Traveling Abroad : Will you still be covered?

There are so many existing insurance companies nowadays and more accidents that happen every minute. We cannot predict what happens to us, when and where it will happen, especially nowadays that people are always travelling and are always in the move. But what if one suddenly gets into an accident somewhere in Jakarta, Indonesia, Brunei or Singapore and your insurance company is in the states? Will you still be covered? Or will you just be left rotten inside a strange hospital with strange people around you and mountain of bills to pay?

Is your version of emergency the same as with your insurance company?

The definition of emergency may be vague to some insurance companies even if you are already brought in the hospital by an ambulance and has been rushed in the emergency room. Generally, when you are with a major health care provider like Axis Capital which has a group of insurance company around the world, you are most likely to be covered even outside the state as long as you are seeking care at the nearest hospital. That is why it is important for people to ask their insurance provider what their benefits are outside of the state. Pre-authorization and out-of-the-pocket fees are also to be considered as well as if there are available network providers around the area.

If an average person already believes that the situation is putting a life in danger, then it already is an emergency. Things like trouble in breathing, chest pains, heart palpitations and broken bones should already be reported.

What to do before Traveling

No matter who your insurance provider is, knowing the state-to-state regulations of your individual plan is pertinent when it comes to seeking reimbursement for health care in emergency situations. And simply calling your insurance company to ask these questions before you start your travels can save you a lot of hassle down the line and filing a lot of complaints in the end:

Ask if there are in-house physicians and hospitals at your destination.
Make sure that you are in the same page on the definition of “emergency”
Be informed on the extent of the coverage when you are traveling. Know what the out-of-the-pocket fees
are determine if there are still forms you need to fill up before traveling to insure your coverage.

Once you know if your company can cover your emergency or not, you can now plan for the best course of action. You can also purchase temporary traveling insurance to be sure. Whatever that is, you should always inform and confirm your travels with your insurance company first. You should have gotten legit insurance companies in the first place with branches all over the world to avoid the hassle and prevent being tied up with scams or frauds.