Your friend is set to jet off for his international trip. He has been waiting for this day for like forever. So, as a good friend and a person who has already been abroad, it is your responsibility to check on him and ask how prepared he is. Right?
Traveling expands your vision by broadening your mind. This saying is so very correct. When you travel, you get to meet new people and experience the essence of various cultures, food, and lifestyles, and new horizon flares in front of you.
However, whether you are a globetrotter or traveling for work, not all experiences would be as pleasant or fun as you desire or expect them to be. Some are eye-openers too.
A huge eye-opening situation
A medical emergency in a foreign land without travel medical insurance is one such incident.
If you have been in a financial and emotional mess due to a medical situation abroad, you know how crucial a travel health insurance plan is. And therefore, you must inform your friends about how worse things can get if a medical emergency occurs in a foreign land and you do not have sufficient insurance coverage.
Although you have told him time and again to get a travel health insurance policy beforehand, he did not give much attention to it. If you do not want your buddy to suffer outside his home country, try to convince him to buy a suitable travel health insurance plan to the best of your capabilities. But, how can you do that?
Relax!
Here we have jotted down some pointers about the importance of travel health insurance or travel medical insurance cover and how it will come to your rescue if, unfortunately, you meet with an accident or fall sick overseas.
Tell him what is travel medical insurance
You should start by giving him a summary of what these policies are all about. So, a travel medical insurance plan is a short-term or temporary insurance product that covers you during your international trip. It covers you against emergency medical expenses and, if needed, emergency evacuations. Your travel medical insurance plan is likely to provide you with round-the-clock assistance as and when you need it on your trip.
Tell him that his domestic medical insurance may not work abroad!
When you go outside your home country, your domestic health insurance plan does not go with you. Yes, you guessed it right – once you are off the boundaries of your homeland, you are left on your own. Some insurance products may claim medical coverage abroad. Still, it is wise to get a dedicated travel medical insurance. Even if your domestic policy covers a portion of the medical costs, it is least likely to cover emergency medical evacuation, including an airlift or ambulance services from a remote location, among others. So, don’t you think being prepared and buying a travel medical insurance plan is a smart move?
Inform him about the with and without scenario
What if you are stuck in a medical emergency abroad with all sorts of hospitals, ambulance services, surgery, and medication bills to take care of? It could cost you thousands of dollars. Plus, emergency medical evacuation from a remote to a safe destination or transport back home can add hefty amounts to the bills.
The without scenario: If you do not have a proper travel medical insurance plan, you have to pay out-of-pocket. And all of that presuming you found a suitable healthcare facility. It means killing your finances and, of course, peace of mind intentionally.
The with scenario: If you have travel medical coverage, your insurance policy will cover you in the best possible way. It will help you find a reputed medical facility and (if needed) provide you with transportation services. It will help you overcome language barriers (if any). And most importantly, the best travel medical insurance plan will cover you against all the covered eventualities.
After describing the scenario, you may ask him to do what he finds suitable. But also remind him about the pros of having a travel medical insurance plan, all over again.
Inform him about the esteemed organizations that recommend travel medical plan
It is a human tendency to rely on things recommended by reputed sources. So, you can use this way too. Tell your friend about the international organizations that highly suggest getting travel medical insurance before traveling abroad. If needed, show him the references too. Some of the noted bodies that advise buying travel health insurance plans include the CDC (Center for Disease Control), WHO (World Health Organization), and the U.S. Department of State, to mention a few. Besides, you can also share the horror stories of travelers who did not care about travel medical cover before their international trip and suffered later on. You will find many such true stories on the internet.
Help him find a reliable travel medical insurance plan and provider
Tell him that finding a suitable plan and a reputable and experienced insurance provider is no big deal with online platforms like Visitors Guru. Such portals are mainly designed for online travel medical insurance broking. They showcase a wide range of products available with the top-rated travel health insurance providers. So, you can choose a plan according to your requirements and budget. Also, inform him about the policy comparison feature. With a customer-friendly insurance broking website, you can compare different policies and ask for free price quotes. It will help you decide on the best travel medical insurance plan.
Finally, tell him the bottom line
As far as international traveling is concerned, the moment you leave your home country, you need the protection of a proper travel health insurance policy that covers you overseas. The insurance you have taken out in your home country would no longer be working. So, before it is too late, it is better to buy a feasible visitors insurance plan than to repent once a medical emergency pops out of the blue.