Are you unsure whether you need travel medical insurance? If you plan to travel outside the United States, you do. In 2024, emergency medical claims accounted for 1 in 4 of all travel insurance claims paid, with an average payout of $1,654. That suggests that travel-related accidents can be expensive, and that travel medical insurance can protect travelers financially.
What does travel medical insurance coverage typically include?
- Doctor’s office visits for a new illness or injury, such as a bad sunburn, the flu, or a broken finger.
- Outpatient or inpatient care at a hospital or clinic, including emergency surgery and multiple-night hospital stays. However, travel medical insurance does not cover elective or planned surgeries, such as for “medical tourism.”
- Prescription medicine related to a medical emergency or a new illness.
- X-rays and other diagnostic services used to identify injuries and guide treatment.
- Medical equipment and devices, such as crutches, wheelchairs, or walking boots, needed for mobility after an accident or illness.
- Medically necessary transportation, such as a local ground ambulance.
- Medical evacuation to return the patient to the United States or home country after a serious accident or injury. Medical evacuations are also used to get patients to a hospital in a nearby country that can provide appropriate care. This service can be critically important – and is typically extremely expensive, ranging from $20,000 to more than $100,000.
If you have private health insurance, your policy may cover accidents and injuries that occur outside the United States. If you aren’t sure or don’t have health insurance, travel medical insurance is a must-have. We also recommend travel medical insurance for people with Medicare and Medicaid, which typically do not cover medical care outside the United States.
Make sure you know what you’re purchasing
Travel medical insurance is not the same as trip insurance, which typically covers things such as delayed flights, lost luggage, or rental car damage. Some trip insurance policies also include travel medical insurance, but low-cost policies may not.
Here’s another important thing to know about travel medical insurance coverage – unlike private health insurance, it won’t pay the costs of medical care up front. If you suffer an accident or illness while traveling outside the United States, you’ll likely be required to pay your entire bill at discharge, then file a claim for reimbursement with your travel medical insurance provider. After you’ve gathered your documentation, you should submit it as soon as possible to your travel medical insurance provider.
Things to look for in a travel medical insurance policy
Before purchasing a policy for travel medical insurance coverage, be sure to check if:
- The policy is valid for the countries you are traveling to.
- It has exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions you may have.
- The policy includes coverage for, or provides for, medical evacuation for higher-risk activities such as skydiving, scuba diving, or rock climbing.
- The maximum coverage amount is sufficient to cover the costs of a medical evacuation.
You can expect to pay about 4% to 10% of the prepaid portion of your trip for travel coverage. For example, for a $5,000 trip, you should be able to purchase travel medical insurance for $200 to $500. The cost may be higher if you are 60 years old or older.
Although it may be tempting to skip the cost of travel medical insurance, you’ll likely pay much less than $1,654 – the cost of the average medical reimbursement in 2024.
About SentinelMED
SentinelMED provides medical transport, medical repatriation, and medical escort services for people who need assistance to travel long distances. With decades of travel medical experience, the members of the SentinelMED team have assisted with patient transports throughout the world.
Our medical professionals work closely with travel insurance providers, patients, and their families to provide safe and comfortable door-to-door transportation after an accident or illness.
At SentinelMED, we understand the complexity of delivering exceptional care to people who need assistance during travel. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
