Health & Airline Travel Insurance
When a traveler books a vacation, she takes a risk. Without knowing the ins and outs of the health system in a foreign country or the safety of an aircraft, she puts her well-being in danger. Taking a flight, a traveler may suffer a minor or major injury from which he had no way to protect himself.
Health and airline travel insurance functions seek to calm travelers with a general peace-of-mind effect and actual financial coverage should a medical or airline accident occur during a vacation. Each insurance company’s policies vary.
Comparing rates and coverage plans helps a traveler choose the one that matches her needs.
Travel Health Insurance Basics
In general, travel health insurance plans include financial coverage for unforeseen illness, accidents and emergency medical evacuation costs that occur during a trip.
Types
International travel health insurance plans, sometimes called international medical insurance, often cover medical expenses incurred when traveling, living or living temporarily in a foreign country.
Aviation Insurance Category
According to Bloomberg Business, airline insurance falls under the larger insurance category called “aviation insurance.”
Aviation insurance includes airport liability coverage—if an airline went on strike, for example—plus FBO (Fixed Based Operators) insurance for airline personnel responsible for a plane’s fueling, storage and maintenance.
Airline Insurance Basics
Airline insurance, as of 2010, generally offer airline passengers “Accidental Death and Dismemberment” coverage plans.
The policy insures a passenger on, or while boarding or departing from a certified passenger aircraft; it does not include private planes or jets. The flight must be provided by a regularly scheduled airline operated by a properly certified pilot.
Airline Medical Coverage
Some coverage plans, like Travel Guard’s “flight guard” plan insures passengers up to $300,000 USD.
This guarantees the covered traveler that, should a catastrophic event take place on or just off an airplane, he will receive medical coverage for the loss of any limbs or other body parts. Some airline plans handle expenses for loss of life within one year of the accident.
Options
Coverage expenses, extra fees and services differ for each policy. Travelers interested in purchasing airline or travel insurance should shop around to compare plans and fees.
InsureMyTrip, SquareMouth, SmarterTravel, World Travel Center and QuoteWright are a few resources.
Considerations
As of 2010, in the U.S., states regulate insurance policies. Certain coverage plans are not available in certain states, like New York, which maintains strict insurance laws.
A traveler planning to purchase insurance should check her state government’s website or ensure with the insurance company representative that her state of residence makes her eligible for coverage.
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