Thursday, December 3, 2009

Importance Of Travelers Medical Insurance

By Dan Miller

Traveling to another country was traditionally so full of uncertainties and danger, that insurance was invented to safeguard some of those assets that were traded. While many of us still travel for business, we also travel extensively for pleasure. travel insurance, then, has only widened in scope.

Tensions are prone to be high during travel overseas, and international travel insurance protects the plan holder against some of the unexpected factors that may interfere with a trip-schedule changes and illnesses during the trip, for example. In such situations, travel insurance is a much-needed stress reliever that takes care of the financial aspect of the unexpected event.

The medical benefits of travel medical insurance make it a necessary investment. Imagine suffering from a medical emergency when abroad. Your regular health insurance will likely not work overseas, and the costs of treatment can be quite high. Your itinerary will also probably have to be somewhat rescheduled. Only with international travel medical insurance can you hope to defray these unexpected costs.

The benefits of international travel insurance usually include medical outpatient care and hospitalization, evacuation in case of medical or political emergencies, accidental death and dismemberment, and repatriation of remains. Many plans also cover treatment for automobile accidents. Plans also cover an international trip that is cut short because of personal or medical emergencies in the home country.

Trip insurance also offers non-medical benefits for the international traveler. Typically, international travel is booked several months before the actual travel, and is dependent on several factors. If an unexpected event makes your travel plans go awry, trip insurance can help recoup some of those costs. Some typical situations that arise before or during travel include the death of a close relative and lost baggage.

International travel can get expensive, and while travelers usually look for the cheapest deals in airfare, hotels, and car rentals, some of these costs are non-refundable. Insurance helps the traveler who has canceled the trip to recoup those costs.

One of the most unpredictable variables of travel is weather, and flight delays are common, especially in tropical countries. Travel insurance also helps cover expenses resulting from weather-related delays causing complete cessation of services. Different options exist for cancellations and the "Cancel for Any Reason" option covers nearly all situations.

Travel insurance also usually includes additional benefits such as assistance (and reimbursement) for lost baggage, and legal help, where required. Some travel insurance plans also offer coverage and assistance in case of assaults and identity theft.

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