Among the highlights: Evans’ advice to double-check with your U.S. health insurance provider before traveling, to find out whether or not they will fully cover your treatment and possible evacuation if you become ill or injured abroad; the reminder that travel medical insurance comes not only with financial benefits, but also with real-time assistance to help you locate and access appropriate treatment away from home; and this bit of information gleaned from InsureMyTrip’s Ratings and Reviews page.

“…Travelers gush about how travel medical insurance gave them ‘peace of mind.’ In the first 100 of 1,466 responses, not a single person related a negative story involving an injury or a claim. Nor did anyone complain about wasting money for an unused service.”

The full text of “How to Prepare for Sickness on Foreign Trips” can be found on Philly.com.

On the comments page of InsureMyTrip.com, a travel insurance aggregator, travelers gush about how travel medical insurance gave them “peace of mind”; “fortunate” and “felt very comfortable” were also popular words. In the first 100 of 1,466 responses, not a single person related a negative story involving an injury or a claim. Nor did anyone complain about wasting money for an unused service.

One reason travelers may feel so secure, the article points out, is that those who travel without insurance may need to pay out of pocket for any unexpected medical costs, while those who travel with insurance can file a claim with their travel insurance company to have those costs reimbursed.  When the medical emergency is severe, requiring specialized services such as evacuation, the difference travel insurance makes could be measured in the tens of thousands of dollars.  However, as InsureMyTrip’s Executive Vice President, Peter Evans, points out in the Post article, travelers looking to purchase a medical plan for their trip should always check with their primary health insurance carrier first.  Some U.S.-based health insurers will cover medical expenses abroad, in part or in full, so it’s smart to have an understanding of your provider’s policies before buying additional coverage.

The complete story can be accessed on the Washington Post website.