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Medical Insurance and Foreign Travel
It is important to consider how medical bills would be paid if you get hurt while traveling abroad. There are often gaps in coverage for persons carrying traditional medical insurance when traveling internationally:
- Medicare does not cover medical expenses incurred outside the United States
- Most domestic medical insurance companies require medical bills to be translated by the foreign medical provider prior to being paid. This often results in out-of- pocket expenses.
- Domestic medical insurance companies do not cover the cost of foreign medical transport. Therefore, without alternative insurance coverage, an injured party may have to pay out-of-pocket to be transferred to the nearest place for medical treatment.
A travel accident insurance policy fills some of the gaps for foreign travelers left by domestic medical insurance companies. These policies usually provide high limits for payment of medical expenses incurred outside the United States, and a dedicated hotline for travelers - with translators available who help serve as a liaison between the injured party and the foreign medical provider.
Further, if medically necessary, travel accident policies generally provide coverage for medical transport expenses to get the injured party to the closest appropriate medical treatment facility. Additionally, travel accident policies offer a limited amount of life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance for the traveler.
For more information on travel accident insurance policies, and for on-line application and policy issuance, Click Here. Because there are many variations in coverage in travel accident policies, we encourage our clients to read the fine print and exclusions before purchasing one of these policies.
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P.O. Box 541 
