What Is International Travel Health Insurance?

What is international travel health insurance? Quite simply, it is an insurance policy that covers your medical expenses no matter where in the world you may be. Most domestic health insurance policies do not cover illnesses and injuries incurred in other countries. If you’re amongst the jet-setting crowd traveling from country to country, wouldn’t it be nice to know that, no matter where you got sick or hurt, you were covered? This is where an international travel health insurance policy comes in quite nicely.

Who Can Get International Travel Health Insurance?

Of course the answer to this question will largely depend on your insurance company; but typically, international travelers under the age of eighty will be covered under this type of policy. Again, this will vary from company to company. Generally, if you do not have any type of pre-existing condition, are in good physical health, and are under the age of eighty in most cases, you should qualify for international travel health insurance.

Keeping Your Policy Current

As long as you pay your premiums on time each month, your international travel health insurance policy should remain in effect. Call your insurance provider to be sure that you did not purchase a temporary policy, though, or you may find yourself in a foreign country with no coverage. Alternately, you can purchase single trip only policies, that will only cover you during a specific stay. This is a much cheaper way to go if you do not do a lot of travel each year.

Who Is Covered By Your International Travel Health Insurance Policy?

Again, this largely depends upon your particular providers policies. Generally, only the person named on the policy is covered. So, if you have not included your spouse and children in your policy, any medical expenses they incur in another country will not be covered under your policy. Some companies offer free coverage for children under two, but you should check with your provider to be certain.

Generally, most companies provide emergency transportation back to the States as part of their international travel health insurance policies. But again, this is something you should ask you individual provider about to see if transportation is, indeed, covered. An international travel health insurance policy is a wonderful and necessary investment for anyone traveling outside the country. Talk to your insurance provider about getting an international travel health insurance policy for you and your family today!