Why you need travel medical insurance on your next trip

July 31, 2024

The fun part of planning a trip: Choosing a destination, researching local sights and daydreaming about time spent exploring a new favorite place in the world. However, there’s another aspect of trip planning that’s perhaps less enjoyable but is extremely important: Preparing for the possibility of a health crisis.

Whether it’s an unfortunate accident on a hike or simply catching a bug from being around crowds at airports and attractions, needing medical care on a trip can put you in a vulnerable position, particularly if you’re in a part of the world where you don’t know how the local health system works. Fortunately, travel medical insurance coverage such as SafeTrip International Travel Medical Plus can help you.

What is the difference between travel insurance and travel medical insurance?

When you are booking a trip, you’ll often be offered travel insurance by an airline or credit card company or thinking about purchasing a standalone plan from a travel insurance company: This is the type of coverage that kicks in if a flight is canceled or an item is lost or stolen during your travels. Travel insurance plans are for travelers who are most concerned with protecting travel related costs. Some travel insurance or trip protection plans do cover medical related costs, though the limits that come with a travel insurance plan are usually very low, leaving you to pay more out of pocket. On the other hand, if you are looking for medical assistance and benefits such as international medical coverage or emergency medical evacuation and more, you should consider a travel medical insurance plan over a travel insurance or trip protection plan. Travel medical insurance plans have a higher medical expense and medical evacuation limit to make sure that if a serious illness or injury were to occur during your travels, you will be fully covered.

Designed out-of-the-country care

Travel medical insurance is designed for when you head overseas, taking over for your U.S.-based health insurance because most coverage will not extend to international travel needs. Even the health insurance plans that do offer some coverage, the benefits are often limited. In contrast, travel medical policies are designed specifically for out-of-the-country care, and include emergency medical, medical evacuation, and even coverage in case of a dental emergency.

If you have a pre-existing condition, you might be worried that an international travel medical policy might not cover your needs overseas. The good news is that although not every travel insurance policy includes coverage for pre-existing conditions, there are plans available that enable you to travel with confidence and a backup plan for any unexpected medical requirements. If this is a concern for you, compare different travel insurance policies carefully to be sure you have the coverage you need and want.

Designed for globetrotters

Whether you’re headed to a country with sophisticated, easily accessible health care, or you’re an adventurer headed to more remote, challenging areas, the right travel medical insurance plan will step up. For instance, SafeTrip travel medical insurance offers protection in case of medical emergencies, hospitalization, prescription medication needs, and medical evacuation. In addition, the costs of these medical needs are usually covered upfront, and include access to help in finding quality medical providers around the world.

SafeTrip coverage also includes priceless support as part of their insurance plans, such as a 24/7 Emergency Response Center with specialists who can help you identify the best local care for your needs, connect you with translation services, and even assist in replacing lost or stolen travel documents. During a stressful health event, this sort of support can make all the difference.

Want to learn more? See how SafeTrip International Travel Medical supports in case of an illness, accident or even for a smaller, less-urgent need. SafeTrip International Medical Plus adds on trip protection coverage so you have financial backup for cancellations, delays, and other ways that trips can be affected beyond health emergencies. There’s even the option to add on coverage for rental cars or extreme sports, so you can customize your plans to fit your itinerary. Once you’ve protected yourself and your fellow travelers, you can go back to imagining that dream vacation, confident that you’ll be ready for any surprises along the way.