When an emergency happens and you’re in a foreign land what do you do? Do you speak the local language? Do you know which medical facilities are qualified to treat your medical needs? Do you have the financial means to satisfy the local providers? Why should I get international health insurance?
What if you are in a rural land, or even worse, one which doesn’t have medical providers that meet western standards of care? These are all very real problems for a person traveling abroad. Not knowing what to do or where to go could cost you your life. Do I need health insurance for travel?
So why do so many travelers still travel without insurance? You wouldn’t go away without your tickets or your passport, so why risk going away without a proper health insurance plan? Should I get travel health insurance?
Travel insurance is one of those things that you never want to understand the value of but, if you have to, you don’t want to regret having brushed off its importance. And it doesn’t matter if you’re traveling for a week, a year, or even just a day, the fact is, you never know what could happen. Having an international travel insurance policy which covers health and medical is absolutely essential. Do I need health insurance for travel?
The following are 10 reasons why traveling without international health insurance is a stupid idea. Because if you can’t afford to travel with health insurance you shouldn’t be traveling at all.
You can hover over these (or any image) to quickly pin it!
Because Domestic Insurance Doesn’t Cover You Once You Leave the Country
Too many people are traveling and living abroad with the misunderstanding that their domestic health cover is going to take care of them in the event of a tragedy or medical emergency. But your regular health insurance won’t cover you while abroad. Reasons to get health insurance for travel.
So if you trip on a cobblestone street and break your nose, somehow trigger an asthma attack and can’t breathe, get hit by a Tuk Tuk in Asia, or even slip and break your back while on an Amazon cruise, not having medical insurance which specifically covers international travel, for lack of a better phrase, means you’re screwed. What is the best travel health insurance?
Because Some Countries Won’t Let You in Without It
Some countries are beginning to require health coverage as a mandatory condition of entry, meaning travelers no longer have the choice to travel without a plan. Can I travel without health insurance?
Expat hubs around the world are beginning to require mandatory health insurance before issuing a visa, and more and more countries are deciding to refuse entry without it. Many travelers don’t realize that without the correct insurance, they could be turned away from the destination they are visiting before they make it past airport arrivals.
Countries like Cuba and the United Arab Emirates have begun making health care mandatory for visitors and locals alike, and many other countries like Turkey, Qatar and France make proof of private health insurance part of the visa application for long stays. Is travel health insurance worth it?
Because The One Time You Don’t Have it is the One Time You’ll Actually Need to Use it
Been traveling with insurance for a few years but haven’t yet had to use it? Maybe you think that you may as well save a few dollars on your next trip because it’s not really something you’ve ended up needing in the past.
I honestly wouldn’t blame you. I thought that too. But Murpheys law dictates that the one time you choose to forgo your insurance is the one time you’ll actually need to use it. Like on my trip to the Solomon Islands in 2010 when the volcanic eruption of Eyjafjallajökull happened and we got stuck in the country for an extra week. Or when I had an asthma attack in Budapest, I collapsed and my lips turned blue. How many people need travel health insurance?
Hundreds of thousands of tourists find themselves in the same position every year; purposely avoiding the hospital despite being in dire need of medical care, simply because they don’t have the budget to foot the hospital bill.
So even if you’ve never needed to rely on your health insurance overseas before, there’s no way of knowing that you’ll never need it at all.
Beacuse You’re Not Invincible
I’m sorry, but you’re not. It’s important to remember that we’re not invincible while traveling abroad, and the stupidest thing you can ever do is to think it will never happen to you. A good friend came back from the Solomon Islands one year with a broken arm from playing a casual game of football. My sister set herself on fire in Thailand during a fire breathing course.
And then there’s the Australian woman who passed out drunk in the streets of Canada and woke up with the most graphic and severe case of frostbite the world has ever seen. Literally, click through to that story – her fingers were swollen to the point of full size balloons, and she’s genuinely lucky to still have the use of her hands. Will I get sick overseas?
There are so many ridiculous war stories from the road that if you travel without health insurance thinking that you’re invincible you’re an outright fool. That’s not to dissuade you from traveling abroad, as life can catch you anywhere, including from the comfort of home. However it is to make you realize that having access to medical care where-ever you go is the smart thing to do. Why is international health insurance so important?
Because You Don’t Have to Be on an Adventurous Trip For Something to Go Terribly Wrong
Most people will take out international health insurance if they’re heading out on an adventurous trip, because surely, if something was ever to happen, it’s likely to be during a zany adventure.
But you don’t have to be on an adventurous trip for something to go terribly wrong, and one of the most adventurous travelers in the world proved this earlier in the year when he slipped and broke his back during an Amazon comfort cruise. Can I get way without having travel health insurance?
The world’s favorite adventure travel couple, Deb and Dave of the Planet D, have an impressive resume of extreme adventures, so getting hurt on a cruise made for birdwatching, village visits, and daily boat rides out to explore the “calm tributaries of the Amazon River” wasn’t something any-one saw coming. But it happened. Do I really need medical insurance for travel?
Things happen when you least expect it, and you don’t need to be taking a crazy adventurous trip to find yourself in an emergency situation. So if you’re not traveling with health insurance because you don’t think your trip is adventurous enough, you’re a fool. Why is travel medical insurance a good idea?
Because You Might Forget to Shut Your Mouth in the Shower
People often take their drinking water for granted. In most western countries we don’t think twice before grabbing a glass and sticking it underneath a tap. But when you’re traveling the tap water may not be safe to drink.
You need drinking water no matter where you go, but with travellers diarrhea, giardia, hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera among the illnesses that can be transmitted with bad water, it pays to know which parts of the world guarantee clean, safe tap water, and where you should be sourcing bottled water instead.
But it’s not just the water that you drink, and while travelers might steer clear of drinking unsafe water while overseas, people usually don’t think twice about brushing their teeth with water from the tap, keeping their mouth closed in the shower, or accepting ice in their drinks.
Also, and this gets many travelers, if you can’t drink the water, don’t eat the salad either. These are just little tips for not ingesting unsafe drinking water abroad, because otherwise you could get really sick.
Because You Could Be Visiting a High Altitude Destination
If there is one thing we learnt from our time in La Paz, it was that altitude sickness doesn’t discriminate, and it can hit anyone at any time.
When you’re traveling to altitudes over 2,500 metres (8,000 ft) high, your lungs need time to adjust to reduced oxygen and breathing thinner air. Otherwise altitude sickness kicks in. And this be life threatening if you don’t take the time to properly acclimatize. Which travel health insurance should I buy?
Travelers to the Himalayas, Tibet, Nepal, the Andes, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, the Rocky Mountains, or those taking on famous treks like Everst Base Camp and the Inca Trail should be aware of this. Other high altitude destinations also include Cochabamba in Bolivia, Bogota in Colombia, Quito in Ecuador, and Cuzco in Peru. Cheap travel health insurance.
Because No Country is Safe From Terrorism
Terrorism is something we try not to think about as travelers. And it’s certainly not something we jump to promote in our attempts to inspire others to take that life changing trip around the world. But even though various articles online put your chances of being caught up in a terrorist attack at roughly a 1 in 20 million, that doesn’t mean terrorism isn’t real. In fact it’s very real. Global terrorism is a fact. Good value travel health insurance.
With more people traveling for business and leisure, and attacks occurring literally across the globe, some people are going to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though sadly, too many insurers have a blanket exclusion for all terrorist activities, refusing to pay out on emergencies or injuries related to terrorist attacks. Medical insurance overseas.
So when signing up for a policy, make sure you have insurance which covers your health and medical costs in the event of a terrorist attack, like #GeoBlue.
You need to read the fine print, find out what your exclusions are, and you NEED to find a plan which does not restrict illness or injuries resulting from a terror attack, as well as one which covers post departure if your trip is shortened or interrupted for medical reasons, a terrorist event or imminent threat to personal safety.
Because Some HealthCare Systems Will Bleed You Dry
If you find yourself in a life threatening situation overseas often you’re not going to be able to afford treatment on your own. The cost of health care within the United States for instance is so high that “any visitor without insurance plays with fire”. What is covered under travel health insurance?
Data recently released by the World Health Organization and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development puts the average cost of a routine appendix removal in the US at $8,156, in comparison to $3,408 in the UK, $2,245 in Spain and $953 in Argentina.
Though bear in mind that hospital bills, even in developing countries can be outrageous and put you into serious debt. Five days in South Africa for one traveler for a broken arm and a shared ward reached close to $10,000.
Because If You Pass Away, Someone Needs to Fly Your Body Home
Morbid, sure. And honestly, this is not something people like to think about. But when I contacted my insurer at GeoBlue for information, they informed me that “this is actually a subject that most people simply do not want to talk about but it does happen more than you would think, especially in the Senior Community. It is a sad benefit to have to deliver but it does happen.”
Repatriation of remains is a benefit of insurance which is pretty straight forward. This benefit allows individuals to prepare for the worst and is designed to cover the costs associated with returning your body to your home country if you were to pass away.
Luckily, unlike terrorism coverage, the benefit for repatriation of remains will usually already be included in your travel insurance plan. Though as with every other post we’ve composed on insurance to date, I urge you to ALWAYS read the fine print of your policy, and make sure you’re aware of the benefits and exclusions which are associated with your policy.
This type of benefit generally will not cover the transportation of anyone accompanying the body, nor will it cover burial or funeral expenses.
So Take Out Extensive Coverage
We highly recommend going through Tim Jennings at Individual Health for insurance with #GeoBlue – an exceptional worldwide insurer with a network of elite doctors in over 180 countries and a hugely helpful mobile app for quick and easy access to quality care for anything from emergency needs, to filling a simple prescription, to translating your symptoms, to finding the right doctor at home or abroad.
Contact Tim Jennings at sales@individualhealth.com or click for a free quote.
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If You Liked This Post You May Also Like:
Photo credits: Stitched up nose at Angkor Wat by Who Needs Maps. Torn ACL by A Southern Gypsy. Gnarly bus crash by The Hungry Partier. Bolivian Amazon by Mapping Megan. Travelrs guide to tap water photos from top to bottom by Gary Edenfield, Sacca & DFID. Traveler collecting water in a bucket from a village tap by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. La Paz by Mapping Megan. Terrorism images by Mapping Megan & kris krüg. Urn by Mapping Megan. Helicopter by U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK).
55 Comments
Wow, this article completely opened my eyes to the need for travel insurance. I have to admit that the only time I’ve purchased travel insurance was for my study abroad trip a few years ago. I haven’t taken many long trips (yet), but when I start getting more into longer travel I will definitely be purchasing travel insurance. I would much rather have it and not need it than not have it and need it, yikes! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge about travel insurance, this has helped me so much!
I’m so glad we could emphasize the importance of this Kate and make you realize just how essential it is. Even for your short trips – never know what could happen so it’s all about knowing that you’re covered and totally fine should the worst case scenario hit.
As you said, so much better having it and not needing it that to not have it and need it. The anxiety and stress when that happens is a horrible thing!!
Happy we could help … Feel free to reach out if you have any questions in the lead up to planning your next trip :)
Agreed, health insurance is so important when traveling because we are even more vulnerable due to our not being accustomed to our surroundings and either getting injured from things we wouldn’t expect or things we just can’t help. That story of the Australian woman catching frostbite in Canada is very scary and should be motivating!
Absolutely Mary – and OMG the story of the Australian woman in Canada was crazy!! I remember seeing the images of her hands for the first time and not believing it was real.
The scariest part is that I think a lot of people can relate to getting far too intoxicated in a foreign city and not being able to find their accommodation because they’re too far gone. So important to stay safe and keep our health in mind when we’re in an environment which is unknown. Definitely motivating that;s for sure!!
This article was really helpful. I foolishly didn’t get health insurance for our last trip, luckily nothing happened. But I realize how lucky I am and won’t travel again without it.
Thanks Megan – glad to hear your last trip went smoothly with no hiccups. Definitely recommend insuring yourself before you leave on your next though. It’s just absolutely not worth the risk.
I learnt the hard way, though luckily managed to dodge a huge financial burden – let us know if you have any Q’s when sorting insurance out. GeoBlue really are fantastic when it comes to covering health.
All sound reasons. Luckily these days most people have an international insurance when they travel. They are easy to get and with the help of the internet you can compare prices and services, read reviews and take an informed decision between you opt for one or another.
Absolutely Laura :) Though I’m still always surprised by the amount of people who just don’t bother with insurance at all. And granted when I started traveling I was one of them, though learnt that lesson the hard way pretty quick smart!!
We’re so lucky to have the internet as a resource for everything nowadays – there’s really no excuse anymore for not being able to easily sort something out when we have access to all of the information in less than a second :)
Good points very well made Megan.
I remember that story of the bus crash from The Hungry Partier and that was quite a read.
For me personally I’ve travelled a fair bit over the years but always add travel insurance to my checklist before departure. In recent times I had to call upon it when I slipped and fractured my elbow whilst in China (the private hospital was superb). More recently I had a health scare in the US and without the insurance it would have cost a fortune. I had a lot of precautionary scans then medication to buy which wasn’t cheap at all.
Drew’s bus crash was crazy. One of those things that you never imagine would happen to you. But definitely hits home when it happens to someone you know.
Glad you’ve always traveled with insurance – sorry to hear about your slip in China and scare in the US though. Hope you’re doing ok now XX
I have never in my life travelled without travel insurance and kind of freak out when I hear that people don’t have it. Oh my lord… what could be a slight issue at home could turn into a lifelong debt in another country.
And I also have a bit of a ‘if you have insurance, you won’t need it’ theory. I’ve always had it, never had to claim (touching wood as I write this), but hey, that’s winning at the end of the year for the fact that I didn’t get hurt :)
So glad to hear that Amanda – I read a blog post recently which went into detail about why they never travel with insurance and was cringing the whole way through!!
And that’s the perfect way to look at it – that it’s better to have it and not need it, though you’re still winning because you didn’t get hurt!
It’s good to think about things like this! I get the feeling sometimes that every day you didn’t die or get injured, you’ll believe more strongly it will never happens. But when you’re in trouble it’s far too late! Weird to read though some countries have it in their Visa requires – that is one I hadn’t heard before! Great you talk about this topic, good article!
Absolutely Grietje. I do think that some people sadly have to be (metaphorically) hit by a bus before they realize the importance of insurance. It’s important to not become too complacent even though nothing may have happened yet.
Really is far too late once it happens and you’re stuck.
Glad you enjoyed the article :) Travel safe! X
This is one gal you don’t need to convince to travel with insurance. We’ve been beneficiaries of the advantages of travel insurance from the first time we took one. And certainly when traveling to the US, this is a MUST!
Oh absolutely Marlys – healthcare in the US will send you bankrupt if a true emergency happens!! Sorry to hear you’ve needed to rely on health insurance in the past, though I’m glad to hear that you were insured and it all turned out ok!
Travel safe :)
Honestly, I’ve never gotten travel health insurance. Simply didn’t cross my mind. Of course I’ve since hear about Deb and Dave as they are quite outspoken about such things.
I also feel very lucky in that, as a resident of the Netherlands, we basically have EU coverage and have an EU healthcare card. And since much of our travel right now is in the EU, we’re not too concerned.
But, as U.S. citizens, it is now one of the first things we thought about when visiting the U.S. We know first-hand about U.S. medical bills even WITH (good) insurance and it’s ridiculous. I don’t think I would step foot in the country without it.
Great eye-opening piece! Thank you for sharing :)
Thanks Jessica – the EU Healthcare Card is definitely sufficient if you’re sticking to within the EU – really wonderful system that they’ve got for reciprocal care.
But yes, definitely make sure you’re covered with good insurance before heading back to the US – it’s shocking how expensive even a simple medical visit can be!!
I learned the lesson the hard way. I spent 2 years in Thailand and only now I got my travel insurance. Why? Because I was diagnosed with melanoma and had 2 surgical procedure for which I had to pay from my own pocket. Fortunately, everything ended up well, but I was left with over $2000 less in my pocket. Don’t be stupid people, buy insurance.
I’m so sorry to hear that Jo. I’m very happy that everything ended up well though, and it could have been so much worse than $2,000 for multiple surgical procedures.
Safe travels XX
Such good reminders. I had no idea about some of these issues, like Cuba requiring it. I think it’s also good to see that unexpected incidents like terrorism are included in insurance policies. It costs so little, I wonder why more people don’t think of it before their travels.
Cuba makes you purchase it from their onsite provider at the immigration gates if you show up without it. Though in that case you’re stuck with whatever they give you so it may have many many exclusions like the terrorism coverage. So I would much rather prefer to have researched and spent my money on a company I’m familiar with :)
There are lots of things to keep in mind when buying travel insurance. Most travel insurance companies want you to have basic coverage at home. If you come from a country where universal health care is the norm, you may have to stay in your home country or province for a certain period every year. Go over that and you’re not covered at all, even at home. We had to get travel insurance as our primary insurance because we were out longer than the prescribed period in 2015 and not all companies offer that. Also keep in mind that many countries have reciprocal health care agreements.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience Nathalie. Great point about many countries having reciprocal agreements, for instance I know Europe has the fantastic health card for residents of the EU meaning they’re covered for travel throughout the continent.
More countries should start taking this up!
This is such a TRUE post – I feel like printing it out for my inlaws. My father-in-law fell off a cabana roof (he was inspecting it for a friend) in Mexico and broke his back. They had to pay for everything out of pocket. It was horrible. I ALWAYS buy additional travel insurance on top of what my work offers – because like you said, you don’t have to be on an adventurous trip for something to go wrong. Eek!
I’m so sorry to hear about your father-in-law Miranda!! I can’t even imagine how horrible that situation would have been. I just hope they’ve learnt since and won’t go overseas without insurance again :S
I hope he has fully recovered XX
“Because you might forget to shut your mouth in the shower.” Thanks for the chuckle in the midst of this serious topic. Health insurance is a good idea!
Haha I thought I would try to insert a bit of humor into what’s otherwise a fairly serious topic :D I’m glad you enjoyed the post and agree with it’s takeaway :)
Yes, you have to scare people a bit with all these stories in order to make your point. Because I agree it’s important.
Last week. We were staying in Turkey for a week. Lovely relaxing holiday…no dangerous activities like bungee jumping or whatever. Still someone of my family slipped from the stairs and fell on this arm. Blood all over the place. Within 10 minutes the hotel had us in a taxi on our way to a local Turkish hospital… He needed six stitches. It’s not funny to end up in a hospital where standards are totally different compared to your home country. You want to get out of there ASAP I can tell you. Then you are lucky you have good insurance: you pay the bill (which of course was ridiculously high) and quickly drive back. A male nurse brought us back to the hotel in a hospital car….he was driving with one hand on the steering wheel while he was calling his friends with the other….stay safe while traveling!
Crazy story Emiel – really does go to show that you don’t have to be on an adventurous trip for something to go wrong. And you’re absolutely right of course about not wanting to get stuck in a hospital system with different standards to that of what you’re used to back home.
There’s nothing funny about that at all. Safe travels!
I always always always travel with health insurance. And I have often used it too. I fainted in the street in Denver once and the first thing I was asked by the paramedics when I re-gained consciousness was whether I had a health insurance. No kidding. Other countries like Argentina are more flexible. My sister needed the doctor, we went with all our documents in hand but they did not expect any payment nor required the insurance. It just is better to be on the safe side!
The US is notorious for their horrible healthcare – seriously, you don’t want to be stuck there in a jam without insurance. It’ll send you bankrupt and then some if you’re seriously unlucky :S
I’m glad to hear though that countries like Argentina are a lot more flexible. Some countries really need to re-evaluate their systems!
Very valid reasons, Meg! Seriously, the one time you don’t have it could be the time you actually need it– it could not be any more truer! I also wasn’t aware that other countries are requiring proof of insurance for visa applications. Is that for longer stay or it’s a general rule now?
Thanks Erica – it’s Murpheys Law I swear! The two times I’ve decided to give it a miss and go without were the times where I ended up needing insurance. Go figure!! I think that’s a sign!
The mandatory insurance for entry to certain countries is just dependent on the country in question. So for instance France and Turkey this is for longer stays, though Cuba and Dubai have it enforced for regular tourist visas regardless of the length of your stay.
Seems to be a trend which is starting to pick up in various spots around the world so I have no doubt more countries will start jumping on this too. Saves the local governments the cost of medical for foreign travelers just passing through.
That totally makes sense! Thank for the info!
Travel insurance? Meh! Been travelling years now and never needed it once! Ha ha ha – who’d be so silly to think like this? Yes that is the case for me but with scuba diving and trekking, it would be crazy to even think about travelling without adequate cover!
Absolutely Stefan – as you start taking on activities with higher risk it’s absolutely essential to be covered in case something goes wrong. Though definitely make sure you’ve still got your policy there even when you’re not on an adventurous trip ;)
That time when you decide to travel the world as nomads and discover the cost to insure yourselves is a fraction of what health insurance costs in the U.S. with a lower deductible. Yeah, that time.
Quite a few people have actually mentioned that Betsy – that their travel insurance once they started full time travel has worked out being cheaper re healthcare than what they were previously paying as a resident in the States. Might be another post there!
I didn’t know of all these reasons. So this was really helpful. But how about the cost angle? This is the main reason my husband and I do not get travel insurance. We do not even have life insurance!
It’s actually a lot cheaper Carol for travel insurance which includes health than it is for domestic healthcare under many country’s residents plans.
Shoot Tim an email above for a quote – it’s really not that expensive to make sure you’ve insured your health :)
I totally agree with you, but even still you’ve opened my eyes to even more reasons why international insurance is so vital!! Also, how did you mange to get that picture of the spider on your arm?! I would never have been able to hold still long enough… brave girl!
There are so many reasons out there which make health insurance while you’re traveling so important.
Lol that spider on my arm was from when we went hiking in Florida – apparently Mike swore that it was a friendly species which didn’t bite (he knows his wildlife!), so we thought it would make for a fun photo!! I had it off me as soon as he clicked the pic!
I’ve had some near misses myself which have convinced me that travel insurance is a very good thing to have.
I hope you never do need to rely on it, but it really is absolutely vital to have it there just in case :) Travel safe! X
I couldn’t agree more Meg, it’s just not worth travelling without it, something so small could happen like you said about the water in the shower or something silly like you slip on some stairs and put your back out. ANYTHING could happen and it’s not something you want to worry about when you’re out having fun either! Great tip on the use of the health insurance app with Individual Health, I’ll have to check it out for my next trip :)
The GeoBlue app is fab – they’ve actually taken the time to think about things which you would need to use practically in another country – love the translation tool :)
I cannot stress enough the need. I’ve only ever been ill truce and they both happened abroad and both yielded 15,000$ bills for something that wasn’t life threatening. I don’t want to imagine what woul happened if I had to pay for it. Not to mention the fact that they wanted my credit card (American Express for the higher credit limit) to guarantee my operation, and when you’re that sick you don’t want to argue about money to make you well. Plus with those bills (30,000) total I could pay for 10 years of full
Coverage. No brained, it only needs to happen once to make it worth it. And it will happen, it’s just statistics
So glad you had insurance to cover you Mar – those kind of bills are the kind that will have you stuck in a debt repayment plan for life :S
Totally agree! I would never even dream of travelling without insurance, it’s such a dumb risk to take.
My partner had her bag stolen last year and our insurance covered everything, it was great!
Glad to hear you’re on the same page Maria. Sorry to hear about your bag being stolen. That sucks. Though having the insurance to cover it makes the situation redeemable at least!
I couldn’t agree more! Traveling without insurance is just plain stupid. It generally doesn’t cost that much but if something happens and you don’t have it, you are screwed. I once heard a story by an American whose son traveled to Europe without insurance. He had a serious accident, had to be airlifted to the hospital and his parents went bankrupt because they had to pay for this as well as his treatment. I always kept that in mind and apart from the fact that it’s just stupid, you can’t expect others to take care of you that way when you have been stupid enough not to insure your travels. Just my two cents though…
I totally agree with you that others shouldn’t be made to take the burden of your mistakes – that’s a really horrible situation to have to put your relatives in, and people don’t think about the impact that their actions have on others.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Antonette
I always get insurance for the US and if I’m longer than 15 days out of Canada I also get extra insurance. I believe it’s important as well but it can be pretty damned confusing and some insurance policies need a lawyer to read them. A case in point – just change your medication dosage before your trip and your policy can be null and void. So you really have to know what you’re buying – and what is covered.
Absolutely Leigh – I always encourage people to read the fine print of their policies, as much as that’s not something which is a fun thing to do, it’s absolutely essential to understanding what you are and aren’t covered for.
Nothing worse than being overseas and thinking you’re covered for something when you’re not!