Importance of travel insurance

[Sunset]

Their tours are operated locally by local travel arrangements companies. I'm sure those local resources would be brought to bear. RS is a $200M/year nonprofit and we have traveled with them a number of times. I am certain that these scenarios are very familiar to them and that the culture of the company would also bring resources to bear as well.

Also:
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Is emergency assistance and evacuation insurance included with Road Scholar programs?

Yes. Our commitment to your well-being is exemplified in our Road Scholar Assurance Plan. Whether you are on a program in the United States or abroad, every Road Scholar participant automatically receives this plan.
Designed specifically for Road Scholar participants, the plan provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program and insurance for emergency medical evacuation.
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YMMV but I think it is a very reasonable risk to take.

Now that you mention the cost automatically includes 24-hour assistance and insurance for evac, it could be not so risky. Depending upon the small print, and limitations. $20K evac insurance doesn't go far as an example.
However, I don't see coverage for any medical expenses, but maybe you didn't quote that. Something worth checking.

 

[JoeWras]

I don't know about Rhodes Scholar, but I do know other tour companies inform you that if you say "I have Covid," they will ask you not to get on the bus, give you a telephone number for the nearest health agency, and say "goodbye." You are on your own. You better have some sort of support.

It must explain why our entire tour bus had a "head cold" on my 2023 trip.

 

[ABQ2015]

While the medical coverage after age 70 drops to $100,000, the medical evacuation benefit remains at $500,000. That's my reading anyway...

GeoBlue International Travel Insurance

Thank you! Since the GeoBlue information was confusing, I talked to one of their agents who insisted that only single trip policies provided the extra medical evacuation protection for seniors. I just searched again and found more complete information that is consistent with your interpretation and have bookmarked it.

travelinsurancecenter.com/providers/geoblue/trekker-choice/#benefits

 

[OldShooter]

Now that you mention the cost automatically includes 24-hour assistance and insurance for evac, it could be not so risky. Depending upon the small print, and limitations. $20K evac insurance doesn't go far as an example.
However, I don't see coverage for any medical expenses, but maybe you didn't quote that. Something worth checking.

As I said above, my focus is in having good, experienced, logistics support at hand. Our BCBS Advantage health insurance supposedly covers us outside the US, but we have been very lucky in life and if I had to write a $100K check for the medical or so some of the evac piece that would not be a major burden.

 

[Lucie]

CR was once on my bucket list. Most things I've heard of it recently suggest I scratch that one off. YMMV

Keep Costa Rica on your bucket list! It’s an awesome country. Very safe, affordable with good health care. We visit for 2 1/2 months a year and have had nothing but wonderful experiences.

 

[Koolau]

Keep Costa Rica on your bucket list! It’s an awesome country. Very safe, affordable with good health care. We visit for 2 1/2 months a year and have had nothing but wonderful experiences.

Thanks for the info. I'll do some more research.

 

[Echard]

When DH and I married I was 50 and he was 65 with health issues so I started buying it. I later realized that I was the one hiking up mountains, snorkeling in 42-degree water off Alaska and wandering the streets, so maybe I was at risk, too. He died in 2016 and I'm 72 and still doing a lot of the same things so yes, I still buy insurance even though my Medicare Supplement has a $50K lifetime limit I haven't touched. I usually buy it through the tour company I use since I figure it will be easier to co-ordinate with them.

I use an annual subscription to MedJetAssist for evacuation coverage. They pick you up anywhere on a private plane and take you anywhere - back to your home hospital if that's what you want. They do require that you actually be admitted to a hospital, so if they put a cast on a broken arm and release you it doesn't apply. Haven't needed it yet and I'm happy with that.

I'm starting to look at medical coverage for international travel as well. This option is a bit confusing to me. If you have to be delivered to a hospital in the U.S., I would think it would greatly limit the scenarios where coverage would apply. If you need to go to the hospital, that typically implies something very urgent. So waiting to fly internationally after the onset of an urgent medical condition wouldn't be a likely scenario. So that leaves the scenario where you went to an international hospital, and needed to be transferred to another hospital back in the states. I would think the health situations where that applies would be really limited. So, I assume you always also get additional medical coverage on top of the MedJetAssist? If the MedJetAssist coverage is cheap, maybe its worth it?

 

[FlaMariner]

When I am overseas, I want to be covered for the following:

1. Medical (get me to the hospital while out of the country and take care of me while I am in the hospital/dr office)
2. Transport back home/hospital home when I am able.

Because my USA medical coverage does not cover any of that, I buy the Blue Cross Blue Shield Trekker Choice plan from this website:

GeoBlue International Travel Insurance

Why?

1. It is cheap....a couple of hundred bucks a year
2. I am covered for up to $1,000,000 in medical expenses
3. I am covered for up to $500,000 for medical transport
4. It's good for a year so I do not have to buy/deal with for every trip
5. I sleep good at night

We use our credit card benefit for the trip cancellation/rental car/travel disruption nonsense but that is not a real $$$ concern.

I cannot imagine leaving the USA without medical/evacuation insurance.

 

[athena53]

So that leaves the scenario where you went to an international hospital, and needed to be transferred to another hospital back in the states. I would think the health situations where that applies would be really limited. So, I assume you always also get additional medical coverage on top of the MedJetAssist? If the MedJetAssist coverage is cheap, maybe its worth it?

Yes, you actually have to be admitted to a local hospital. That means you're not covered if, say, they put a cast on your arm and release you.

And yes, I certainly get extra medical coverage. MedJetAssist is very clear about not being an insurance company. They do not cover actual medical expenses incurred.

 

[Fermion]

Are there any stories about someone who had travel insurance and the insurance company paid out the $35,000 or $200,000? Are you on the hook with the foreign country if the insurance company does not pay?

 

[explanade]

I buy travel insurance with medical evacuation. However the fine print is that you have to preauthorize which makes sense since it would be well into 6-figures.

Usually from insuremytrip.com or similar sites for $40-60 per trip.

 

[Lucie]

Are there any stories about someone who had travel insurance and the insurance company paid out the $35,000 or $200,000? Are you on the hook with the foreign country if the insurance company does not pay?

Not that large of a bill, but when my husband was hospitalized in Cancun, the insurance covered it. Our travel insurance was secondary, so we had to submit all of the bills to BCBS, which paid out of network. The travel insurance paid the rest.

 

[athena53]

Second-hand, but a guy I met in one of my tours said his late wife broke her leg in Australia. The company providing evacuation coverage (he didn't specify which) did fly them back to the US.

 

[FlaMariner]

Are you on the hook with the foreign country if the insurance company does not pay?

Yes...just like any other bill...

I did search "how much is open heart surgery in Germany if you are from the USA?" and Mr Internet said $25,000 to $27,000.....and after the surgery you have to recover $$$$.

For us, the need for medical insurance when out of the country is the same reason we have medical insurance in the USA. Financial risk.

And add on "medical evacuation" so I can get back to the good ole USA once I am stable/able.

 

[Fermion]

Yes...just like any other bill...

So it would seem very important not to just get travel insurance but get travel insurance from a company that will pay out without balking.

 

[explanade]

Second-hand, but a guy I met in one of my tours said his late wife broke her leg in Australia. The company providing evacuation coverage (he didn't specify which) did fly them back to the US.

That would be really costly, if they used a private jet.

But surprising that they'd authorize such an expensive evacuation, as opposed to putting her in a hospital, since Australia should have facilities comparable to those in the US.

It seems like the language of these policies say something about evacuating to a facility of a certain standard, which may not necessarily mean back to the US.

For instance, if someone got hurt in say Africa, would they fly the insured all the way back to the US or to say somewhere in Europe. The care should be just as good in the US but the issue is maybe they want to make sure an American insured would be treated by doctors and staff who were fluent in English and there's no easy way to screen for that.

 

[explanade]

Hi,
We have had travel medical and other coverage since I retired.

I use GeoBlue Trekker and MedJet. Some overlap with evacuation. Geo Blue gets you to the nearest suitable facility. MedJet gets you to hospital nearest home.

I have used GeoBlue several times. Mostly minor stuff, but one head gash in Turkey and recently for an ER visit in Germany.

They have an international network. If you work the guarantee letter they pay in network directly. Never had an issue there.

They got mixed up on one direct reimbursement to me. Thought they had sent the check and it took a few months to sort that.

If you consider travel Medical coverage, look at the coverage limits for your age. Some companies that offer travel insurance have very low medical coverage limits. GeoBlue reduces with age as well. MedJet requires a Doctors clearance once you reach 76 for their Diamond coverage and that is only issued as an individual policy.

We bought a burial policy that turned out to be very reasonable. MedJet will return remains and alternatively, our plan will return remains/cremains as needed as a hands off process.

Overall, I have been very pleased with our coverage and service. Hope I never need the MedJet or anything major for the Trekker policy.

If you travel a lot, (We average an international trip every couple months.) consider separating medical from the travel stuff. Worst case I can eat the trip costs so we don’t worry about trip/baggage insurance. The limits are low and costs high.

Was it difficult to find their network facilities in other countries?

I guess you'd have to make your way to their facilities on your own or would they cover things like ambulance?

On the Rick Steve's forums, there are accounts about people having to be helicoptered off the top of some mountains in Switzerland, just to be taken to hospital and that alone was well into 5-figures.

Then stay at a Swiss hospital, which is probably going to be expensive like everything in Switzerland, until the patient is stable enough to fly.

Then either they will fly in a nurse to accompany the patient on a commercial flight -- there are accounts of $10k business class tickets on flights back to the US -- to a full private medical jet.

The other thing I noticed about the GeoBlue is that you MUST have a primary insurance coverage at home which may or may not cover care needed overseas.

So presumably, GeoBlue will require you to claim whatever you can on your main insurance first before covering other costs.

Some domestic insurance may cover things like emergencies, even overseas. But no way they're going to cover medical evacuation and certainly not getting you airlifted out of some mountain in the Alps.

 

[Chuckanut]

Yes, you actually have to be admitted to a local hospital. That means you're not covered if, say, they put a cast on your arm and release you.

And yes, I certainly get extra medical coverage. MedJetAssist is very clear about not being an insurance company. They do not cover actual medical expenses incurred.

In reality if all you need is a cast on your arm, you probably don't need an emergency medical evacuation.

 

[FlaMariner]

So it would seem very important not to just get travel insurance but get travel insurance from a company that will pay out without balking.

Agree. But how do you know that will happen?

The way I "mitigate" that risk is to make sure I understand the mouse print and document requirement......try to understand the hoops I will need to pass thru........but other than that, I think that is difficult to know.

 

[brett]

I would never chance any tour company in and of itself to 'have our back' in the event of a serious travel medical issue.

Sure they may be there to hold a spouses hand. The real issue is arranging for the insurer to contact the health facility and take over the health arrangements. Or the patient paying the medical facility for what could be a lengthy stay. Or arranging for evac. Lots of details to attend to.

My colleague was in a Miami hospital for two weeks before he was deemed able to be evacuated by air back to a hospital in Canada.

Once his spouse contracted the insurer the process was managed by the insurer. Regular insurer conferences with his medical team and updates for his spouse. The medical team gave the OK to travel An air ambulance was arranged for the following morning.

 

[Sunset]

Yes, you actually have to be admitted to a local hospital. That means you're not covered if, say, they put a cast on your arm and release you.

And yes, I certainly get extra medical coverage. MedJetAssist is very clear about not being an insurance company. They do not cover actual medical expenses incurred.

I was a little confused about what MedJet covers, and this explanation by MedJet cleared it up for me.

Basically a person needs medical evacuation insurance to cover the removal from a cruise ship, and once on land in hospital, MedJet could be used to fly back to USA for medical treatment.
Nice short explanation below:

What Happens if You Get Sick on a Cruise Ship

With a medical evacuation insurance policy from Medjet, you’ll never have to worry about what happens if you get sick on a cruise ship at sea.

medjetassist.com

 

[brett]

A number of years ago I looked at out of country medical/evac for my father.

You really do have to read the fine print. Some that I shopped had a very low evac limit...25K-100K. At the time we did not look at any policy that had less than a $200K cap on evac.

$200K for evac is not out of the realm of possible if you reside in NA and require medical evac from an overseas location.