This article describes some known myths and misconceptions about travel health insurance that commonly exist and which we hear quite often. Understanding why these misconceptions are incorrect can help you make a more informed decision regarding whether or not travel health insurance is right for you or your family.
Here is an interesting oneâ¦
1. Visitor is Healthy, So There is No Need for Travel Health Insurance
About 6 months ago, VisitorsCoverage received a call from a local customer who was inquiring about an insurance quote for his visiting parents from India. He said he needed insurance just for his mother, but not for his father.
Out of curiosity, the agent asked â âÂÂwhy not for your father?âÂÂ
This was his exact response â âÂÂMy father is ex-military and is in good physical shape, so I donâÂÂt think I need health insurance for him.âÂÂ
After a few weeks, we got a call from the same person and he sounded nervous, seeking advice and requested if he could get an insurance policy for his father now as his father was admitted to the hospital the previous night due to an internal head injury â he fell from his apartmentâÂÂs second floor stairs. His father was admitted to the hospital and the total bill was around $76,000.
It was too late; no insurance was going to cover this existing problem for him. We still worked with him to negotiate with the hospital to receive a discount and a flexible payment arrangement. However, the cost overall was still significant.
This is not the only incident which we have come across â there are many similar cases to this, however this is a simple example of just how risky such a wrong decision can be.
It is certainly a wrong perception that travel insurance is not needed for people who are physically fit on a given day, or have no health problem so far. Risk can come from anywhere if you are in a country like the USA, where the health care cost is extremely high as it can be financially and emotionally devastating if you get injured or sick.
2. Travel Insurance Companies will Deny All Claims by Saying It Is A Pre-Existing Condition
âVisitor insurance is not worth it since insurance companies deny all claims by categorizing them as pre-existing conditionsâ. Unfortunately, we hear this claim very often. Internet forums are infested with such questions and topics.
Interestingly, many people donâÂÂt say this out of their own experiences, but report that this is something hey have heard from other or read online.
Let us try explaining this âÂÂ
âÂÂVisitor Insurance companies will deny all claims by saying it is a pre-existing condition.âÂÂàâ is not a true statement.
It may be true to say this â âÂÂThe majority of claims that are denied are due to pre-existing conditions.âÂÂ
Most visitorâs health insurance plans do not cover pre-existing conditions. Many buyers are unaware of this fact, especially when they purchase an insurance plan and only look at the policy maximum amount assuming everything is covered. A claim denial for services given for an existing condition comes as a big shock.
So, naturally, a question arises â âÂÂWhy are pre-existing conditions not covered, despite paying a high premium?âÂÂ
Well, this is a topic in itself. In order to get to the root of it; we have to go into the details of this monster known as âÂÂpre-existing conditionsâÂÂ. To learn more about this topic in detail, refer to the FAQs â Travel insurance for pre-existing conditions andàvisitor insurance pre-existing conditions. If you have any additional questions about travel insurance, email us atà[email protected].