Everything You Need To Know About Medical Travel Insurance Plan

Travel insurance acts as a shield against any unpredictable medical emergencies to make your travelling experience comfortable as well as hassle-free. Let’s understand the importance of travel insurance with an example. Let’s say, you’re on a family holiday to some exotic location soaking in the splendid views of the crimson sun setting down the time of oblivion. Suddenly, you hear your toddler crying. She has hurt herself while playing and is bleeding profusely. From, the look of it, you know that the wound will heal only after being stitched. You take a cab to the nearest hospital and only after the stitching; you get to know that the medical bill is too expensive. This is where travel insurance comes in handy. If you have adequate medical travel insurance cover against such medical emergencies, you wouldn’t need to spend a penny from your own pocket.  

Travel insurance policy safeguards you against any unpredictable medical emergencies that may drain out your hard-earned money when on a holiday. But be advised, a large number of insurers exclude specific medical conditions, in such cases, you can have the coverage by paying an extra premium. What medical conditions are covered in a policy varies from insurer to insurer. Likewise, some pre-existing medical conditions may or may not be covered, and it makes sense to cross-check the same with your insurance service provider.

Medical Travel Insurance Plan and Medical Assessment

The level of difficulty that you might face when getting travel insurance coverage directly depends on your pre-existing medical conditions like heart disease, a diagnosis that can trigger heart diseases, etc. When you apply for coverage, you may be asked to discuss your medical history, your current medical conditions, etc. It doesn’t matter if you seek coverage for pre-existing medical conditions or not. 

Medical Travel Insurance Plan and Pre-existing Medical Conditions

There are some insurance plans available that cover you generally, excluding pre-existing medical conditions, for obvious reasons. The insurers just want to ensure that your pre-existing medical conditions don’t expose your policy to any risk. As opposed to that, certain travel insurers cover pre-existing medical conditions. But there is a condition that you have to buy insurance soon after you book your travel. It is important that you do some research before you zero in on some travel insurance plan. Otherwise, your pre-existing medical conditions will only be covered, if you undergo a medical check-up. In addition to that, you might have to pay an additional premium for your medical travel insurance or you will have to pay an extra cost on the coverage.

On the basis of a few pre-existing medical conditions, some insurers have all the rights to deny any medical coverage. This varies from insurance provider to insurance provider, but riskier conditions like having AIDS, terminal illness or being a recipient of an organ donation. People having these medical conditions may not be able to cover their travel plans under the umbrella of medical travel insurance.

In case medical cover is refused, there are other provisions of an insurance policy as well that are still applicable.   

Once you are 55 years old, it becomes really difficult to buy travel insurance because of the age factor. The exact cut-off age for getting travel insurance in the absence of any additional premium, medical assessment or both varies from 55 years to 70 years for some insurance providers. With the increasing age, comes increased premium rate and probably excess charges or deduction on the claims. In addition, your existing medical conditions can be totally or partially excluded.

Medical Travel Insurance Plan and Emergency Medical Evacuation

An emergency evacuation is a chartered trip for the patient who falls severely sick and is unable to return on his/her own. In such cases, travel insurance providers provide them with the facility of evacuation to help them get back home. Such requirement is very rare, but the cost involved in the process of medical evacuation can swipe up your savings in a one go. It involves travelling with medical professionals on board who take care of the patients’ health with the required medication and equipment. People have a medical insurance cover that covers them worldwide, but it seldom comes with the facility of medical evacuation. So, before buying a travel health insurance policy, out if your travel insurance covers medical evacuation.