When travelling overseas, it is imperative to protect ourselves in any way we can. Whether by researching the locations involved and any cultural or safety issues to be aware of, avoiding certain street foods, or even keeping food away from monkeys and other wildlife. The world is a vast, varied place, with many surprises and shocks in store for the unprepared. One surprise you don’t want to encounter is to find yourself in a foreign hospital or needing medical treatment without adequate international travel insurance.
International travel insurance coverage
Most international travel insurance policies will have similar provisions and cover in case of emergencies. Still, it pays to look closely at the fine details and compare them carefully. Assume that the terms and conditions of each are different and focus on the elements of any international travel insurance policy you require most, including:
- Medical emergencies and other treatments
- Cancellation or interruption of the trip
- Theft
- Emergency evacuation
- Baggage
- Flight cancellations or delays
- Collision and personal liability when renting a vehicle
Medical coverage
There’s an excellent reason that medical emergencies and other treatments topped the list in the last section. Compared to all the other myriad things that can go wrong and cause colossal inconvenience and expense while overseas, none comes close to that of medical emergencies. Bags can be replaced; itineraries can be changed. It’s all very frustrating and disappointing, but it’s inconsequential at the end of the day. Nothing will bring this fact into sharper focus than finding yourself in need of medical treatment and having inadequate international travel insurance coverage.
The cost of not having international travel insurance
Overseas treatment prices can be notoriously high, especially if accessing the upper tier of medical services unavailable to most locals. It is no exaggeration to say that some individuals have found themselves virtually bankrupted by overseas medical bills, having to rely on family, friends, and even internet crowd-funding to pay what they owe or get continued treatment. Getting sick overseas is no joke, and any responsible traveller must avail themselves of the best international travel insurance they can afford.
Seek answers
Australian legislation states that all insurance policies must be listed in a clear, concise way that does not aim to confuse or mislead, making comparison a lot easier. However, if you need clarification about the details of an international travel insurance policy, be prepared to contact the provider directly and ask questions. Familiarise yourself with the terms and phrases used in most policies and ask for specific examples if necessary. The last thing anybody needs is to be unfortunate enough to have to fall back on their travel insurance, only to find they had misunderstood the coverage and are left in the lurch.
Final thoughts
The chances are that your trip overseas will be incident-free, and once you have availed yourself of the right international travel insurance for the occasion, you need not think of it again. But that safety net is a powerful ally when things go wrong, and as the adage goes, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
