3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CHEAP TRAVEL HEALTH INSURANCE
Things can go wrong
Travelling can be expensive. Hence, it is not uncommon for people to skimp on “extras†like travel health insurance to free some spending money for the holiday. While it is true that not everyone who had bought a travel health insurance had a use for it, we can’t deny the fact that things can go wrong during holidays.
Know when you need a travel health insurance
In some countries, you can easily find affordable and good quality healthcare. On the contrary, healthcare in some countries may be very costly and in others, it may be of low quality. Hence, always find out about the healthcare provided in the country you are travelling to. You probably won’t need a travel health insurance if you are going to those countries that provide cheap and quality healthcare. Buy one only if you need it.
Disadvantages of cheap travel health insurance
If you require a travel health insurance for protection due to the low quality or costly healthcare in your holiday destination, do not hurry in the direction of cheap travel health insurances. There are a few disadvantages pertaining to cheap travel health insurance that you need to consider first.
Cover for evacuation
In case the medical facilities available at your destination are not equipped to provide the care that you need, you will have to be transported immediately to a different location where you can be treated. Hence, if you are buying a travel health insurance because your travel destination does not provide good healthcare, you probably need to ensure that your insurance plan covers evacuation.
Unfortunately, most cheap travel health insurance plans do not cover evacuation. At such instance, you may have to pay a higher premium in order to add cover for evacuation.
Coverage for accidents due to “dangerous†sports
Most cheap travel insurance does not provide any coverage for injuries sustained during activities categorized as dangerous sports. This can include rock climbing, skiing and even mountain biking. If you are planning to be involved in such activities, you’ll probably need to pay more for your insurance.
Provider may not have specialized knowledge of your holiday destination
International health insurance providers have better specialized knowledge of different countries. They often know about the quality and cost of healthcare provided in those areas. And they also usually have a list of doctors and medical facilities that provide quality, affordable treatment in those places. All these information can be very helpful in times of need. However, their travel health insurance policies are not as cheap as domestic health insurance providers.
Do not buy a travel health insurance just because it is cheap because in times of need, you may actually not get the necessary coverage. Please think carefully about your needs before making a final selection. Do your research and compare different travel health insurance plans before buying one.