Health Insurance Abroad

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slowtraveler
Posts: 722
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 10:06 pm

Health Insurance Abroad

Post by slowtraveler »

I notice a fear among people when I mention the possibility of self-insuring medical expenses abroad. In USA, a week stay in a hospital and surgery can cost 500k; in South America, a month stay in a hospital and surgery can cost 10-20k. Plus, I'm seeing limits and clauses in all the fine prints of every health insurance I find.

Is this irresponsible?

James_0011
Posts: 392
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 12:00 am

Re: Health Insurance Abroad

Post by James_0011 »

What are the chances that you will even need medical care abroad, let alone in the US?

chenda
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Location: Nether Wallop

Re: Health Insurance Abroad

Post by chenda »

Felipe wrote:
Mon May 22, 2017 4:29 am

Is this irresponsible?
Yes. Repatriation costs alone make it a worthwhile precaution.

slowtraveler
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Re: Health Insurance Abroad

Post by slowtraveler »

@James
Probably low. I'm 24, relatively health, I don't plan on visiting US, and healthcare everywhere else is cheaper.

@Chenda
My credit card includes 100k coverage for repatriation/medical evacuation. This is as much as the insurance companies offered. Only the insurance companies also cover regular medical emergencies.

Solvent
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Re: Health Insurance Abroad

Post by Solvent »

I used to only self-insure when I travelled, from the age of about 24-30. Before that I would usually take out travel insurance because my parents' financial advice still carried a lot of weight. Also, I guess, I had barely any money in the bank so 'self-insurance' was not really something I could have done anyway.

Yes, repatriation from some shitty country you've been backpacking in could ruin you financially. For ruinous events, the chances are pretty freakin' low, and there are many very low probability events people don't insure for, because the overhead and administration (and cognitive load) make it not worth it. If you are doing something risky that has a higher probability of resulting in injury, you may be advised to insure against it, but good luck - many standard insurance policies will state that you aren't covered in case of anything remotely risky or if you do things like drink beer.

I do theoretically have worldwide insurance at the moment, though, for work reasons ("theoretically" because insurance companies are useless and will do their best not to cover you. "Oh yeah, we provide worldwide insurance. Oh no, that doctor's receipt from South Africa doesn't look like the kind we're used to here in Europe, we won't reimburse it" <-- Not me, but pretty much what happened to a colleague).

Travel insurance companies have done a good job with marketing, I think. "If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel" is something I've been told straight-faced by people who are not in the employ of insurance companies.

slowtraveler
Posts: 722
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 10:06 pm

Re: Health Insurance Abroad

Post by slowtraveler »

@Solvent

Used to?

The more I read the fine print on the insurance policies, the more of a waste I think they are. One costs 800/yr but covers no sports insurance of any kind-if I'm hiking and get injured-out of luck, one is 250/yr but a 10k max for medical emergencies (why bother?), another 1200/yr and covers most things but still a 100k total limit on everything. All have pre existing condition clauses. So I might pay all that insurance money only to have them deny me at the last moment.

Solvent
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Re: Health Insurance Abroad

Post by Solvent »

Nowadays my standard insurance is global, for work reasons, so I don't have to bother with taking out extra policies when travelling.

One of the reasons I used to reason that carrying good insurance was important was that I play judo - and who knows when a partner will throw me carelessly and I'll need a knee reconstruction?

I was told a little while ago, though, that in the fine print of my current insurance injuries suffered through 'combat sports' aren't covered. Judo is listed as an example.

Welp...

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Viktor K
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Re: Health Insurance Abroad

Post by Viktor K »

Teaching English in China, jobs will provide a variety of insurances from accident/in-patient only insurance, to comprehensive medical insurance. Some pay for part of it, leaving the teacher to pay anywhere from $15-30/month, and others pay for the whole bill. In my experience, the quality of medical services vary as well, but are uniformly cheap. For little things, a village hospital won't be too bad an idea, but for in-patient services, you're better off going to one of the big cities like Shanghai.

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