Ben Luthi has been writing about personal finance for over a decade with the intent to help people improve their finances and lifestyle. He’s covered just about every personal finance topic under the sun for a variety of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Recommends, Yahoo Finance, Experian, Credit Karma, NerdWallet, and many more. Ben lives near Salt Lake City with his two kids and two cats.
Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.
A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.
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Your U.S.-based health insurance plan generally won’t cover medical expenses while you’re traveling abroad, though some may offer limited emergency coverage.
If you’re planning an international trip, consider buying travel medical insurance, which can cover medical expenses your U.S.-based health insurance excludes when you travel abroad. This type of insurance can protect you if you get sick, are injured, require hospitalization, or need medical evacuation back to the United States. Here’s what you need to know.
Do you need travel medical insurance if you have health insurance?
When you buy a health insurance policy, you’re limited to receiving care within your plan’s network of service providers. If you seek care outside of that network, you may have to pay a greater share of the cost — or you may not be eligible for coverage at all.[1]
In most cases, though, U.S. health insurance policies don’t offer coverage if you’re in another country. Those that do may limit you to emergency services.[2]
As you prepare for a trip abroad, contact your health insurance provider for details on what it does and doesn’t cover while you’re out of the country.
Even if you qualify for emergency medical care, a short-term travel insurance policy that covers you throughout your trip is a smart choice. This is especially true if you have a health condition, are taking a long trip, or plan to participate in risky activities, such as scuba diving.
Purchasing a short-term travel insurance policy ensures you’re covered for routine healthcare, emergency care, and other situations that your U.S.-based health insurance plan would likely exclude.
If you want health coverage while traveling overseas, your personal health insurance plan will offer few or no benefits. Buying travel medical insurance before your trip gives you the coverage you need if you get sick or injured.[3] While coverage options may vary between insurers and plans, you can expect these key benefits:
Routine care
If you get sick or need care for something that doesn’t qualify as an emergency, your plan may cover you.
Emergency care
If you get in an accident or become ill and require emergency medical services, your travel medical plan will typically cover you up to a certain amount.
Emergency evacuation
If you’re traveling to an area with limited or inadequate medical facilities, this coverage can pay for transportation, including air evacuation, to the nearest adequate facility — or even home.
It’s important to note, though, that travel medical insurance isn’t the same as travel insurance.
Travel medical insurance vs. travel insurance
While travel medical insurance primarily covers routine and emergency medical care, it won’t help you with any travel expenses.
But travel insurance may reimburse you for prepaid travel expenses if you or a close family member gets sick or injured, preventing you from taking your trip. It can also cover other situations that might cause you to cancel your trip or cut it short.
If your flight is delayed, a travel insurance policy may cover hotel and meal costs. It can also reimburse you if your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen. And if you cancel your trip for any reason, you may receive a partial refund, depending on your policy.
In some cases, travel insurance providers may also include medical insurance, allowing you to purchase a single plan instead of separate policies.
What travel medical insurance doesn’t cover
Travel medical insurance exclusions vary depending on the policy. In general, though, your coverage might not include the following:
Dangerous activities: If you plan to skydive or engage in other dangerous activities, your policy may not cover any resulting injuries. And you may need specialized coverage if your activities include scuba diving.
Pre-existing conditions: The Affordable Care Act’s requirement for insurers to cover pre-existing conditions doesn’t apply to travel insurance. Some insurance companies offer plans that include coverage forpre-existing conditions, though.
Preventive care: You probably don’t plan to get a checkup while traveling, but travel medical insurance doesn’t cover wellness exams and other preventive care.
Medical tourism: If you plan to travel abroad specifically for a medical procedure or to buy prescriptions, a travel medical plan likely won’t cover you.
Disasters and unrest: Travel medical insurance won’t cover injuries caused by natural disasters, civil unrest, or war.
Review the policy’s terms before purchasing travel medical insurance, particularly the exclusions. This is especially important if you anticipate issues due to your travel plans or medical conditions.
Where to buy travel medical insurance
You can buy travel medical insurance in several different ways:
Insurance companies
You may be able to get coverage from an insurer that offers a wide range of insurance policies or one that specializes in travel medical insurance coverage.
Travel agent
If you’re booking your trip through a travel agent, check if they can include travel medical insurance with your reservation.
Credit card companies
Some credit cards offer medical protection while you travel, but they often limit coverage to certain accidents, emergency medical evacuation, or both. This coverage is complimentary, but make sure you understand the terms before relying on it alone.
As you plan your trip, take time to research and compare travel insurance plans from multiple sources to ensure you get the best deal on the coverage you need.
How much travel medical insurance costs
Travel medical insurance doesn’t have a set price. Some sources estimate you can spend between $40 and $80 for a policy, while others suggest a range of $4 to more than $100 for a week of coverage.
Ultimately, your travel insurance premium depends on several factors, including your age, coverage options and limits, deductible, destination, trip length, and more.
Because each insurer prices coverage differently, it’s smart to shop around and compare different options before purchasing a policy.
A credit card with travel insurance can help reduce coverage costs, but insurance benefits vary depending on which credit cards you have. If you’re considering a new card offering trip protection, make sure the card’s overall value justifies any annual fee.
Health insurance for international travel FAQs
If you’re thinking about purchasing travel medical insurance for an upcoming international trip, these common questions and answers might help.
When should you buy travel medical insurance?
It’s generally a good idea to get travel medical coverage if you have a health condition, you’re planning a long trip, or you’re thinking of participating in certain activities that could increase your risk of injury (although if that’s the case, be sure to check the policy for any exclusions).
Travel medical insurance also makes sense if you don’t want to risk being out of the country without medical coverage.
How do you file a travel medical insurance claim?
The process of filing a travel medical insurance claim varies depending on the insurer you choose. In general, you’ll pay for coverage up front and request reimbursement from the insurance company when you file your claim.
Do all international medical facilities accept travel medical insurance?
Unlike your personal health insurance plan, which pays medical providers directly, travel medical insurance policies typically require you to pay international facilities up front. You’ll then request reimbursement when you file your claim.
What happens if you have to go to the hospital in another country?
If you have to go to the hospital in another country, it’s best to contact your travel medical insurance company directly to learn about your coverage. The hospital experience may vary depending on the country you’re visiting.
What happens if you get sick while traveling abroad and don’t have travel medical insurance?
If you don’t have travel medical insurance and get sick while traveling abroad, your personal health plan may cover certain emergency care. But if you don’t have coverage, you’ll have to pay the bill yourself.
Sources
HealthCare.gov. "Health insurance plan & network types: HMOs, PPOs, and more."
Ben Luthi has been writing about personal finance for over a decade with the intent to help people improve their finances and lifestyle. He’s covered just about every personal finance topic under the sun for a variety of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Recommends, Yahoo Finance, Experian, Credit Karma, NerdWallet, and many more. Ben lives near Salt Lake City with his two kids and two cats.
Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.
A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.
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