The end of the year is approaching and for many people it means vacations! A trip should be above all a pleasant experience and when we think of something pleasant, the inconveniences that could arise rarely cross our minds, and even less do we think about taking out insurance to travel abroad.
But accidents, lost luggage, illnesses, flight delays, robberies, and thefts, among others, can spoil your trip. At least it is necessary to prevent these problems from affecting the future, either financially or health issues. That is why it is important to explore the advantages of having medical insurance to travel abroad.
That is why we suggest that before starting your trip you compare the different options that you have at your disposal in insurance for travelers. Without wishing to be alarmist, perhaps you should know that one (1) day of hospitalization in a European country can cost you up to €8,000.
In addition, every day more countries require travel insurance for tourists or travelers. In the case of the US, they do not require travel insurance for now, but a simple look at the costs of medicine in that country will show you how a simple accident can make your life miserable, at least financially.
This is why there are Travel Assistance plans that, for just a fair price, you can travel calmly and safely, knowing that in the event of an inconvenience you will receive help and support.
Difference Between Travel Insurance And Traveler Assistance
The main difference between travel insurance and travel assistance is that the former is dedicated to reimbursing the money we spend to receive a benefit abroad once we return to our country. On the other hand, travel assistance provides direct benefits at the time of the event.
In the event that we contract travel insurance, if we need medical assistance, we have to find the nearest health center, face all the necessary expenses, and then, when we return, we will claim a refund of the money from our insurance company.
Travel assistance or travel assistance card gives us help 24 hours a day, wherever we are in the world.
The advisors of the care centers are in charge of looking for a health center that we can attend and the expenses are borne by the provider company, so we will not have to pay any amount to be able to be treated by a doctor abroad.
Travel insurance or travel assistance plans generally include the following coverage:
.Medical assistance in case of an accident
.Medical assistance in case of illness
.It does not have deductibles or franchises
.Medicines
.Odontology
.Hotel expenses for convalescence
.Accompaniment of minors
.Compensation for lost luggage
.Assistance for theft and/or loss of documents
.Legal assistance
.Early return due to an accident at home
.Medical and funeral repatriation
Let’s see some alternatives
Travel Insurance For European Residents
What is the European Health Insurance Card?
It is a free card that allows access to public medical care “Only in case such care is required” during a temporary stay in any of the 28 EU Member States, in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, in the same mentioned conditions, but you have to know that assistance is free only in some countries.
The European health card is issued by the social security offices of each country.
Important
The European Health Insurance Card does not have the benefits provided by basic travel insurance, such as:
.Private medical benefit
.Sick/Urgent Care
.Evacuation
.Sanitary repatriations
.Administrative repatriations
.Hospitalization expenses
.Location of luggage, in case of loss during the transfer
.Reimbursement for flight delays or cancellations
.Legal advice
.And others more…
This does not guarantee the total gratuity of the medical assistance service provided. Just as in some countries, it may be free, in others, it is not.
Travel Insurance On Your Credit Card
Normally credit cards, whenever they are used to buy air tickets, include travel insurance (depending on what type of card the amount available). It is always convenient to know the amount that they provide us with this service, since it is usually very little, so in the event of a serious medical setback they are of little help.
An example, the Classic VISA only covers €9,000 of medical expenses, insufficient in the event of an accident. As for the platinum versions, the coverages begin to be higher. Do you have platinum?
Travel Insurance For Residents Of Latin America
Current regulations require all travelers from Latin America to purchase travel insurance to visit Europe. The plan must have at least €30,000 of medical coverage, repatriations, and medical transfers. If you plan to travel for more than 3 weeks, we recommend taking out more coverage.
We Latin Americans sometimes have a hard time understanding other stricter cultures when it comes to medical controls. We are used to going to the neighborhood pharmacy, consulting, and leaving with some medication; but in Europe, it is not like that, you have to go to the pharmacy with a prescription, and any medical visit does not go below €55. Bandages are changed at the hospital or by a qualified nurse, all are costs.
An article in the British newspaper The Guardian made a comparison between average hospital costs in various countries:
Top of the list is the US: £6,000, Thailand: £2,750, Canary Islands: £2,500. The cheapest country is Bulgaria, with an average hospital cost of £500.
During the summer, the most common cause of medical consultation for tourists is gastroenteritis (nothing serious), the average cost of treatment is £1,200.
Schengen Insurance
Schengen Insurance is a mandatory travel insurance, required by some European countries that are members of the Schengen Agreement, where tourists are forced to contract insurance with a validity equal to the time spent in Schengen territory and that complies with a series of specific requirements to be able to enter.
The countries that signed the Schengen Agreement are Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Sweden, and Switzerland.
In summary, if you travel to Europe, you will necessarily have to take out travel insurance. And if you are not a citizen belonging to the European Union, you will need an updated passport and a Schengen visa. This document is not issued if you have not previously taken out travel insurance for Europe.
The advantage of the Schengen visa is the bureaucratic savings, that is to say, if you are going to move through several countries of the European continent you will not have to request national visas and if you travel to a country that is not on this list, consult the specific requirements of each one.
Schengen Insurance Requirements
.Medical assistance for illness, with a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros.
.Medical assistance for accidents, with a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros.
.Legal assistance.
.Emergency or administrative medical repatriation.
.Schengen visa (mandatory when entering the European community).
.The return of expenses cannot be reimbursed.
.Travel insurance cannot have a deductible
.
.The insurance company must have a representative or branch in Europe.
.The validity period of the travel insurance must be equal to the time of stay in the Schengen area.
Insurance To Travel To Cuba
Don’t forget to take travel insurance for Cuba. You must bear in mind that traveling to this destination, this service is also mandatory: lost luggage, flight delays, illnesses, and accidents are just some undesirable factors that can happen to us during the trip.
For this reason, a coverage plan is an essential tool to prevent unforeseen events and to be able to travel calmly and safely. Enter the trip data and compare with more than 450 coverage plans with the best-known Travel Assistance companies in America and Europe.
Travel Assistance Insurance Comparator
To find out more about costs, plans, coverage, and exclusions for travel assistance, enter the data in the following online form, where in a few minutes you can compare, choose, hire, and pay for assistance insurance in the simplest and safest way. to the traveler
This insurance comparator only works with travel assistance services since we believe that when we have a problem abroad, we need a product that provides us with attention at all times.
Once the data is entered, the screen will show you the different options available; For each option, the quoter presents you with a summary and a PDF containing more information. You can change options and requote instantly, even in the field “type of trip” you can indicate if you have any pre-existing condition or chronic illness.
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