Why you need buy travel insurance in 2015.
You needn’t go far to find a health-related travel horror story. In fact, a quick Internet search will reveal many tales of unfortunate people being stranded abroad, stuck there with astronomical medical bills that they are unable to pay.
In these tough economic times especially, we are very aware of the possibility that we are being sold things unnecessarily. Although, can this ever be the case with our health? Surely our well-being is worth more than anything money can buy, and not risking huge fees is worth a small investment in insurance to protect ourselves from becoming another Internet scare story?
With this in mind, here are 5 reasons why everyone should buy international travel insurance before you go abroad:
- Avoiding unforeseen medical expenses. Travel can be expensive, why make it even more so? The cost of treating a broken arm in the USA is around $2,500, and as much as $50,000 for a heart attack. We are not all invincible and although we don’t like to think about it, accidents can sometimes happen. Preparing for it with travel health insurance will make your recovery a great deal easier.
- In cases of evacuation. This is definitely a worst case scenario, you may say: “expect the worst and the worst will happen” however, expecting the worst and being prepared for it are two very different things. Medical expenses are one thing, but what if the country you are in cannot treat your condition? It can cost at least $100,000 for emergency transport treatment, this certainly puts travel health insurance in perspective.
- It is relatively inexpensive to protect yourself. Depending on your age and medical history, if you are stringent and shop around, then you can find the best deals. There are some UK companies offering insurance for as little as £2.69 per day.
- It can fast-track your medical care if and when you need it, it is straightforward and easy to use. Depending on the country, if the hospital knows you have health insurance you may be able to be seen quicker and offered a high quality service than you would get if you were uninsured. Payments are usually processed within five days and you will be given a proof of cover certificate before travelling in order to show it in case of treatment.
- Peace of mind allows for a more enjoyable travel experience. Whether travelling for business or leisure, travelling can cause all kinds of stress: communication problems; long journeys; unknown places; whether your luggage will arrive, and so on. Amongst all this it is surprisingly easy to forget that your health is the most important factor in your travel experience, so having one less thing to worry about will not only help your health, it can also make your trip more enjoyable. Healthy mind, healthy body as they say.
Taking these five things into consideration, you might say that it should be essential to have health insurance whilst travelling, so as not to be a burden on your host nation or on your companions. So why don’t you fork out that little bit extra, and for whatever reason you are travelling, enjoy it that little bit more knowing that help is at hand if required.