Planning a trip is consuming and exciting. It’s easy to get caught up in the rush and forget to add a few important items to your checklist. When making plans for travel, many people forget to search for travel insurance. Often people are quick to assume that their main insurance provider will cover any unexpected costs, or that they don’t have to worry about incurring additional expenditures. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case, especially when medical conditions are added to the mix.
Why Wouldn’t My Insurance Cover My Medical Bills When I Travel?
Healthcare delivery systems vary by country, and your insurance may not cover the cost of treatment at a private hospital. Private hospitals operate outside the public sphere, and as a result they don’t have fixed rate prices for medical procedures and tests. Since they can charge as much as they’d like for different procedures, the cost to have a procedure done can add up quickly – especially when you factor in the fees physicians charge for their services, and any lab work that must be done to assess your condition.
If you’re travelling in the United States, the cost of an unexpected medical emergency can produce a bill that could take months, years, or even decades to repay. Due to the incredibly competitive market and its heavy reliance on privatised healthcare systems, the costs of healthcare in the United States are some of the highest in the world. It is not uncommon for United States citizens with serious medical conditions to be forced to file bankruptcy because of their inability to pay the bills.
How Do I Protect Myself When I Travel?
If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it is important to shop for medical travel insurance before embarking on your journey. Even if you don’t, it is best to have some sort of cover, especially if you are planning to visit a country that relies heavily on privatised healthcare (such as the United States, Canada, Spain, and Greece). Don’t rely on being able to find a public hospital. Even in countries where the healthcare delivery systems are split, some procedures may be urgent enough to require you to seek treatment at a privatised hospital, and you’ll be left to pay the bill on your own.
What Is the Best Way to Find Medical Travel Insurance?
Shopping for medical travel insurance can prove to be an exhausting task, but you don’t have to do all the footwork yourself. Using services like Medical Travel Compared will save you a lot of time and money! Simply give them the relevant information needed to search for a policy, and they’ll provide you with a list of plans that you can choose from. You’ll be able to compare and contrast the different benefits that each plan offers and decide which policy will work best for you.
When you go on holiday, you want to make sure that you won’t have to worry about any unexpected events. Purchasing travel insurance will give you an added sense of comfort, knowing that when you embark on your adventure, you will be in good hands.
