More questions regarding travel insurance

[elycelynne]

For policies that are primary insurers, do you have to pay hospital medical expenses up front, or are there policies where you can just present your evidence of insurance (whatever that is -- a card, perhaps?) and have that hospital's billing department take care of everything from there? Also, are there policies that contain medical evacuation where you don't have to pay those expenses up front as well? I know that part of it can get pretty expensive and I don't have that kind of credit limit on my Visa.

 

Finally, are there deductibles and out-of-pocket percentages involved, or is travel insurance generally all-inclusive when it comes to medical expenses?

 

Thanks!

[elycelynne]

This is probably the first time I've replied to my own post, but I have some more questions based on additional information:

 

I was informed by my insurance department at work that our Blue Cross PPO would act as the primary insurer and we have a $3,000 out-of-pocket maximum, so I would only need something with a small medical limit for secondary coverage. Now my main question is how much coverage would I really need for emergency evacuation? There are some policies that go up to $1 million, but being that I'll be in the Caribbean (Aruba, Curacao and Bahamas) would I really need something that high, or would something in the area of $250,000 or so be enough?

[kitty9]

My mom's flight out of Nassau to FLL was $9000 for a 1/2 hour flight. I think for those places you're visiting, $50,000 would be sufficient.

[megr1125]

Only YOU know your financial and health situations...and comfort level.

 

If something happens on a cruise ship, you will have to pay THEM...they will not submit to insurance of any kind.

 

If you get injured in say San Juan, medical providers MIGHT bill your health insurance IF it covers you in US territories....otherwise, YOU are forking out the money.

 

DO not expect any other foreign medical institution to bill you or your insurance...they might, but who knows......my mom broke her foot on the ship, we paid the ship, the cruise insurance paid us, AFTER the claim was denied by medicare and her supplemental (which took 4 months!:eek: Took only 10 days to get the check!:) Granted, it was 275 bucks, not 250,000)

 

As for medical evacuation, never had to use it. The coast guard will not bill you (i don't think.) as for a private service, they MAY bill you and then you'd send it to the insurance provider.

 

That said, you REALLY need to call/look at insuuremytrip.com as they are better informed and will thus give you better info than a message board.

 

Your situation is not MY situation, therefore, for any of us to say get XXXX amount and that will be ok would be really kind of dumb.......and would be poor advice for you.

 

We did not have a deductible (we had cruise care through royal caribbean...i now book independant insurance...but the cruise care wasn't bad)

 

I am not trying to be mean, but really, YOU have to decide what is best for YOU!:) I will say this, get the most coverage you can afford....just like you would for auto or homeowners.....We may pay 80 bucks for a doctors visit here...that same visit might be $300 in Aruba (not saying it is, just giving you food for thought)

[PMW4521]

talk with your TA as there is a cinsurance provider that handles this type of plan you are interested in its ,worth looking into. good luck,and have a safe trip.:)

[richkinkade]

I've never heard of insurance that pays up front for medical air evacuation. You can, however, sign up with medjet assist. They don't pay for air evacuation you arrange, but they will arrange medical air evacuation and pay for it. You get a discount if you're an AARP member. http://www.medjetassist.com/

[sail7seas]

One of the best features of MedJetAssist is that, providing it is medically and otherwise possible, you say to which hospital you want to be taken. Most others policies you have almost no say. It is an annual policy and the premium is very moderate IMO especially if you get the AARP discount referred to in the above post.