Travel Insurance Required for International Travel?
Although rare, some countries may require proof of emergency medical travel insurance upon entry. You can find a list of these countries in our Destination Center. Regardless of your destination, Emergency Medical coverage is always strongly recommended.
Most primary health insurance plans, such as Medicare, Medicaid, or an employer-based plan, do not offer coverage overseas. This can often lead to costly out-of-pocket medical expenses if not covered by insurance.
Purchasing an insurance policy with an Emergency Medical benefit can save individuals thousands of dollars in unexpected medical expenses while traveling abroad.
Recommended Emergency Medical Coverage Limits
For those traveling internationally, Squaremouth recommends a minimum of $50,000 in emergency medical coverage and at least $100,000 in medical evacuation coverage.
For travelers going on a cruise or traveling to remote destinations, Squaremouth recommends $100,000 in emergency medical insurance and $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage due to the potential for high health care costs while traveling.
How Much Does Emergency Travel Insurance Cost?
The cost of travel insurance will vary and is determined by a variety of factors, including the age of the traveler, the destination, the price of the trip, the type of policy and the length of the trip.
Comprehensive travel insurance, which also includes trip cancellation, trip interruption and other important benefits, costs around $375-$450 on average. Travelers who don’t care about cancellations can opt for travel medical plans that can range from $75 to $125.
When purchasing any form of travel insurance, it is highly recommended that you compare plans and prices to find the best coverage at the lowest price.
Types of Travel Emergency Insurance Plans
Travelers have two primary coverage options to choose from when comparing travel health insurance plans; Primary and secondary.
Both types of health plans provide travelers with health insurance. The main difference, however, is the order in which the claim is paid
Primary travel health insurance
In the case of primary coverage, it is the travel insurance company that is the first to pay the insured event up to the limit specified in the insurance certificate. Once the policy limit is reached, the remaining balance will be transferred to the policyholder or their primary insurance provider.
Bear in mind that primary travel health insurance doesn’t necessarily mean better cover, but claims are usually processed more quickly.
Secondary travel health insurance
Secondary coverage means that the insurance company will only pay the claim after the traveler has submitted a claim to their primary health insurance provider. This usually doesn’t affect international travelers, but it can be a concern for those making a domestic trip.
Travelers who opt for secondary Emergency Medical benefits are usually equally satisfied with the level of service and coverage provided by their travel insurance.
Do Emergency Medical Travel Insurance Plans Include Deductibles?
Some travel insurance plans may include a medical deductible, which is an amount you must pay out of pocket before coverage begins. Deductibles are usually applied per covered incident or per person and help insurers manage costs and discourage small or frequent claims
The presence and amount of co-payments for health insurance may vary depending on the travel insurance contract and the insurance provider. Some plans may have a separate deductible for medical expenses, while others may have a combined deductible that covers both medical and non-medical claims.
When reviewing travel insurance plans, it is essential to read the policy documents carefully and understand the terms and conditions and any deductibles that may apply.
When reviewing travel insurance plans, it is essential to read the policy documents carefully and understand the terms and conditions and any deductibles that may apply.
