Always Buy Travel Medical Insurance
It’s a big week in our world. For the first time, we’re heading back to the place where we made “Kent and Caanan” an official union – at least in our minds – about a decade ago.
There’s one thing we’re definitely not leaving without.
Travel insurance.
You know we have a great track record of positive experiences using travel insurance, but there’s now more to add to the story.
Remember a couple weeks ago when we told you the three stupid mistakes we made when illness struck in China? Well, there was a forth stupid move. And it was really dumb. So idiotic, in fact, that we wanted to dedicate a post to it.
When we wrote that last post, many people got in touch asking if we had travel medical insurance and if our travel insurance provider had made the situation any easier. Well, they attempted to make the situation much easier. The problem is that we didn’t listen to them, which ultimately made the situation worse.
So, here it is… the 4th stupid thing we did when illness struck in Shanghai:
We immediately called our travel medical insurance provider to report the situation. When we told them the hospital we were heading to, they warned us not to go to that facility because they had no reports of positive experiences there. They didn’t have any negative reports either; it’s just that they urged us to go to a “sure thing” location where at least one English speaking client had a favorable experience.
The hospital we had selected was close and huge; we didn’t foresee any problems. Concerned about any additional time in transit, we ignored our well known travel insurance provider’s advice. As you know from our last post, the hospital we originally went to was a bust because no one spoke English. We should have listened to our insurance provider.
With boat loads of traveling behind us and several positive experiences with travel insurance claims, we can fully recommend – without hesitation – that you purchase travel insurance (at least medical) when you travel.
Here are three things you may not know.
1) They have fantastic resources at their fingertips. As this example illustrates, agents have all sorts of helpful information at the ready. They know where to send you if all hell breaks loose because they leverage the knowledge gained from other clients’ experiences. Brilliant if, unlike us, you actually listen.
2) They check in on you. We’ve had several claims over the years. Each time, we get e-mails and calls to see how things are going and to direct us to other resources. Many travel insurance providers outsource claims to an operation in Wisconsin. Those people know us – very well. They are usually incredibly friendly, efficient and competent.
3) They are fair. Many people feel like you get “the run around” from travel insurance providers. We can see where that perception comes from. Sometimes, they want a lot of paperwork filled out, and it can get tedious. Do we really need to send proof of travel and proof of payment for travel? Ugh! However, we’ve found that – every time – if we do what we were supposed to, our claims are approved and paid in full.
As we prepare to head to a remote lodge in the middle of the jungle in Costa Rica, we have a lot more peace of mind with travel insurance in hand.
Learn from our experience. Buy travel insurance and listen to their advice.
Luckily, every time I go on the ship, they provide us with medical + travel insurance, because otherwise, I never buy it either! (Well, unless you count my BCBS policy for medical and my DAN policy for travel, which I guess are something.)
It’s probably most important to simply have some kind of coverage. However, in our experience, having travel insurance for travel related injuries, etc. streamlines the process greatly.
I think I have to be one of the least grown-up, responsible or financially organised people I know, but I NEVER travel uninsured these days. It isn’t expensive. I can’t think of a single reason not to do it when you’re going far from home.
You two have certainly “experienced” China!
Good point that deserves a mention. Travel medical insurance really isn’t that expensive at all. I think people in the USA, in particular, will be surprised.
This is really helpful.
I’m trying to get an insurance and can’t decide which one to go for.
do you have any experience with either Bupa or Amex?
We used to be big fans of American Express’s yearly plan, but they discontinued it. I’m sure you’d be in great shape if you used their single trip insurance.
I forgot everything you said before “remote lodge in Costa Rica.” SWOON.
I know, aren’t we lucky!
As always, great advice guys!
Thanks, Anne-Marie.
Noted! Thanks for the sharing! Your experience is truly a lesson for all of us. But it’s also a reminder for me to check my insurance policy before going on a long-term travel.
Preparation is key. Glad we can be your inspiration
I’m sold on the idea of travel insurance. It’s good to hear it always works as expected when it’s needed. Have fun in Costa Rica!
Thanks, Scott.
Good advice that I should really take. I know I should. You may have inspired me for my next trip, however. Good to hear about your firsthand experience.
What? You don’t have travel insurance. I wouldn’t have guessed that…
I have only used my insurance for theft but I did buy it heading to Maui because I thought if I broke my leg it’s just too long of a flight back to Canada and too expensive to get it looked after in the US!
Smart thinking regarding Maui.
It’s weird but we buy insurance and just hope that we won’t have to use it. Knock on wood that we haven’t had to use it yet, but we ALWAYS buy it. The thing that gets me, is that on top of our policy we have to buy a supplemental policy when we go to the U.S. Grrrr. Oh well, at least the beer is cheap.
That is frustrating – but not surprising. For us, travel insurance is much less expensive than regular insurance.
It was never a problem for me so far, thank God, but I’ve seen a few cases that ‘no one knows what will happen’.
And we know you’ve been sick on the road.
Maybe one day we can afford travel insurance. *cough*
Or insurance at all.
*cough*
Travel medical is not too expensive. You 2 better have it next time we see you. That’s an order. (Do we sound like worried dads?)
This was actually fascinating. When I was a young whippersnapper backpacking around, this was such a foreign concept, and medical care in Costa Rica is amazing. I really need to get insurance.
As I reply to this, we’re in Costa Rica *insert grin*. I hope we don’t need it here.
What would you say are the advantages of having medical travel insurance on top of your coverage in the US? We have Kaiser and are happy with it; if we have a problem in another country, we can be seen at a local hospital, fill out papers, and they will cover it. I am wondering if I should get more coverage like what you have recommended.
You’re probably just fine. However, as in the example above, travel insurers (specifically) have some pretty great tools at their disposal. I hope you never have to find that out though
Jenna, I would speak to your insurance provider. Mine has a department that handles health problems while I’m traveling internationally and they have all the resources etc that I need. Yours might too, but since medical coverage in the US is so variable, you’d have to talk to your provider directly.
I don’t have travel insurance. Ha, isn’t financial irresponsibility charming! I’m still covered on my parent’s health insurance for now (thank you Obamacare) and I tend to travel to places where health care is so cheap I wouldn’t even bother to submit a claim because also I am super lazy. But I guess if I start traveling in Europe or something I should probably get on the bandwagon.
I think you’ll be surprised by how inexpensive it is. Check it out.
We always buy travel insurance – ALWAYS. Yet, we have never used it but it gives us piece of mind. However, that said we only need to buy it if we are away for more than 2 weeks since we are covered through our visas.
Covered through your visas? Interesting.
Definitely a good thing to buy before a trip. I’ve often taken short trips without getting travel insurance (which probably isn’t a good idea either) but I’ve always purchased it for longer trips like my RTW and my Antarctica trip. It’s usually cheap and well worth it if you need to use it.
We started getting an annual policy so that everything is covered – short and long.
I haven’t had travel medical insurance in the past, but for some reason this last trip to Europe, I decided to spring for medevac insurance. I also called my health insurance company and found out they will cover me for emergencies only, which was reassuring. Well, I got a policy with medevac, more medical (you can never have too much!) and stuff related to my flights, like flight delay/lost luggage. Well, I didn’t end up needing the medical but my flight out of the US was delayed by a day causing me to miss a separate flight I had booked on EasyJet. My travel insurance will reimburse me for the last minute flight I had to book when I arrived in Europe. I still have to fill out the paperwork but I am so glad I did this…otherwise I would have to eat the almost $300 I spent on both flights. I used http://www.squaremouth.com which then aggregates different insurance companies together and shows different policies. So far, so good!
We have not heard of that site – off to check it out.