The medical insurance you take out when you travel overseas is a whole different ball game to the medical, hospital cover you have for everyday life.
Australian citizens are covered by medical insurance through the Australian Government”s Medicare program, but some first time travellers are at risk of leaving themselves wide open to financial hardship through not realising this cover doesn”t extend to overseas destinations.
Neither do the private funds normally cover their members for overseas travel and advise that international travel medical insurance needs to be taken out through a reputable international travel insurance company.
What Should Your Overseas Medical Insurance Dollar Cover
Industry veterans, 1Cover travel insurance, say, medical insurance is the “base line” component in all travel insurance. It covers the events that have the potential to leave you and your family anywhere from seriously out of pocket to being in desperate financial trouble.
Basically, all medical travel insurance should provide:
* Unlimited cover for hospital expenses for accident and sickness and all medical expenses related to the accident or illness.
* Unlimited cover for emergency evacuation. What this means is if you have an accident or fall ill either a considerable distance from a hospital or medical help or from a hospital or medical assistance of an acceptable standard, all the frame work is in place for you to call in specialised assistance. In some instances this also includes transportation back to the country of origin. In addition, all relevant expenses are covered. Given that costs can be in the hundreds of thousands, this is a vital component of the cover.
* Health travel insurance should also cover a component of the costs of dental work resulting from an accident during the duration of your overseas travel.
* Repatriation. This is a sombre word for a sombre eventuality. It would be nave of any traveller to totally dismiss the possibility of dying while overseas. Repatriation covers the costs of returning a deceased persons body to their country of origin. Not cheap!
* Personal Liability. Once again, it would be nave to think you would always be on the receiving end in an accident. Personal Liability covers you in the event you”re the one who knocks over the statue of David or gives the Leaning Tower of Pizza its final shove. Don”t leave home with anything under a million.
Most companies will provide you will a free quote on medical insurance, often online, and provide you with the full run down on their policy. So, don”t get the two confused and think you”re cover is winging overseas with you when it”s actually grounded back in Australia.
