International medical insurance is a must for many travelers,
particularly students who will be attending college outside of their
own country. While a traveler may be in excellent health before
embarking on a journey, he or she never knows what may happen along
the way. For example, an unexpected illness or an accident could
require medical treatment, even a hospital stay, which would not
be covered by most ordinary health plans.
Types of International Medical Insurance
As with most types of insurance, there are a number of types of
international medical insurance available. Some types are more applicable
to certain travelers than others. One type is comprehensive. This
type of international medical insurance would be appropriate for
travelers who did not have any other type of medical insurance.
For example, students who did not have health insurance through
their parents or school might choose this option since they will
be studying outside of their own country for an extended period
of time.
The more common type of international medical insurance is emergency
insurance. This type is designed for people who already have health
coverage at home but whose coverage does not cover them outside
of their home country. For example, a student who is planning to
study overseas for a semester may want to invest in this type of
insurance.
A third type of international travel insurance is known as medical
evacuation insurance. The vast majority of travelers will never
need this type of insurance which covers the necessary costs of
transporting the person back home if he or she can not travel on
a commercial flight because of a severe illness or injury. Accidents
which occur during some types of activities may not be covered by
this type of insurance either, so travelers need to be careful before
signing on the dotted line.
International Medical Insurance & Travel Requirements
Another reason why many students and long-term travelers opt for
purchasing international medical insurance is that having health
coverage is a requirement in many countries. For example, students
coming to the United States must provide proof of medical coverage
in order to get a visa. The same rules apply to many other countries
in North America and Canada. For this reason, all travelers need
to check the travel requirements of their destination country in
advance.
They must also make sure that the international medical insurance
policy they choose meets the guidelines established by that country.
More Information on International Medical Insurance Students and
travelers can learn more about international medical insurance by
reading "Travel
Medical Insurance" or by visiting The
Practical Nomad site or reading "How
Medical Travel Insurance Works".
