Traveling to a foreign country to see a new culture is a wonderful experience, but it also can require a little extra planning. The first thing you may want to consider after booking a trip is finding a suitable travel medical insurance plan. This plan will work similarly to your current health insurance, but will only last for the duration of your trip. The following are three reasons you may want to consider medical insurance when traveling abroad.
Stay Protected
A significant number of health insurance plans in the United States only provide protection while you are in the country. This lack of coverage is due to the fact that foreign doctors may not be in your health insurance network. This means you may be forced to pay full price for any overseas medical treatments if you forego travel insurance. While no one anticipates having to see a doctor in a foreign country, you never know what can happen. Due to the unpredictability of life, it could be better to be prepared and protected.
Avoid Costly Expenses
While medical tests and treatments can be far cheaper outside of the United States, it is still very difficult to pay for an unexpected visit to the doctor during a vacation. One medical emergency could completely ruin the trip financially. The great thing about travel medical insurance is that you will be able to avoid most large expenses. The entire process works exactly like it does at home. You will pay the doctor a small copay instead of paying full price for the treatment. The insurance company then covers the rest of the bill.
Extremely Affordable Plans
Since you will only need to be covered for a short period of time, travel medical insurance plans can be extremely affordable. It should be very easy to find a plan providing seven days of coverage for less than $35. While you might not want to “waste” this money, it is small change when compared to the potential costs of medical treatments.