Travel with Confidence: Why Health Insurance is the Must-Have Safety Net for Every Traveller

In foreign countries, a medical emergency can cost a pretty penny. For a single night in an average American hospital, you’d have to pay a whopping $2,600, and this estimate excludes treatment, surgery, and examinations. Just imagine dealing with that scenario where you don’t have insurance and cannot get home.

“People don’t realize how quickly medical bills add up until they’re stuck in a hospital bed,” states John Gobbels, VP of Medjet. Every year, travellers end up stranded, injured, or gravely ill, only to find out that their health insurance policy doesn’t cover international travel. And he is accurate. Not a single American health insurance provider caters to out of the United States care.

That is where extra-terrestrial health insurance providers flourish – it is no longer an option; it’s a necessity. These providers do not only pay for doctor consults or hospital admission, but they also cover expensive medical evacuations which can go above $50,000, last minute trip cancellations, and even repatriation if need be. Without it, you may have health issues, financial and immigration problems.

How to accurately select the correct policy? What is actually included? What is the likely not covered? How much should a traveller expect? Let’s discuss.

Dangers of Traveling Uninsured: What You Need to Know

That broken leg in Switzerland? Expect a $40,000 hospital bill. What about a severe case of food poisoning in Japan? That alone would be at least $10,000 in medical expenses. If you are ever in a situation where you need emergency medical evacuation from a remote island, it would cost upwards of $50,000. Helicopters don’t take off unless you pay upfront. The costs just keep piling on.

Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue, explains, “We see it all the time—travellers assume their home health insurance has them covered abroad, only to find out the hard way that it doesn’t.” Even when your health insurance does have international coverage, the fine print will usually exclude all pre-existing conditions, medical evacuation, and private hospitals. You are left powerless when all you want is treatment.

It’s also a question of expense too, and I’ll explain how this can affect you. Numerous countries, especially in Europe, Asia, and East Middle regions, require foreigners to show proof of insurance before any treatment. And if you don’t have any? You cannot receive treatment without cash payment. You cannot trust that if you have the bill money. Being in a foreign healthcare system with a language barrier is already too overwhelming.

Not having travel health insurance is a risk towards your well-being and your finances. A simple mistake, a sudden disease, or an unplanned injury can convert this beautiful trip into a costly burden. And let’s be honest: your embassy is not going to cover the costs of your treatment so neither will any hospitals that you visit. The bottom line is, you are on your own.

So, what now? The right answer is to have insurance that covers everything from hospital stops, doctor visits, even medical evacuations at a really reasonable rate. This is months worth of walking around the world, but for free with just a single medical emergency. In the next section, we’ll discuss just how much you need out of a policy in order to suit up for international travel.

What Travel Health Insurance Covers (and What It Doesn’t)

Travel health insurance is not a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to addressing all health-related issues that might arise during your trip, however, it does have a safety net for more serious situations. Here is a brief list of what is likely to be covered under your policy:

Medical Emergencies: Most travel health plans have you covered for bone fractures, severe falls, illness and accidents. Your hospital stay, surgeries, and doctor’s visits are included. The main aim is to provide you with the care that is necessary, for the specific duration of your trip.

Emergency Evacuation: This portion of the plan deals with areas that are remote or lack advanced medical facilities. Transportation can reach costs upwards of tens of thousands of dollars. Try picturing yourself in dire need of help while in a desolate mountain region; a helicopter evacuation would do wonders, but would be incredibly costly without insurance. 

Trip Interruption Due to Health: This is particularly useful if you have fallen ill during your trip. Your insurance policy would require you to provide documents that prove you were not able to complete your journey due to unforeseen medical situations. 

Pre-existing Conditions: Some plans provide you with the opportunity for emergency treatment in relation to conditions that you may have already been suffering from. Even so, this is not something to rely on unless there are specific guarantees of coverage. Always make sure to fact check if this is the case for you.

Now that we have that covered, let’s see what gaps remain. Example of such risky pursuits includes, but is not limited to, sky jumping, extreme skiing, or scuba diving, all of which have additional coverage. Self inflicted wounds? Excluded. And do not forget, regular assessments, simple ailments, or aspects like dental treatment and drugs may also be omitted. Hence, always review the details thoroughly before leaving.

How to Choose the Right Travel Health Insurance Plan

Choosing the right plan isn’t just about price—it’s about what’s covered. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Destination Matters: Some countries have high medical costs and demand proof of insurance for entry. Countries like the UAE or Australia may require specific coverage, while places like Japan have limited access to care for foreign tourists without proper insurance. Know the requirements before you go!

Coverage Limits: Ensure your policy covers a sufficient amount for emergencies. A basic plan might offer $100,000 in coverage, but in some countries, that might be barely enough for a hospital stay, let alone an evacuation. It’s safer to opt for $500,000 or more, especially for long-term or remote travels.

Policy Exclusions: Every policy has exclusions. Some might not cover injuries from certain activities like snowboarding or hiking. Be clear on the activities you plan to engage in and confirm that they’re covered. If your adventures lean toward the extreme, make sure you have the right add-ons.

Provider Network: You don’t want to be stuck filling out endless forms for reimbursement. Choose a plan that directly covers providers in your destination or offers a smooth reimbursement process. Make sure the insurance company’s customer service is available 24/7—emergencies don’t work around office hours!

Comparison tools can help you quickly assess different providers. Focus on coverage quality over cost, and be sure to ask about deductibles and co-pays to avoid unexpected out-of-pocket costs.

Travel Insurance vs. Regular Health Insurance: Key Differences

Your regular health insurance plan might offer some benefits abroad, but it’s not enough for serious international travel. Here’s why:

Limited Coverage Abroad: Most domestic health plans won’t cover anything outside of your home country—or they only provide basic coverage. Consider, for instance, that health plans from the United States only provide emergency services outside the country or impose a large deductible.

No Medical Evacuation: These plans also have a no medical evacuation clause which is uncommon as most health plans do cover the high costs of repatriation or medical evacuations, which, if you are critically injured or sick, can reach tens of thousands.

Exclusions for Non-Emergency Care: For everything else – be it elective surgery, ambulatory care, or even certain kinds of admission – you will be doing everything else except seeking emergency services at your own expense.

Credit Card Insurance: Travel cover is included in some of the Credit Card offerings however covers are only provided for cancellation or delay of travel. Medical emergencies or even evacuations are rarely considered when providing coverage and the coverage certainly doesn’t reach the more extreme or secluded regions.

Conclusion

Completing this way is simple to do as one tends to believe that their home plan is sufficient but they need to travel health insurance abroad travel cover is the only option to be rest assured. And believe me, you will appreciate the decision much more in the event of a crisis.