best travel medical insurance
 

What's the best travel medical insurance? I'm most concerned about the company paying IMMEDIATELY for emergencies, since hospitals overseas often demand up front payment (sometimes even for emergencies)

As far as I know, it works this way: You pay out of pocket if you have a medical emergency, file a claim when you return from your trip, and are reimbursed by your insurance provider.

I do not know who the best is, but we purchased the Protect Assist from Travel Guard for an upcoming trip. They have an umbrella package which makes their medical insurance primary, and you do not pay out of pocket and get reimbursed later. It sounds like this is what you are looking for. Check out www.insuremytrip.com to compare various companies policies to see what fits your needs the best.

Wow - that does sound like what I'm looking for. I'll check it out. My concern is that a major incident might occur (like a heart attack), which would be too much to pay out of pocket. Do you think they'd turn you away in a dire emergency?

Here's your first post on this topic. Click on your screen name (in blue) at the top of the screen to find all of your previous posts.

Starrsville - I'm not sure I understand why you are suggesting I look at what I've posted? Am I not supposed to post the same question on different forums (US, Caribbean, Latin America, etc.)I don't know the rules yet.

You posted this one at 9 am - and then one just like it at 9pm - both on the "United States" forum. I clicked on your screen name and saw that you've posted duplicate posts before. So, I guessed that you don't know to click on your screen name to find earlier posts that may have dropped off the first page.

If you type anything (some post ttt which means "to the top") your post goes back to the top of the first page.

You can do a search on Google and find companies that offer travel medical insurance that is combined with travel insurance.

American Express has a good one and I believe it's about $39 dollars for the coverage per person.

If you have a group insurance it will generally cover you overseas (but you can check this out with the company). If you are under Medicare however, you are NOT covered overseas and should definitely have additional insurance.

I agree with MMS about AIG Protect Assist. Using the insuremytrip.com website, you can do a side by side comparison of the various travel insurance (price and benefits). Choose the one that fits your needs. As MMS said the Umbrella makes them primary to your other insurance and doubles medical and evacuation coverage. Also, by paying for the insurance within 14 days of your initial deposit, they will waive pre-existing conditions and guarantee the payment to the tour operator. I called to speak with a human, so I could get my questions answered. Good luck.

Oh, I see. I did double post. I guess I didn't wait for long enough to see if it posted.

Best travel Ins should cover you for both medical care and emergency medical transport by medevac plane & repatriation back to the nearest medical facility who can support you medically to your home provided the illness/injury requires it (the ins co has MDs and nurses who will speak with your treating MD and decide,,but you have to have the benefit for it to be possible).

Some travel ins have no plane medical transport benefit, some have a plane medical transport benefit but only to the nearest medcial facility IE if the illness/accident happened in Cuba they would fly to Miami not to your home say in Maine and then you are resonsible for the rest of your trip home)and some offer full medevac.

Some travel ins co will transport you to say Gernmany if you have a stroke AND leave you there to recover in Rehab...

If you think you might have a heart atack (or get hit by a car etc) check with your MD first befor going overseas and READ the travel ins brochures carefully. Ask to speak with one of thed medcial response team reps and ask them what would happen.

One of the reasons medevac plane travel ins is so important is not just to get you to a valid medical facility (believe me people who travel to MExico would think twice if they could sit beside me and hear what we medivac out of that country) is that if you can not sit upright on a commercial plane you must purchase a row or 2 of seats..just imagine the cost of that..and there are very severe restrictions about oxygen and other devices on commercial flights...

If you don't have Mediare check with your private Ins ask specific what if questions and have Ins co send written policy.

Also another poster is not correct about Medicare coverage outside the US:
Puerto Rico, US Vigin Is, Guam American Samoa, Northern Mariana is and some cruise ship cirumstances and some Canadian circumstances do allow Medicare pymts.
If you are near an Amercian military base you get some medcial attention and you can under rare circumstance be medivaced by the US Military if you get a prior and rare auth from teh Surgeon general. Of course these days you would not be considered a priority...
Better to get the right ins and be prepared.