My new HR person just recommended my family get travel insurance for the start of term because the insurance at work won't kick in until our visas are ready and she sees that as taking up to 10 weeks..I'm a US citizen and just initial research is even denying me a quote if I am a US citizen. I even ticked the box saying it's for overseas....
Can anyone recommend a company they've used in this situation before?
Temporary Travel Insurance
Response
There is none, because travel insurance will not do what you want it too. Travel insurance is not about providing you short term comprehensive health care in between your arrival and when your IS insurance becomes active, its not "gap" insurance. Travel Insurance provides for emergency major injury/hospitalization while traveling that is intended to stabilize you and then medically evacuate back "home". Its not going to pay for or provide you for a doctors visit because you get the flu and need some antibiotics. Its not going to pay for or provide for casual doctors visits, prescriptions, minor procedures.
Where are you going?
Its important because depending where you go what happens, if such an injury or catastrophe happens the insurance might do nothing, and youre left to die or suffer. In some regions (mostly Asia), having a card or policy isnt coin, youre expected to pay for your treatment in coin at the time or before services are rendered, doesnt matter if your bleeding to death, cant breath, have a heart attack, etc. If you cant pay, they haul you out into the street. Your policy documents, coverage card, is worth little more than the paper its printed on.
What you want to do is take where youre going, find the local international/western clinic, foreign medical center (start with the embassy/consulate in the region, and what their referral call list is), contact them by email to find out which insurance and coverage providers they work with on a direct bill, contingency basis is, and then contact those providers for a quote and summary of plan benefits.
It does not matter what any member of the forum readership recommends if the policy and benefits arent usable where you are going.
If youre looking for some basic travel/trip/emergency medical (reimbursement) and some medical evacuation benefits, you might want to look at STA Travels Explorers travel insurance. There are other providers that offer similar coverage and benefits also at about similar costs.
Where are you going?
Its important because depending where you go what happens, if such an injury or catastrophe happens the insurance might do nothing, and youre left to die or suffer. In some regions (mostly Asia), having a card or policy isnt coin, youre expected to pay for your treatment in coin at the time or before services are rendered, doesnt matter if your bleeding to death, cant breath, have a heart attack, etc. If you cant pay, they haul you out into the street. Your policy documents, coverage card, is worth little more than the paper its printed on.
What you want to do is take where youre going, find the local international/western clinic, foreign medical center (start with the embassy/consulate in the region, and what their referral call list is), contact them by email to find out which insurance and coverage providers they work with on a direct bill, contingency basis is, and then contact those providers for a quote and summary of plan benefits.
It does not matter what any member of the forum readership recommends if the policy and benefits arent usable where you are going.
If youre looking for some basic travel/trip/emergency medical (reimbursement) and some medical evacuation benefits, you might want to look at STA Travels Explorers travel insurance. There are other providers that offer similar coverage and benefits also at about similar costs.
Re: Temporary Travel Insurance
Wrong on many fronts. I did use travel insurance to get prescriptions for flu and minor surgeries. Didn't pay a dime. Just make sure you purchase the right one that is widely accepted. Check online or even email local hospitals in advance what they generally accept.
Re: Temporary Travel Insurance
I purchased one online right before my trip and last time when i checked the document, it said 'Travel Insurance' and it cost me $80. The the only reason I did that was my current school-based insurance wasn't accepted elsewhere.
Reply
@fine dude
Take a piece of paper and write "Travel Insurance" at the top of it, there is no difference.
Its not absolute but my position to the LW is that what is typically sold as travel insurance is not what the LW wants the insurance to accomplish.
Take a piece of paper and write "Travel Insurance" at the top of it, there is no difference.
Its not absolute but my position to the LW is that what is typically sold as travel insurance is not what the LW wants the insurance to accomplish.
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1188
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: Temporary Travel Insurance
Of course it would. It would cover the OP until their local insurance kicks in. Why wouldn't it? Travel insurance is a broad category. Just be sure to purchase an option that will cover not only catastrophic care, but things like prescription meds and such. There are tons of options out there. It will require some research.
I like the idea of emailing local hospitals. Phone calls to consulates might also help. Our town had a travel clinic that specialised in things like vaccinations and medications based on destinations. That might be a good resource to contact. You could also look into what exchange students and such might use when visiting the country in question. Even your current health insurance provider might have some insight, though of course I would not rely solely on their advice.
Sorry I can't be of further help!
I like the idea of emailing local hospitals. Phone calls to consulates might also help. Our town had a travel clinic that specialised in things like vaccinations and medications based on destinations. That might be a good resource to contact. You could also look into what exchange students and such might use when visiting the country in question. Even your current health insurance provider might have some insight, though of course I would not rely solely on their advice.
Sorry I can't be of further help!
Reply
@Thames Pirate
No it wouldnt, because as i wrote Travel Insurance isnt about treating your minor ills and injuries. Its about 1) Stabilizing you after a major or catastrophic incident and 2) Medically evacuating you home. It is not designed nor intended to provide long term or complex treatment/care in the region your traveling and then after weeks/months back to your travels. You arent going to break your hip with travel insurance and the insurance pay for your hospital treatment, surgery, recovery in the foreign country, etc. Its going to pay to stabilize you to the point they can fly you back to your HOR.
There really arent that many options, there actually very small. The options that are what most ITs imagine are of the "travel scenario" I described above, something horrible happens they get you home. The other options are organizational/corporate plans that are provided for employers and organizations. They arent available to the general public. While there are providers such as "Travelers" Travel guard plans that are available, their premiums are very, very high.
Further complicating the problem is where you are going. As I wrote above, the LW would need to first identify the locations they would receive treatment in their location, contact those medical providers and find out what insurance they will accept and directly bill.
@twoteachers
When you contact that medical center in the area youre going to. I would research what their costs of services are, outside the US the cost for minor services like an office visit and prescription and in office labs might be shockingly cheap compared to what youd pay in the US, so much so that what you really need is actually travel insurance that covers the catastrophic or major injury and evacuation. If you pay $80 for such a comprehensive plan for each of you, but you find out that you can see a doctor for $15 and get a prescription, over the course of 10 weeks, it might be cheaper just paying out of pocket, even if everyone in your family needed to visit a doctor once at those costs youd still spend less out of pocket than you do in premiums.
You should also explore what treatment options are in your location. In a number of regions for example a pharmacist can give you a consultation and sell you antibiotics and other such medications that are normally by prescription only in the west. Usually you only need prescriptions for things like opiate and narcotic pain medications and other such medications. Generally, such regions are concerned with controlling drugs that have a recreational or potential for abuse, they really dont care very much about abusing antibiotics or other such medications.
What you really want to protect against is: 1) Youre in an automobile accident and injured really bad. Broken bones, bleeding, organ damage, etc. This is where the travel insurance and medical evacuation comes in. 2) Typical traveler illness/injury that mostly revolve around A) Environmental maladies (heat, pollution). B) Common communicable infections like athletes foot, and respiratory infections (colds). C) Gastrointestinal illness, mainly mild food poisoning and stomach flu (nor-viruses).
No it wouldnt, because as i wrote Travel Insurance isnt about treating your minor ills and injuries. Its about 1) Stabilizing you after a major or catastrophic incident and 2) Medically evacuating you home. It is not designed nor intended to provide long term or complex treatment/care in the region your traveling and then after weeks/months back to your travels. You arent going to break your hip with travel insurance and the insurance pay for your hospital treatment, surgery, recovery in the foreign country, etc. Its going to pay to stabilize you to the point they can fly you back to your HOR.
There really arent that many options, there actually very small. The options that are what most ITs imagine are of the "travel scenario" I described above, something horrible happens they get you home. The other options are organizational/corporate plans that are provided for employers and organizations. They arent available to the general public. While there are providers such as "Travelers" Travel guard plans that are available, their premiums are very, very high.
Further complicating the problem is where you are going. As I wrote above, the LW would need to first identify the locations they would receive treatment in their location, contact those medical providers and find out what insurance they will accept and directly bill.
@twoteachers
When you contact that medical center in the area youre going to. I would research what their costs of services are, outside the US the cost for minor services like an office visit and prescription and in office labs might be shockingly cheap compared to what youd pay in the US, so much so that what you really need is actually travel insurance that covers the catastrophic or major injury and evacuation. If you pay $80 for such a comprehensive plan for each of you, but you find out that you can see a doctor for $15 and get a prescription, over the course of 10 weeks, it might be cheaper just paying out of pocket, even if everyone in your family needed to visit a doctor once at those costs youd still spend less out of pocket than you do in premiums.
You should also explore what treatment options are in your location. In a number of regions for example a pharmacist can give you a consultation and sell you antibiotics and other such medications that are normally by prescription only in the west. Usually you only need prescriptions for things like opiate and narcotic pain medications and other such medications. Generally, such regions are concerned with controlling drugs that have a recreational or potential for abuse, they really dont care very much about abusing antibiotics or other such medications.
What you really want to protect against is: 1) Youre in an automobile accident and injured really bad. Broken bones, bleeding, organ damage, etc. This is where the travel insurance and medical evacuation comes in. 2) Typical traveler illness/injury that mostly revolve around A) Environmental maladies (heat, pollution). B) Common communicable infections like athletes foot, and respiratory infections (colds). C) Gastrointestinal illness, mainly mild food poisoning and stomach flu (nor-viruses).
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twoteachers
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 9:15 pm
Re: Temporary Travel Insurance
Thanks all!! We're going to UAE...
Both my son and I are on regular meds and would be better off getting some kind of plan...I'll start with the hospital and the embassy....
Both my son and I are on regular meds and would be better off getting some kind of plan...I'll start with the hospital and the embassy....
Reply
@twoteachers
Id strongly consider just bringing enough medication for the 10 weeks, which is nothing more than a 90 day supply. Bring your prescription with you, you will find that the cost of drugs are cheap enough you can probably fill them out of pocket for less than the premiums. Assuming you even find one. Most expat/gap insurance plans have minimum waiting times before you can activate prescription benefits
Id strongly consider just bringing enough medication for the 10 weeks, which is nothing more than a 90 day supply. Bring your prescription with you, you will find that the cost of drugs are cheap enough you can probably fill them out of pocket for less than the premiums. Assuming you even find one. Most expat/gap insurance plans have minimum waiting times before you can activate prescription benefits
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twoteachers
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 9:15 pm
Re: Temporary Travel Insurance
Oy!!! My son's is not easily attainable in bulk since it's for ADHD....I'll do some begging from his doctor here before I leave I guess...
Reply
@twoteachers
If you can get the prescription for a 90 day supply (or longer) you can have it filled through a number of mail order pharmacies (we're talking places like Wallgreens, etc..) as they have stock to fill almost any size prescription.
If you can get the prescription for a 90 day supply (or longer) you can have it filled through a number of mail order pharmacies (we're talking places like Wallgreens, etc..) as they have stock to fill almost any size prescription.
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twoteachers
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 9:15 pm
Re: Temporary Travel Insurance
Even when I was in the US I could only refill it 30 days at a time...very strict protocols....my doctor here will help me out I think though...
Reply
@twoteachers
I would verify that, what you may be referring to is that your insurance will only pay for s 30 day supply. If you can pay coin, and have a 90 day prescription you can get your medication, even large quantities of very high level narcotic/opiate medications are available if you can pay coin. If it does turn out to be an insurance issue ask your doctor to increase the daily number of doses so that you can get more in a 30 day supply.
Aside from that Id look into how much your prescription would cost in coin at your new location, even high end name brand, new . have extremely affordable coin rates once you leave the US.
I would verify that, what you may be referring to is that your insurance will only pay for s 30 day supply. If you can pay coin, and have a 90 day prescription you can get your medication, even large quantities of very high level narcotic/opiate medications are available if you can pay coin. If it does turn out to be an insurance issue ask your doctor to increase the daily number of doses so that you can get more in a 30 day supply.
Aside from that Id look into how much your prescription would cost in coin at your new location, even high end name brand, new . have extremely affordable coin rates once you leave the US.
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1188
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: Temporary Travel Insurance
If money is not an issue why ot just pay for the travel insurance? Gets you the meds and the coverage.