The best way to ensure that we will be protected against any kind of injury or sickness during a trip away from home is to get coverage from your insurance company. Before going on your trip (or even when signing up for medical aid or insurance), find out from your provider if they cover you for treatments by doctors or hospitals out of your network. Find out if you will be covered for the full amount or if you would have to co-ay for certain procedures, and also find out if you are covered for a medical evacuation, since those costs tend to be higher than usual, especially if you’re out of your covered network area.
If any of these aspects are not covered by your own plan, you may want to look at paying for extra travel insurance, which, even though it is a little on the expensive side, will cover your for anything that may happen to you during your trip. Many travel insurance plans will cover you after the fact, giving you a refund on any expenses you may accrue once you return home and claim for it, but there are certain plans that will give the funds directly to the hospital or doctor that you plan on visiting, meaning that you won’t have to dig into your own emergency funds for any reason.
In times of crisis, communication with medical personnel and family back home is crucial. In a destination where English is not commonly spoken, communication becomes a major issue. The 24/7 hotline included with comprehensive travel insurance policies, assistance services and travel medical policies provides translation/interpretation services, assists in consulting with treating physicians, and updates family, employers, and insurance companies.
If you’re traveling to a country where you think high quality healthcare services might not exist, or may be scarce, make sure you know the number to the helpline set up by your insurance company. This call centre will be able to direct you to the nearest hospital or clinic that will be able to help you at a high enough standard to be counted on by your insurance provider. Because of their access to international networks of hospitals and local physicians, you will always be able to find adequate care, and if something happens and no services are available that are up to standard, your help line’s medical assistance team will be able to organize and coordinate medical evacuation.
Always know your options when traveling, even if you feel you will never need it. Making sure you're covered at all times will allow you to enjoy your trip and keep your mind off the stressful things that you could have prevented with enough preparation.
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