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Looking for advice about travel insurance

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Old May 1st, 2014, 06:27 PM
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Looking for advice about travel insurance

Next month I am going to Germany with my husband. I am 22 weeks pregnant. What would be best for me travel insurance or health insurance? I am not sure does German government provide health insurance for traveler? One of my German friends recommends this site to visit. I am not sure what I have to do? Please someone help me.
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Old May 1st, 2014, 06:33 PM
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where are you travelling from?
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Old May 1st, 2014, 06:37 PM
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I really am not an expert, but I have friends who use Amex travel insurance. Also check with your insurance company and find out what they cover. My insurance will cover me when I travel. You might need insurance for changing flights or, hopefully not, but being medivac (sp) home. I have had relatives that got sick in England and Greece. both times the hospital bill was free. My sister sent the hospital in greece a donation! which they did not except. Have a great healthy trip and baby.
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Old May 1st, 2014, 06:50 PM
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OP appears NOT to live in US, so I don't know if AMEX is an option.
These websites will help you buy insurance.

http://www.insuremytrip.com/

https://www.squaremouth.com/
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Old May 1st, 2014, 07:03 PM
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I am traveling from India.
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Old May 4th, 2014, 12:38 PM
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I have used www.accessamerica and www.travelguard.com but both have pre-existing medical restrictions so I don't think anything related to your pregnancy would be covered. However, you might go to their websites and check.
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Old May 4th, 2014, 07:04 PM
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I agree with crckwc1. I frequently travel to Germany, and alweays buy insurance through Access, which is a commercial insurance which happens to be part of the German Allianz insurance. I have never heard of instances where the German government insurance covered non-citizens. Even I don't qualify, although I paid for many years into the German insurance fund when I worked in Germany before I left for the US.

At ACESS, if you pay premioum within a short time after you book your trip, the insurance will cover pre-existing conditions. I don't knoew if pregnancy is a "pre-existing conditon".
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Old May 5th, 2014, 04:14 AM
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It would be normal to buy travel insurance in your home country before departure. So I would look for a travel insurance company which markets out of India. All the travel insurance which I'm aware of restricts cover after 'n' weeks pregnant (e.g. 26 weeks pregnant). Also be careful about whether it covers the baby if it is born prematurely (hopefully not!) as some will cover the mother but not the child. Some airlines will also restrict boarding for heavily pregnant women but I would have thought 22 weeks would be absolutely fine.
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Old May 5th, 2014, 04:16 AM
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ps. Do check airlines restrictions if you plan to be away for more than a few weeks.
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Old May 21st, 2014, 05:12 AM
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There is no free national health service in Germany as in some other EU countries.
Family doctors, dentists, hospitals are (almost) all private businesses here - and you can pick any you want.
The major health centers are often affiliated with universities - but still not for free.
Life-threatening conditions or accidents will be taken care of without proof of insurance or ability to pay. But also for that you will receive an invoice eventually.
As a non-EU/EEA citizen you pay for each trip to the doctor, any ER treatment, medications, everything.
And the costs can be pretty steep - especially if a hospital stay or a surgery is involved.
So, traveling here without insurance is pretty high-stake gambling..
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Old May 21st, 2014, 05:14 AM
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P.S. There are a handful of non-EU countries with reciprocity agreements re. health insurance, like Turkey or Switzerland and some SE European countries. But if you are from the US, Canada or Australia you are not covered.
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Old May 27th, 2014, 07:16 AM
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Cowboy1968 - I'm not sure why you're saying Germany doesn't have national healthcare. Not only does Germany have universal healthcare, it's the world's oldest. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Germany
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Old May 27th, 2014, 08:30 AM
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You must read your travel insurance, especially the exclusions. Some travel insurance programs allow you to buy insurance within two weeks of booking your flight to cover pre-existing. Look on-line and then make some calls, you may have to pay a stiff premium to cover pregnancy in Germany.
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Old May 27th, 2014, 08:35 AM
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Hez, Cowboy never said that Germany didn't have national healthcare. He said it isn't free healthcare. Big difference.

We all pay premiums. Everyone is required to have it, but it isn't "free" like the NHS system in the UK.
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Old May 27th, 2014, 08:49 AM
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Pre-existing conditions will nott be covered if you have seen a doctor within 60 days of booking your trip
For a specific condition.
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Old May 27th, 2014, 08:51 AM
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No healthcare is "free" regardless of where you live. Somehow or other people are paying for it either through taxes or premiums or both.
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Old May 27th, 2014, 09:45 AM
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That is not true Happy, it all depends on the insurance itself.
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Old May 27th, 2014, 12:00 PM
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/travel...ence-1.2654329

CBC Canada news had some special warnings about travel insurance - how people were being denied claims for pre-existing conditions, etc.
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