Insurance coverage when traveling

[CowTown]

I just found out that my insurance does not cover me if I travel outside the US.

Do most insurances cover people for travel anywhere, or is mine just retarded? Is there another small type of plan somewhere that I can sign up for just for a vacation?

What do others do?

 

[JazzysMom]

I know when I worked at our local hospital we had many people from around the world that stayed at a local Asheva & had travel insurance. I dont know if that is offered here in the US or if it covers anything as complicated as CF or if it even covers something besides accidents. You should be able to contact just about any insurance broker near you & ask about travel insurance!

 

[catboogie]

my friend is going to malawi this summer and she is getting travel insurance. not sure what this covers, but it's worth looking into. (she does not have CF.)

laura

 

[julie]

When Mark and I went on vacation last year, we got trip insurance which covered the cancellation of our trip for medical reasons or family emergency, (100% refund minus cost of insurance), 20k each of medical expenses if we got hurt on the trip or while traveling, reimbursement of 100 a day for lost luggage, "lay over" (an unplanned one) of 150 an hour, max of 1500 a day... Most companies will offer it with your vacation, our you can buy from a private company. We've done both (once it was offered via orbitz, once it wasn't offered when we planned all ourselves so we went with a private company). The fees aren't bad considering what they cover if they loose your luggage, you miss a connection by no fault of your own, you get injured (20k will for sure get you a medical flight back to the states....)

Good luck.

 

[CowTown]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>julie</b></i>

When Mark and I went on vacation last year, we got trip insurance which covered the cancellation of our trip for medical reasons or family emergency, (100% refund minus cost of insurance), 20k each of medical expenses if we got hurt on the trip or while traveling, reimbursement of 100 a day for lost luggage, "lay over" (an unplanned one) of 150 an hour, max of 1500 a day... </end quote></div>



Julie,

So is this coverage unrelated to CF health coverage? Sounds like if something went wrong with Mark's health while on vacation, then this coverage would pay for the return flight so his health care would be taken care of back home. Is that right? So it's not "health insurance", it's more for getting you back home and having all that you had when you left.

If you break an arm or something, would you be covered?

Do you state that one of you has CF or no?

Thanks for all the info!!!! Very helpful. I had no idea there was traveler's insurance. Since we set up our flights and all, do we call Blue Shield or who?

 

[anonymous]

Beware most all travel/trip insurances have pre-existing condition clauses. If you cancel your trip because of a CF flare up, I think you would have to fight to get your money back.

 

[Scarlett81]

Hey doll,

No it's not just your insurance-I think many many are like that. Luckily-I don't remember exactly where you're going, but many european countries have services for situation like this. ex: Last year we went to France for 3 weeks and were told before going that most major hospitals in France will "take" me as a patient even if I can't use my insurance there b/c France has socialized health coverage. Meaning the government pays for all citizens healthcare. This applies to some US hospitals too-some can't turn away a patient b/c they can't pay.

This of course doesn't guarantee that you'll get the best cutting edge care, or the exact type of care that you're used to, but it still is great for emergencies. I'm going to Dubai in a week and handling the same thing as you right now! Coincidence!

Where are you going by the way?

 

[julie]

Kelly,

The statement I was making about taking a medical flight back would be if something happended that was going to cost more than $20k of coverage to treat (or whatever amount you were covered for). If either of us broke an arm or needed stitches or something like that, we would just call the 24 hour medical line, get the location of some different places we could go in the area and go get our treatment there. No need to fly back home for that, but if it was something major, then that's where the medical flight comment came in (sorry about that confusion).

I did ask them about preexisting clauses, the private company we used said if a person didn't have private medical coverage, there was a clause about non-coverage for that sort of thing. The one through orbitz said they had no pre existing condition clause. I think you might just have to call a few different companies (maybe figure out rates first) and see who does and doesn't have those clauses. And if they do, are they conditional based on whether or not you have private insurance...

 

[NoExcuses]

.

 

[CowTown]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm looking into it. I hate the thought that my regular insurance won't work while I'm gone. I hate that.

We're headed to England for 1 week, then Italy (Florence and Rome) for another week. Can't wait to check out all the art museums and we're going to go to a few wineries in Tuscany!! We're leaving Thursday! Whohooo.

 

[Scarlett81]

Wow!!!!!!!!!! That's the trip of a lifetime! Have a blast. And be safe-my family was in Florence a few months ago and some stuff got stolen from us-Florence is infamous for theivery-but practical precautions will keep you safe. -anyway where in Eurpoe do they NOT have those pickpocketers?

I don't know if you've been to Florence or not, so if u have disregard me as just being overly excited for you! I live vicariously through my friends trips. But ya gotta go to the Uffizi gallery at the Santa Maria Novella station! Amazing gallery. Have an awesome time doll!

 

[JazzysMom]

ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY & Stay Well!

 

[CowTown]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Scarlett81</b></i>

I'm going to Dubai in a week and handling the same thing as you right now! Coincidence!

</end quote></div>


Christian,

Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Is Dubai in Afghanistan? If not, where is Dubai?
What are plans in Dubai?

I'd like to hear about your trip! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">: <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif" border="0">

 

[Scarlett81]

My dear Kelly,

I know we don't know each other that well dear, but do you really think I'd go to Afghanistan?!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Lordy, lordy. Dubai is on the tip of the Arabian penninsula in the Indian ocean-don't worry-almost everyone we told didn't know either. S'ok. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">

It happens to be like a thousand miles from Afghanistan. It's a tourist destination that's growing in popularity in the US and has been popular with Britian and Europeans for years.

The burning question which my mother in law continues to bother me about every day-Is it safe? Why would we go somewhere that wasn't safe? Of course it's safe. The whole middle east and India isn't like downtown Baghdad, Mom!!!!