Why You Need Travel Insurance – From a Nurse’s Perspective

I’m a nurse, I love to travel, and I used to go back and forth on whether I would purchase travel insurance before international trips.  It wasn’t until a few travel faux pas and taking off on a one-year trip around the world that I decided travel insurance was worth the investment.  Moving forward, I will never travel internationally without travel insurance again – and you shouldn’t either!

In this post I will cover why I believe every traveler needs travel insurance and dive deeper into the insurance that I personally use.

 

Please note:  This post is intended for a US-based audience, and such will provide details for US-citizens traveling internationally.

 

Why Should You Buy Travel Insurance?

Simply put, you should buy travel insurance in case anything was to go wrong during your travels.  Travel insurance generally covers both travel interruptions as well as any medical issues that may arise.  As a nurse, I know that random accidents can happen at any time and the last thing that you want is for you or a loved one to be in debt or unable to access treatment due to lack of coverage.  Of course, best case scenario is that you pay for insurance, and you never use it – which might feel like a waste of money, but think about how much money you would save if anything were to happen.

 

ALREADY CONVINCED?  PURCHASE YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE HERE!

 

When Should You Buy Travel Insurance?

You should purchase travel insurance anytime you travel internationally.  Again, the idea is that if you are in a foreign country and need medical care, OR you have trip interruptions (flight cancelation, etc.), your insurance can reimburse you (there are stipulations to this that will be covered later in this post.)

To further simplify this – as an American, you don’t need travel insurance domestically because your medical insurance should cover you to some degree throughout the United States.  And although travel insurance will still help for trip interruptions domestically, I don’t personally purchase insurance while traveling domestically because airlines are (supposed to be) responsible to get you from one place to the next and reimburse you for trip interruptions.

 

What Travel Insurance Should I Buy?

All travel insurance companies are not created equally, so it’s very important to do your research before purchasing.  Currently, what I personally use and recommend is SafetyWing.  Below I will get into the nuances of why I personally like SafetyWing and explain in detail what you can expect when you use SafetyWing for travel insurance.

 

Why I Like & Recommend SafetyWing

 

In short, I like SafetyWing because it’s affordable and covers everything I want/need it to cover.  You can purchase insurance before you leave for a trip (you will input dates of your trip so that you’re not charged before departure) or at any point during your trip.  SafetyWing offers global coverage in 180+ countries so there is a great chance that wherever you travel – SafetyWing applies to the country.  I also appreciate that you can get 24/7 human support and filing a claim is simple.

 

READY TO BOOK?  PURCHASE INSURANCE HERE!

 

What Does SafetyWing Cover?

When you purchase their “nomad insurance“, you can expect coverage for…

• Medical treatment
• Evacuation to a better hospital (if needed)
• Lost checked luggage
• Insurance from leisure sports/activities (see full list of approved/non-approved activities here)
• Motor accidents
• Flights home (if something bad happens)
• Meals & accommodations for > 12-hour travel delay
• Medical coverage for visits home (only applicable if insured by SafetyWing for > 90 abroad and covers 15 days at home for US citizens; applies for incidentals not pre-planned or scheduled visits)
• Body transportation in case of death
• High-risk or professional sport activities (this add-on costs an extra $10/month)
• Lost or stolen electronics (this add-on costs an extra $10/month and you must be able to show proof of purchase; only covers $1,000/stolen item up to $3,000/year; only applies to policies > 28 days)

If you want to read a full description of coverage, check out this post.

 

Pst… SafetyWing has updated its policy to Nomad Insurance 2.0, read about it here…

• 9 Most Important Things to Know About Travel Medical Insurance

 

What Doesn’t SafetyWing Cover?

SafetyWing does not cover…

• Pre-existing conditions
• Cancer treatment
• Trips that were cancelled before departure

 

 

 

FAQ – Ask a Nurse!

Here are some frequently asked questions from people inquiring about travel insurance and as a nurse, here is my opinion!

 

HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE OVER THE COUNTER (OTC) & PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS WHEN ABROAD?

For OTC medication I bring enough to get me started on my trip knowing that I might have to purchase more while traveling.  Most OTC medications can be found around the world and are also classified as OTC (meaning you don’t need a prescription.)  These are medications like allergy meds, Advil, vitamins, etc.

For my prescription medications, I make sure to bring enough with me to last the duration of my trip.  For example, I just took a one-year trip around the world and being on Lexapro (an SSRI) I knew I needed enough medication to last me for a year.  How I handled this was by calling my doctor (well before leaving) and explaining the situation.  Unfortunately, he was only able to prescribe 6-months worth of medication at a time so I took 6-months’ with me and when my brother came to visit me in Malaysia, he brought another 6-months’ worth of medication.  I did have to clear this with my US insurance (which turned out to be a pain), so I recommend doing this at least a month before you leave.

If you get sick when you’re abroad and need prescription medication, SafetyWing covers 100% of your inpatient prescriptions and 100% of any pre/post operative medications for up to 15 days before or after inpatient treatment.

 

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT VACCINATIONS YOU NEED WHEN TRAVELING?

Before I visit a foreign country, I always check the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) website and look up the specific country I’m traveling to for vaccine recommendations.  In the case of a longer trip where I’m visiting multiple countries or maybe don’t know exactly what countries I’ll be traveling to, I make sure to make an appointment with an infectious disease doctor before leaving.

 

HOW DO YOU ACCESS CARE & NAVIGATE MEDICAL NEEDS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY?

I don’t know if it’s my background in nursing and healthcare knowledge, but accessing medical care in a foreign country has proved to be easier than I imagined.  Sure, there are hoops you have to jump through and sometimes waiting for hours can be exhausting – but overall, I’ve had no dire experiences when navigating healthcare systems in foreign countries.  (I will point out that my boyfriend has no medical knowledge and when he got sick in the Philippines he was a little bit more confused on medical directions from the doctor.  When in doubt – always ask for clarification.)

I think that the main things to keep in mind are – if you need emergency help always call an ambulance, you don’t want anything bad to happen while you’re trying to figure out a medical system.  And second, be familiar with your insurance policy so you know what is covered and how to file a claim.  Again, SafetyWing makes this process very easy and straightforward!  Remember – healthcare in the US is crazy expensive – especially without insurance.  But healthcare abroad is generally more affordable and when you have insurance on top of that, I urge you not to be consumed with cost.  Think about your health first and figure the rest out from there.

Lastly, if you’re in a remote area where English speaking isn’t common and you have a medical emergency – I highly suggest bringing a translator (your tour guide, a local that you offer to pay, etc.) with you or at least having your phone (with cell service) to help translate.

 

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET SICK ABROAD?

When you get sick abroad you really need to consider if it’s a sickness that will get better after a few days with some rest and hydration; or is this something that you’re going to need to see the doctor for.  What I am always the most worried about is dehydration so if I get sick (vomiting or diarrhea) I try incredibly hard to stay hydrated with water and electrolytes (Gatorade, etc.)  If I don’t get better within a couple of days, then I consider what my next steps would be – seeing the doctor at a clinic or having a doctor come to my hotel room.

You know your body best so if you become sick and think it might be an emergency – it’s always better to go in versus not.  If you have travel medical insurance cost becomes less of a factor and gives you more peace of mind.

 

HOW DO YOU PREVENT SICKNESS WHEN TRAVELING?

The truth of the matter is that you can’t prevent sickness 100% of the time while traveling.  Things that will help your immune system and help you not get as sick or sick as often include getting enough sleep, washing your hands, eating healthy foods, moving your body, etc.  There isn’t one thing that I can say or recommend to “prevent” sickness when traveling.

 

WHAT ARE THE COSTS FOR MEDICAL NEEDS LIKE WHEN YOU TRAVEL?

Every country is different, and I’ve been lucky to not have had any crazy medical events while traveling, but I can share two different real-life examples from my own experience…

• Country:  France
  • Doctors visit, prescription medication, blood work, urinalysis
    • Cost:  $50 (without insurance)
• Country:  Philippines
  • Doctors visit, prescription medication
    • Cost:  $30 (without insurance)

 

WHAT DOES TRAVEL INSURANCE COVER?

Every travel insurance company is different and coverage varies, but with SafetyWing most medical necessities – within reason are covered and a variety of travel related incidences.  I listed all of these above but for a more comprehensive guide, check out this post.

 

WHO IS TRAVEL INSURANCE BEST FOR?

In my opinion, travel insurance is best for anyone traveling internationally.  It doesn’t matter how long your trip is – just that you’re away from your home country.

 

WHEN SHOULD YOU BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE?

I recommend purchasing travel insurance when you have your trip planned.  However, with SafetyWing you can also purchase insurance while traveling.  If you use SafetyWing and you do purchase before you leave for your trip, you can input your dates of travel and you won’t be charged for days that you aren’t traveling (i.e. if you sign up for insurance on July 1 but you don’t leave for your trip until July 15.)

 

While SafetyWing isn’t perfect (I would appreciate a bit more coverage for stolen electronics and insurance for any trip that was canceled whether or not I had left for the trip yet), I truly believe that it’s the best choice for myself and others when traveling.  If you have any questions about SafetyWing or travel insurance in general, please let me know in a comment below!

 

GET COVERAGE FOR YOUR TRAVELS – PURCHASE INSURANCE WITH SAFETYWING HERE!

 

If you liked this post, you might also like this post…

• 8 Mistakes I’ve Made While Traveling Solo

 

A huge thank you to SafetyWing for sponsoring this post.  As always, all views and opinions are my own.

 

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