HOW TO AVOID PAYING TOO MUCH FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES ABROAD
When you’re planning a trip, you’re usually thinking of parties, beaches, fun, and shopping. You never think of illness or hospital beds with an impossibly huge medical bill to pay.
Most of us think that situation will never happen to us until it happens to us. That is why buying a comprehensive travel insurance should be one of your top priorities when travelling, especially if you’re going abroad.
What is Comprehensive Travel Insurance?
A comprehensive travel insurance, as the name suggests, covers almost everything from baggage and personal belongings to emergency medical assistance. It covers all the events that might unexpectedly happen when you’re travelling. This kind of insurance also reimburses you for the following coverages:
- Trip/Event Cancellation
If your trip gets cancelled because of the acts of nature, terrorism, death, injury, or illness, the insurer will reimburse any costs you have incurred including your accommodation. Provided you are able to present a signed letter from the airplane company saying that they have cancelled the flight.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation
If you have sustained wounds or fell ill and need to be transported, having an emergency medical evacuation cover allows you to get transported back to your home country if necessary. It also refunds you for the expenses from the hospitalisation.
- Loss of Baggage and Personal Belongings
If you have lost some of your personal belongings or somebody has stolen it, this feature allows you a refund for any lost items or belongings.
Aside from the benefits mentioned above, all comprehensive travel insurance policies come with a 24-hour assistance, which is very helpful if you find yourself in a very sticky situation like a medical or translation assistance, no matter what time of the day you are.
For those who possess an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), you might be asking if you still need another insurance policy. The EHIC is good and will give you low-cost or free hospitalisation to any state hospital in the EU. Bit it does not cover private medical bills and other additional costs it may incur.
Using Your Travel Insurance to Pay Your Medical Bills
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies have a 24/7 medical assistance service you can call in case you need medical assistance during your travel. They will assist you every step of the way and even pre-authorise the costs with the medical providers you’re dealing with in that country. That means you don’t have to use your own money to pay for your medical bills. The assistance also allows you access to a multi-lingual staff who will deal directly to the medical providers of that specific country.
If you find yourself in an emergency medical situation, call them immediately so they can address everything you might need in case you are hospitalised. If you only have an outpatient or clinic visit for a minor illness, get all the receipts so you can reimburse them later.
Following this advice will help you to avoid paying too much for medical expenses abroad.
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