Protecting yourself during your European Jaunt

by: Steve Cogger
Before making the determination to buy health insurance for travel in Europe you should check your own health insurance policy. You'll want to determine if that health insurance policy might cover you not only for a medical emergency during your travel in Europe but also to resolve situations such as your luggage being lost, your trip being cancelled for yours or your family's medical emergency, or bankruptcy or fraud of any trip vendor - cruise ship or airline, for example.
If your current health insurance policy is not clear on any of these issues about Europe travel, then call your agent and get clarification. Where your health insurance does cover events occurring during Europe travel determine the amount and extent of coverage. Make sure you find out the exclusions as well.
Should you make the determination to purchase travel health insurance for your European vacation your travel agent can help with this. The price for this health insurance during your travel in Europe will vary according to the number of people traveling and their ages, the length of your trip and your destinations. If your travel in Europe includes an adventure trip or sports activities you may pay more. In fact, you may need a different health insurance policy altogether. There may be some dangerous activities that are excluded.
Your current health insurance will probably cover you for some portion at least of your travel in Europe. The exceptions are if you have an HMO, or if you are on Medicare. These do not cover you outside of the United States.
Even if you have health insurance that says it covers travel in Europe keep in mind that most other countries' medical facilities and caregivers are going to want you to pay cash up front for your care and then wait for reimbursement from your health insurance carrier after your travel in Europe. Are you financially prepared for this?
The other issue that can be very costly is evacuating for medical emergency. What if care is not adequate where you are? Or what if there is a local medical emergency that requires you to leave that country immediately? Your current health insurance is unlikely to help you abruptly end your travel in Europe and complete an immediate departure.
As you plan your travel in Europe, you're probably going to want to purchase travel health insurance, no matter what your current coverage.

Insuring your Travel on a Shoe String

by: Steve Cogger
Cheap travel insurance isn't necessarily about who's asking the lowest premium. Cheap travel insurance is about knowing your choices, perusing all the options and discarding the coverage you don't need. If you end up with cheap travel insurance that doesn't help you out of an overseas medical or evacuation jam, you haven't gotten a bargain. However, if you're a U.S. resident traveling within the United States you aren't going to need travel insurance that offers medical evacuation coverage. If you're touring the country by car you don't need lost luggage protection.
Travel insurance can offer much more than medical care while you're traveling. Some of the other features of some travel insurance plans are translation services, travel assistance, lost luggage, trip interruption, replacement of lost or damaged eyeglasses, repair of damaged or stolen rental vehicle, emergency medical evacuation coverage, flight cancellation due to bankruptcy of the airline, flight accident and terrorism.
For purposes of comparison there are four levels of travel insurance coverage - the most all-encompassing being total trip coverage. Some of these plans have a coverage ceiling as high as $500,000. Along with the above-mentioned travel catastrophes these plans also provide payment for return of traveler's remains to home in the event of death, as well as emergency dental coverage and reimbursement for financial default of your travel agency or any other provider of your trip, such as cruise company.
The next level down, comprehensive, can provide up to $1 million in coverage with some carriers. The range of coverage incidents and the ceilings are often a little lower than total trip coverage, however.
When it comes to cheap travel insurance there are two options. You can choose the economy level of trip coverage or, if you travel extensively, you may do better paying an annual premium. You can also end up with cheap travel insurance if you mix and match your various issues, choosing only the coverage you need. You can, for instance, choose to purchase only flight ticket protection (in case of trip interruption, for reimbursement of your non-refundable ticket). Perhaps you might want to purchase AD&D (accidental death and dismemberment) coverage in case of airline accident. Or you might want to add, or purchase alone, some cheap travel insurance for medical care, and/or medical evacuation. You may choose to add reimbursement protection for lost or delayed baggage.
Cheap travel insurance is about making good choices and buying only what you need as you need it. It's also about comparison shopping.