Why You Might Need to Buy Medical Coverage Before You Travel

Key Takeaways

• Travel medical insurance helps cover emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, doctor visits, emergency dental care, evacuation, and repatriation when you get sick or injured during a covered trip.
• Medicare and Medicaid do not typically provide coverage outside the U.S., and many primary health insurance plans have out-of-network or state-to-state limitations that may leave travelers unprotected.
• Medical evacuations by air ambulance can cost $50,000-$100,000, making emergency evacuation coverage particularly valuable for cruises and remote destinations.
• Pre-existing medical conditions may be covered if you purchase the Premium Plan prior to or within 24 hours of final trip payment and meet eligibility requirements.

Travel medical insurance helps pay for emergency medical care if you get sick or injured during a trip. If you’re wondering whether your regular health plan is enough, medical trip insurance is one of the clearest reasons to add travel protection before you leave home.

What Is Travel Medical Insurance — and How Is It Different from Trip Cancellation?

The U.S. Department of State notes that travel medical insurance, sometimes called travel health insurance, helps cover the cost of medical care abroad, while travel insurance with assistance services may help protect a trip’s financial investment. Our plans aren’t sold as standalone medical-only policies. Our Standard, Preferred, and Premium travel protection plans include Medical and Dental Coverage, Emergency Assistance services, Trip Cancellation, and other benefits as part of broader travel protection. You can also learn more about what travel protection covers and how travel protection covers flu and other illness. Whether you’re traveling domestically or internationally, these plans are designed to help protect you with well-rounded options.

What Does Travel Medical Insurance Actually Cover — and What Does It Cost?

If you’re wondering what travel medical protection may cover, the answer usually includes emergency medical treatment such as hospital stays, doctor visits, labs, and testing, as well as emergency dental care, evacuation, and repatriation. Our  travel protection plans include Medical and Dental Coverage and Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage, alongside  other non-medical benefits.

Price may vary based on factors such as your age, destination, trip length, trip cost, and the amount of coverage you choose. For plan-specific details, review our plan offerings.

When Do You Need Travel Medical Coverage?

Depending on where you're traveling and the coverage provided by your primary health insurance, it may be beneficial to consider a travel protection plan that includes medical benefits. Here are some common situations in which you may need medical or emergency medical coverage:

• You’re traveling internationally
• Your primary insurance has out-of-network limitations
• You’re visiting a remote destination or taking a cruise

What to Know If You're Traveling Internationally

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of State include getting insured on their pre-departure checklists for international travelers. Your primary medical insurance may not cover treatment outside the U.S., and while you likely don’t expect to need care, it’s still wise to consider the risk of leaving home without added coverage. If you’re comparing options for international travel medical insurance, you may also want to explore international travel insurance with assistance services.

Medicare and Medicaid do not typically provide coverage outside the U.S.

Some countries and travel operators even require a minimum amount of medical coverage before they issue a visa or let you board.

When Your Primary Insurance Has Out-of-Network Limits

Many primary insurers provide out-of-network emergency care, but some might not, and others might not provide coverage for hospitalization. In addition, many plans have geographic or network restrictions that may affect coverage when traveling outside your state of residence. If you're planning to travel and are unsure about the extent of your primary coverage, you may want to consider a travel protection plan that includes medical. You can also learn more about travel protection for travel within the U.S.

Why Remote Destinations and Cruises Carry Higher Medical Risk

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical evacuations by air ambulance can cost $50,000-$100,000. If you’re planning to be out at sea or traveling to a remote location that would require evacuation via helicopter in the event of a medical emergency, you may want to make sure your travel protection plan includes emergency medical evacuation services and repatriation. Our plans also include 24-hour Emergency Assistance Services that can help coordinate support if you become seriously ill or injured during your trip. You can also learn more about travel protection that may cover Medical Evacuation and Repatriation and about travel protection for a cruise.

For less severe ailments, our plans include Telemedicine, a service that may connect you with a network of physicians for information, advice, and treatment, including prescriptions when appropriate (services may not be available in all states, and international services may be limited). If you’re still deciding whether added coverage makes sense for your trip, see Do You Really Need Travel Protection?

Primary vs. Secondary Coverage: Why It Matters When You Have a Claim

Primary coverage generally pays eligible benefits without requiring you to first submit a claim to your primary health insurance.  Secondary coverage typically requires you to submit a claim to your primary health insurance first, after which you may be able to seek reimbursement for eligible remaining expenses. Because claim handling may differ by plan, review the plan descriptions carefully before you buy.

For example, if you need emergency care while traveling, primary coverage may let you start with the travel medical claim first. With secondary coverage, you may need to file with your regular insurer before you submit eligible expenses under your travel protection plan.

Pre-Existing Condition Coverage: What Travelers Need to Know

 Unlike many travel insurance products, our Premium Plan may provide coverage for pre-existing medical conditions if you purchase the plan before or within 24 hours of making your final trip payment and meet all applicable eligibility requirements, including: 

• Purchasing the Premium plan prior to or within 24 hours of final payment.

• Being medically able to travel when you purchase your plan.

• Insuring all of your prepaid trip costs that are subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions.

Please refer to the Plan documents for complete eligibility requirements. Learn more about why Dbuying travel protection early matters. See your state-specific Plan Documents for full terms and conditions. For more detail, review Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Travel Protection —5 Things Most People Get Wrong.

Depending upon your needs, you may find value in our Medical and Dental Coverage, Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage, and 24/7 Emergency Assistance Services included in our travel protection plan offerings. In combination with Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, and other valuable coverages, our plans are designed to help protect you against costs tied to eligible hospital stays, doctor visits, labs, and testing, as well as evacuation and repatriation while you’re away from home. If you’re traveling abroad, cruising, or concerned about network gaps at home, get a travel protection quote and compare plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my regular health insurance cover me when I travel internationally?

Your regular health insurance may not cover treatment outside the U.S. Medicare and Medicaid do not typically provide coverage outside the U.S., so it’s important to check your plan before you leave.

What is the difference between travel medical insurance and travel insurance?

Travel medical insurance, or travel health insurance, focuses on medical care such as emergency treatment, hospitalization, evacuation, and repatriation. Travel insurance usually also includes non-medical benefits such as trip cancellation and trip interruption. Our plans include medical benefits within broader travel protection rather than as a standalone medical-only policy.

How much does travel medical insurance cost?

It may depend on your age, destination, trip length, trip cost, and coverage level. Comparing plan options may help you find the level of medical coverage that fits your trip.

Can I get coverage for a pre-existing medical condition?

You may have coverage for a pre-existing medical condition if you purchase our Premium Plan prior to or within 24 hours of final payment and meet the additional eligibility requirements. Review Plan Documents carefully for full terms and conditions.