Travel protection complements your health insurance by helping to cover gaps like overseas medical care, dental emergencies, and upfront payments. It becomes even more essential if your health insurance doesn’t work abroad. Travel protection plans, like those from Generali Global Assistance, also offer 24/7 Travel Assistance that can help guide you through a medical emergency in a foreign country.

Congratulations if you’re one of the lucky few whose health insurance covers you internationally. But even then, travel insurance with assistance services is still a smart investment. Here’s why having both can make all the difference when you’re away from home.

Health Insurance Often Falls Short Abroad

Most domestic health insurance plans offer limited or no coverage outside your home country. Even if your plan includes international benefits, they may be restricted to emergencies only, require you to pay out of pocket first, or exclude certain types of care altogether. Medicare, for example, typically doesn’t cover medical costs incurred outside the U.S.

Travel protection plans from Generali Global Assistance may include coverage for necessary Medical and Emergency Dental care, even if your primary health insurance does not apply. Many covered inpatient medical bills may be paid upfront, depending on the circumstances and plan benefits. This may include treatment for unexpected illnesses or injuries, and in some cases, coverage for the full cost of care if your primary insurance does not apply—subject to plan terms and exclusions.

Also read: What to do if you need to go to the hospital on abroad

Dental Coverage for Unexpected Emergencies

Dental issues can be especially challenging while traveling. Most primary health insurance plans do not include dental coverage, and even fewer extend coverage internationally. Travel protection plans from Generali Global Assistance may include coverage for Emergency Dental treatment as part of the Medical and Dental benefit, which may help cover costs while on your trip. Similar to medical costs, many covered inpatient Emergency Dental bills may be paid upfront, depending on the plan and circumstances.

Whether it’s a chipped tooth or a sudden infection, travel protection may help you avoid navigating unfamiliar dental systems alone—or paying entirely out of pocket.

Learn more about travel insurance and medical expenses

Upfront Payment vs. Direct Billing: A Better Experience

One of the key differences between travel protection and traditional health insurance is how payments may be handled. With many health insurance plans, especially abroad, you may be required to pay for care upfront and then file for reimbursement later. This can be financially stressful, especially if the costs are high.

With a travel protection plan from Generali Global Assistance, we may be able to work with providers on your behalf to arrange direct billing, meaning you may not have to pay out of pocket for covered medical costs. This can be a huge relief in an emergency, allowing you to focus on getting better.

Learn more: How travel insurance works with universal healthcare

Emergency Medical Evacuation: A Critical Gap

Even if your health insurance covers treatment abroad, it likely doesn’t include emergency medical evacuation. If you’re injured in a remote area or need specialized care not available locally, evacuation can cost tens of thousands of dollars—or more.

Generali Global Assistance’s Premium Plan includes Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage up to $1,000,000 per person. This benefit may help cover the cost of transporting you to the nearest appropriate medical facility or even back home, depending on the situation.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection

Health insurance won’t help if you need to cancel or cut short your trip due to unforeseen events. Travel insurance with assistance services can.

Our plans include Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption coverage for more than 20 covered reasons, including illness, injury, and natural disasters., This may help reimburse you for nonrefundable trip costs, giving you peace of mind before and during your travels.

Baggage and Personal Item Coverage

Lost, stolen, or damaged baggage is another area where health insurance offers no help. Travel insurance with assistance services can step in here too. Our plans include Baggage coverage that may help reimburse you for lost or stolen items and help you replace essential belongings during your trip.

Read more about Baggage coverage

24/7 Travel Assistance: A Trusted Partner

One of the most important features of travel protection is access to 24/7 Travel Assistance services. Our assistance team can help you find medical providers, arrange transportation, replace lost passports, and even provide legal referrals. This level of support is rarely available through traditional health insurance plans.

As part of one of the world’s largest insurance and assistance networks, we have access to 500,000+ assistance providers and the world’s largest proprietary integrated medical network.

Whether you’re dealing with a medical emergency or just need help navigating a foreign healthcare system, having a dedicated team available around the clock can make all the difference. It’s like having a personal travel concierge and emergency response team rolled into one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does U.S. Health Insurance Cover International Travel?

Many travelers assume they can use their regular U.S. health insurance for foreign travel. In reality, coverage varies greatly between plans. Some employer-sponsored plans may provide limited emergency coverage during international trips, but many don't offer global health insurance coverage. Even when a U.S. health plan includes international benefits, it often excludes non-emergency care, ongoing treatment or medical evacuation. Purchasing dedicated health insurance for overseas travel helps provide you with essential medical protection and the peace of mind to fully enjoy your trip.

Does Global Health Insurance Cost More?

Travel protection with Medical and Dental coverage generally costs more if you choose additional or extended coverage. Generali Global Assistance’s plans offer Medical and Dental coverage for abroad within the Standard plan, helping reimburse you for expenses incurred during your trip, whether you travel domestically or internationally. Optional upgrades, such as higher coverage limits or pre-existing condition waivers, may increase the premium. However, the peace of mind offered by Travel protection with medical coverage often outweighs the additional cost.

What May International Health Insurance Cover?

Health insurance overseas helps protect you from the financial impact of unexpected medical expenses and helps provide access to care during your trip. Medical and Dental coverage for abroad may cover a range of health-related situations that could arise while you travel. Generali Global Assistance travel insurance and assistance service plansare designed to help protect travelers with benefits and services that may include:

Emergency medical treatment for illness or injury
Costs related to hospitalization and surgery
Reimbursement for prescription medications
Emergency dental care
Emergency Assistance and Transportation
24/7 Multilingual Assistance services

Coverage applies only if all conditions of your plan are met. Restrictions and exclusions may apply.

How Does International Health Insurance Work?

Travel protection with Medical and Dental coverage lets you focus on recovery. With our travel insurance and assistance service plans, using Generali Global Assistance's Medical and Dental coverage is straightforward.

If you need medical care while traveling, contact our 24/7 emergency assistance team immediately. We can help coordinate care, locate appropriate facilities and arrange transportation. Depending on your situation, we may pay providers directly or reimburse you after you submit claims. We can also help guide you through the process, designed to get you the care and support you need.

Choose Generali Global Assistance for health insurance for foreign travel to get support and enjoy resources worldwide. Travel with confidence, knowing we're here to help when unexpected medical situations sideline your plans. Contact us today or get a quote to create your ideal plan for health insurance overseas.

Why You Need Both

Health insurance and travel insurance with assistance services serve different purposes. Health insurance may cover some medical costs, but travel insurance with assistance services adds critical benefits like dental coverage, emergency evacuation, trip protection, and 24/7 assistance. It may also help reduce the financial burden of upfront payments and means you don’t have to navigate emergencies alone.

Before your next trip, check your health insurance plan for international coverage limits—and then get a travel protection quote to help fill in the gaps.

Get a fast and free quote today and travel with confidence.