Going on a trip anywhere, not every one of us thinks about possible troubles that may happen to us. This does not mean minor domestic issues, but health problems, legal complications, loss of luggage and long delays in flights.
To help cope with all difficulties, insurance is intended for those who go abroad, which is strongly recommended to arrange for everyone who goes abroad, regardless of the length of stay. However, before you make out a policy, you should learn some very important things.
Is it necessary to draw up a contract?
“Do I need insurance at all?” - This is the question many people are planning to go abroad. I must say that they have certain reasons for this, but they are based only on the belief that if everything was fine before, nothing will happen in the next trip.
Nobody is going to scare anyone, but think about what will happen if, all of a sudden, urgent and urgent medical care is needed - because abroad (not only in the West, but also in many countries of Asia) medicine is paid and very expensive and nobody will treat you there free of charge. But what if you find yourself in a situation where you have to pay for damage caused to third parties? And it’s good if there is an opportunity to pay a considerable amount. Yes, even if it will be - who is pleased to part with their hard-earned money?
Going to a foreign land, it is strongly recommended to arrange insurance for those traveling abroad. Even if it is not required to obtain a visa, you first need the “airbag” yourself.
What may include a policy
Standard travel insurance may include reimbursement of costs for:
- emergency medical care;
- Dentist
- civil liability to third parties;
- accident;
- flight cancellation / delay;
- baggage loss.
Please note: only the first item that will cover expenses in case you urgently need treatment will be mandatory for any policy. All other items, however, are additional and may not be on the list. In addition, other options offered by a particular company are possible, for example, insurance for pregnant women traveling abroad. To clarify which costs are recoverable, carefully read the contract.
By the way, you should especially highlight the item not mentioned here, which is usually called Active Sports companies. The essence of this risk is that if it is available in your insurance contract, you can safely engage in traumatic sports (skiing, snowboarding, surfing, bike riding, etc.), being sure that you will be reimbursed for the costs for treatment, if you suddenly get damaged as a result of these classes. Therefore, if you are a supporter of outdoor activities, be sure to include this item in your insurance!
Travel insurance policy
When you make a voucher through a travel agency, you will most likely be offered a service such as "Insurance for tourists traveling abroad." Even more, its cost will be included in the tour by default, especially when it comes to traveling to a country for which a policy is required to enter.
However, far from always the quality of this insurance can be considered satisfactory. In addition, usually it is formalized only for formalities, and the amount of compensation indicated in the contract may be too small.
That is why we can give you advice - if you have the opportunity, arrange a second insurance, already "for yourself."
Scheme of work
In order to better understand how medical insurance works for people traveling abroad, you should once and for all remember the axiom: the company with which you enter into an agreement does not treat, negotiate with clinics and doctors, and generally will not keep with you in any way communication after the occurrence of a case stipulated by the contract.
An insurance company is only an intermediary between you and a service company (assistance). In fact, she sells you assistance services. Assistance, in turn, is an intermediary between you and the hospital or doctor. It will be he who will be in touch, in which case he will be sent to a medical institution in the host country if you need medical help.
Company selection
In a word, it would be fundamentally wrong and even dangerous to consider an insurance company alone in isolation from assistance. As can be understood from the foregoing, the role of the first violin during the offensive will be played by the second intermediary. Therefore, when choosing an insurance company, first of all, find out what kind of assistance they work with.
Please note that companies tend to change partners from time to time, so make sure that the information you receive is up to date. They can also work with two or more assistants at the same time, in this case, when drawing up the contract, you should make sure that you will be served by the intermediary that you wanted.
Nevertheless, insurance does not cease to play the important role of the “first link”, establishing contact between its client and assistant and often incline the latter to a positive decision in favor of its customer. That is why it is worth listing the companies that are credible according to customer reviews. This is "Consent", "Medexpress", VSK, "Liberty", Allianz, "Renaissance". For each of them, one way or another, you will find negative reviews, but this is true for any company - even the best.
A little bit about assistants
The most famous and respected in this area are International-SOS, Mondial, Class, AXA, Coris. Each of them can be traditionally strong in one or another region of the world, in addition, each can have its own characteristics in work.
Studying such a question as insurance for travelers abroad, you will find reviews that International-SOS is the most reliable assistance, it has the highest percentage of positive feedback about cooperation. Of course, the prices of the indicated intermediary are slightly higher, but, in any case, this is a reasonable fee for peace of mind.
The rest of the listed service companies also work at a high level, and you can completely rely on them if you follow all the rules indicated in the contract.
It is worth mentioning the assistance of the GVA. He is very popular with insurance - many companies cooperate with him, but the reviews are the most negative. However, some compatriots choose this option because of its cheapness.
Amount of coverage
Almost any insurance contract involves the payment of a certain amount upon occurrence of an insured event to a limited extent. The more expensive your policy, the greater the reimbursement from the company. Try to insure on the largest possible amount!
The visa rules of a particular country may allow an insurance policy in the amount of 20-30 thousand dollars (we are talking about the amount of coverage for medical care). However, if you want to make insurance for yourself, and not “for show”, it is recommended to insure for a large amount - at least 50 thousand dollars and more. This is especially true for trips to Europe and the USA, where treatment can be very, very expensive.
Also try to choose insurance without a deductible - that is, without the condition of self-payment of small expenses that do not exceed a certain amount established by the contract.
Standard Rules for Travel Insurance
Of course, all companies have their own conditions and features of insurance, and, of course, before signing all these features will need to be studied. However, there are several model conditions that apply to almost all contracts.
The first concerns chronic diseases. Not a single insurance of citizens traveling abroad provides for the treatment of your old and long-standing "sores." If it is established that the health problems that have arisen are a consequence of your chronic illness, you will be denied payment for treatment.
Further - a complete ban on the use of alcohol, as well as psychotropic substances. If it is established that at the time of the insured event there was at least some alcohol or illegal substances in your blood, you will also be refused a refund.
Another important nuance is the need to collect documents (police reports, medical records, checks) related to the insurance accident. This is especially important, because far from always insurance traveling abroad implies reimbursement of costs at the time of incurring them - sometimes you can receive the due only upon returning to your homeland, attaching the above papers as evidence.
Documents for concluding insurance
To issue an insurance policy, as a rule, no special documents are required - almost all companies issue it with only one foreign passport. At the same time, it is far from necessary to provide its original - for example, many companies offer an online policy design, which is very convenient because it saves time and effort. Here you can recommend a very convenient service Cherehapa.ru, which will offer several companies to choose from upon request, in which it will be possible to issue an online policy on the site.
Total
So, we decided that insurance is still needed. In this regard, here are some tips that you can give to anyone who is going abroad.
First - carefully choose an insurance company and assistance; when you make out a policy, carefully read all the points. Do not spare time for a careful reading, so that later there will be no unpleasant incidents and misunderstandings!
Second - try to avoid activities not covered by your contract.
Third - if the agreed case still occurs, immediately contact the insurance or assistance. Take a picture of your travel insurance in advance.
Following these simple rules will help you to get out of difficult situations with the least financial losses. Good luck with your travels and be healthy!