Primary vs Secondary

[mafada]

What's the difference between a primary coverage and a secondary coverage? If my current health insurance (Cigna) doesn't cover medical when travel outside the country, is that when I should purchase a primary?

 

Thanks!

[msmayor]

Primary vs. secondary has to do with the 'order' your claim needs to be filed.

 

Medical insurance that is secondary will require that you file with your own health insurer first and provide a denial of coverage before they will consider and pay a claim. They will want to know that you've received any available benefits from your primary before considering the balance of the claim.

 

Primary means that you bypass completely your regular medical insurance and file a claim with them FIRST.

 

Some folks will still have coverage from their primary insurer (Alaskan cruises, for example...since health services received on land may very well be in the US) and with a secondary travel policy they will need to file for benefits from their regular insurer first. Whatever their regular policy doesn't cover, the secondary travel insurance will consider.

 

Now a European cruise? Chances are that primary insurance one has through and employer would NOT provide coverage (or may only cover true emergency situations only) and the traveler would have to claim with the primary and receive a denial, then provide that to the travel insurance to obtain coverage and refunds of the cost.

[sirwired]

If your own insurance does not apply to a situation (like traveling overseas), then the primary/secondary doesn't matter at all. The only thing the primary/secondary means is that if you have a claim that would be covered by both, the secondary will only cover unreimbursed costs leftover from the primary (deductible, rates over U&C, etc.)

 

SirWired

[cruiseco]

What's the difference between a primary coverage and a secondary coverage? If my current health insurance (Cigna) doesn't cover medical when travel outside the country, is that when I should purchase a primary?

 

Thanks!

 

If your regular health insurer will not cover you during your trip then a "secondary" travel insurance policy in effect moves up to being your "primary" insurer.

 

If you purchase a "secondary" coverage travel insurance plan and have a medical claim you will still have to file first with your regular health insurance company, get denied, then file your claim with the travel insurer. Or, if your regular health insurance covers part of the bill -- less a co-payment or deductible -- you would file a claim with the travel insurer for that unpaid amount.

 

If you purchase a "primary" travel insurance plan you can skip those intermediate steps and file first with the travel insurer.

 

Either way, you get reimbursed. The difference is one of inconvenience -- maybe an extra 15 minutes of filling out the forms, and also one of time -- if your regular health insurer dawdles in getting the denial letter back to you there may be an extra week or two of waiting around to get your money.

 

In my opinion, I would choose the best plan for my needs based on coverages and price. If that plan happens to be "primary" that's an extra bonus. But I'd take a plan that's secondary but covers what I need covered at a price I want to pay, even if it means a little extra work and time in the odd chance that I do have a medical claim, over a primary plan that's otherwise not as good of a match for my needs.

 

Others will not even consider a secondary policy. To each his/her own.

[mafada]

Thank you all for your answers! It's all clear to me now :-)