Like many Canadians, I have always taken government-funded medical care for granted. So when a bunch of us decided to go to Spring Break in Tampa a few years ago, my only concern was to buy sunscreen and condoms. Overlooking medical travel insurance was a mistake.
Several alcohol fueled days later, I awoke in a hospital room. I thought that I was in agony when I woke up. I had a cast on my left leg, hurt everywhere and discovered when I tried to sit up that several of my ribs had been broken. From what I have managed to piece together from my friends, I had a pretty bad parasailing accident and had had to be rushed to emergency. I was bummed out about my trip being ruined, but when I got home things got much worse. I took my hospital bill from America into a government office and tried to get them to pay. No, we're sorry, but since you received out-of-county care we are not responsible for these costs. What! Where was I, a starving college kid going to come up with $15, 000?
I have lived and learned, and if I ever pay off my debt enough to be able to travel again I will make sure I get insurance to protect against accidents. I hope that after reading this article you will think carefully about leaving the country without any coverage.
You won't have to break the bank to protect yourself. You can get basic coverage for a single trip for under $40. This may not cover every expense, but will certainly lessen your financial burden. But it is not enough to simply go to your local bank or insurance broker and purchase the cheapest plan available. Things that you should be aware of are below.
Experts recommend that before you begin shopping for insurance you prepare a list of any activities you are likely to do while away. This is to make sure that you are not surprised later to find your coverage doesn't extend to "extreme sports." Things as simple as riding a moped or motorcycle with an engine over 50cc may invalidate your coverage - so know before you need it.
I know it's a drag, but take the time to read the fine print on your insurance policy. This is a contract that you are signing, and it was designed to protect the insurance company, not you. Make sure that you fully understand what your responsibilities and liabilities are. Do not sign until all of your questions have been answered and you are comfortable.
Other than medical costs, you will want to be covered against loss/theft of items. This will protect you if the airline loses your luggage or against been pick pocketed in the streets of Rome. A lot of people seem to neglect this, but think about how you're going to get home if you lose your ticket or pass port. What will you do if you have no money and your credit cards are in the hands of a thief?
Hopefully, you will never have to experience what I went through, but if you do have an accident while on vacation and were smart enough to get covered by insurance you will be in a much better position that I was.
Several alcohol fueled days later, I awoke in a hospital room. I thought that I was in agony when I woke up. I had a cast on my left leg, hurt everywhere and discovered when I tried to sit up that several of my ribs had been broken. From what I have managed to piece together from my friends, I had a pretty bad parasailing accident and had had to be rushed to emergency. I was bummed out about my trip being ruined, but when I got home things got much worse. I took my hospital bill from America into a government office and tried to get them to pay. No, we're sorry, but since you received out-of-county care we are not responsible for these costs. What! Where was I, a starving college kid going to come up with $15, 000?
I have lived and learned, and if I ever pay off my debt enough to be able to travel again I will make sure I get insurance to protect against accidents. I hope that after reading this article you will think carefully about leaving the country without any coverage.
You won't have to break the bank to protect yourself. You can get basic coverage for a single trip for under $40. This may not cover every expense, but will certainly lessen your financial burden. But it is not enough to simply go to your local bank or insurance broker and purchase the cheapest plan available. Things that you should be aware of are below.
Experts recommend that before you begin shopping for insurance you prepare a list of any activities you are likely to do while away. This is to make sure that you are not surprised later to find your coverage doesn't extend to "extreme sports." Things as simple as riding a moped or motorcycle with an engine over 50cc may invalidate your coverage - so know before you need it.
I know it's a drag, but take the time to read the fine print on your insurance policy. This is a contract that you are signing, and it was designed to protect the insurance company, not you. Make sure that you fully understand what your responsibilities and liabilities are. Do not sign until all of your questions have been answered and you are comfortable.
Other than medical costs, you will want to be covered against loss/theft of items. This will protect you if the airline loses your luggage or against been pick pocketed in the streets of Rome. A lot of people seem to neglect this, but think about how you're going to get home if you lose your ticket or pass port. What will you do if you have no money and your credit cards are in the hands of a thief?
Hopefully, you will never have to experience what I went through, but if you do have an accident while on vacation and were smart enough to get covered by insurance you will be in a much better position that I was.
About the Author:
Many insurance types like travel insurance set your rates based on your credit score, so whether your looking for car insurance or other types of insurance it's important to improve credit score if you have a low score.
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