How to Insure (Why do You Need a Travel Insurance)

There are a lot of reasons why you need a travel insurance when you are travelling or staying abroad.
In general, the chances of accidents, falling sick, theft, disaster, loss of luggage or that you accidentally damage other persons belonging during your trip or stay in a foreign country are bigger than when you stay at home.

If an accident or medical problem occurs in a foreign country chances are that you need help. The costs of a treatment and stay in a foreign hospital, an emergency rescue or repatriation can be extremely high. Average people are usually not able to pay for such costs. You should also realise that medical facilities in some countries are not always at the same standard as in your own country.

You might think that you are fully insured while abroad but that is not always the case. It is important to ensure yourself that you have adequate medical coverage. In order to make a knowledgeable decision about your health insurance it is also necessary to familiarize yourself with the medical conditions, health care facilities and cost of health care available to you while you are travelling.
Remember that hospitals and health care workers may refuse to provide medical care without sufficient funds or security of funds available. Health care can be extremely costly; good health insurance protects you and your family.

Make arrangements to ensure that coverage does not expire while you are abroad.

• Is there a booklet explaining the coverage in detail?
• Does the plan include hospitalization coverage for accidents and illnesses while abroad?
• Does it cover you for pre-existing medical conditions?
• Are any of the activities that you plan for your journey covered by your health insurance? (Eg. some University health insurances may not cover you while travelling outside your host country.)
• Are emotional and/or psychological related issues covered?
• What is the maximum amount of coverage that is provided?
• Are there deductibles? If so, what are they?
• Will the plan include emergency room expenses? Is the coverage sufficient?
• What is the coverage for medical evacuation? Is the coverage sufficient? If you would likely be evacuate from the country that you are in, is the plan valid for expenses incurred while in that country?
• In the event of death, what is the coverage for repatriation? Is it sufficient?
• Will they cover the costs involving transporting you home if ill? If necessary, will they cover the costs for a medical care provider to travel with you?
• What information does the Insurance company need prior to payment?
• Is there a 24-hour contact number in English (with translation services for health care providers in the Host country)?
• Does the plan cover visits to the doctor or medication prescribed while abroad?
• Is dental coverage provided?
• Is ambulance or emergency transport to a hospital covered?
• What are the procedures for filing a claim, and how long does it take to get reimbursed after filing the claim?
• When does the plan begin and end? Can you easily extend coverage? While overseas?
• Does the plan enable you to have continuous coverage before, during, and after you go abroad? What is the maximum amount of coverage?
• Does the plan assume it is the primary or secondary carrier? If it is the secondary carrier, when does coverage begin? What evidence do you need to support primary carrier?
• What is not coved by your plan? What are the insurance policy exclusions? Does this effect you?
• Are their any exclusions that limit your coverage during your sojourn? (eg. ensure all regions and countries of travel are covered)

For the plan(s) you select, it is important that you know in advance how to use it prior to a medical emergency.

Review it carefully and consider the following:

• What is the process for enrolling in the plan?
• Can you extend the coverage should you choose to travel longer? Can this be done abroad?
• If you find it necessary to use your insurance, what do you show as proof of worldwide coverage?
• If you obtain medical assistance while abroad, when and how should you inform the agency?
• If you need to pay up front (some locations will require this) what will you do?
• What documentation of expenses is required? (Most companies will accept only original documents, not copies or faxes.) Does the bill need to be in English?
Understand your policy, know how this system works, and know how bills are paid. Carry details of your insurance with you. Tell a friend or relative at home, in addition to a travelling companion, about how to contact your insurer.

• If you are travelling by car, bike or motor cycle on holiday than it is advisable to have the liability insurance.
• If you are going with your car on holiday check in advance if your country of destination and/or the countries that you are driving through meet the necessary procotions, if not than contact your car insurance. Claims in foreign countries can be very high.
• You can also take a temporarily all-risk insurance (if your car is not to old)
• Check the alarmservice of your car insurance, at times they can replace car parts or transport broken vehicles back home, and offer you a substitute car.
• If you cause any damage with your vehicle this is not normally covered by your liability insurance, your always need a separate liability insurance for that.
• If you buy or rent anything abroad you will need to arrange a liability insurance at the spot. This is not possible in in advance in your home country.

A cancellation insurance will compensate for any costs made due to the cancellation of your trip when something unexpected happens to you or someone in your family. Usually, a cancellation insurance is not expensive, but you can always compare the costs of cancelling with the costs of the insurance. Sometimes you will not get any refund from your travelagent when you cancel, but sometimes a travelagent or airline will refund almost everything (in this case a cancellaton insurance might not be very usefull). A lot of travellers do not realise that you can cancel your insurance before you leave for your trip but also during your trip. If you have an insurance at JoHo you can cancel it and get the complete travel amount if you have also decided to cancel your trip.