From Health Insurance In-Depth LLC

How Medical Travel Insurance Works

Whether you're a seasoned globe trotter or a first-time international adventurer, travel health insurance is an important part of planning your time abroad. It picks up where your standard coverage leaves off.

This page:

  • Explains why travel medical insurance is such an important policy

  • Describes what to look for in a good travel insurance plan

  • Helps you quickly find a policy tailor made to your needs

Get a free travel medical insurance quote

Research quotes, and apply for coverage at eHealthInsurance. You can pick what coverage you want and set your limits and deductibles, before applying for more personalized rate info.

Who needs this type of travel insurance?

Any American who will be traveling abroad in the next year should look into buying travel medical insurance. That's because most standard health plans, including Medicare don't cover medical expenses incurred while abroad.

If you're one of the lucky few whose regular coverage extends to health care outside the US, travel health insurance isn't such a must-have. (Although even then, a travel policy offers some special coverage extensions you may not want to be without.)

But for the rest of us, travel medical insurance is a fairly inexpensive coverage that can bring some peace of mind to an international adventure.

What a travel health insurance policy covers

This varies a lot, of course, but common coverages include: both emergency and non-emergency medical expenses, medical evacuation, prescription drug coverage, and some death benefits. More expensive policies will include emergency dental coverage. A lot of policies also cover medical treatment needed on domestic trips.

But travel medical insurance usually comes with other benefits too. A good insurance company will offer its members health and security information about travel destinations, medical translation assistance (for drugs, and medical terms and phrases), and even access to a global "network" of physicians.

The benefits of a good travel medical insurance plan are obvious. But you'll face some coverage options too.

Choosing your travel medical insurance policy options

Most travel health insurance companies will offer a several coverage options. The biggest choice is policy length. Travel polices usually come in two varieties: extended coverage (usually a year in length) for multiple trips and more limited one-trip policies.

Multiple-trip travel health insurance policies are ideal for the frequent traveler. This policy doesn't have to be renewed for each trip out of the country, and it's very economical coverage, too.

However, most insurers will limit an extended policy's duration per trip. (The policy might expire temporarily after 60 days abroad, and come back into effect during the next trip.)

The other option is limited one-trip travel health insurance. If your trip will be short (three weeks or less), and you're sure you won't be leaving the country again during the year, this is probably the right choice. Likewise, if you're planning a trip (or two) that will last over a couple of months, you might need a one-time policy to avoid being caught without coverage.

Getting travel insurance quotes online

The internet is an ideal market for a consumer product like travel medical insurance. Online research and application is fast and easy, and you don't have to bother with agents or brokers.

After all, travel health insurance is a relatively inexpensive and simple policy that you shouldn't have to worry too much about.

Online insurance is a competitive market too, so you can be confident you're getting a fair shake. Try eHealthInsurance for quick and fast (about 20 seconds!) online quotes. They're the internet's largest insurance marketplace, and their process couldn't be simpler.

But remember that policy premiums are not final until application process is fully completed, so be sure to include all your info for an accurate quote.

You, of course, are under no obligation to buy until you sign on the dotted line. All quotes are commitment-free.  Get a travel health insurance quote from eHealthInsurance.