Happy Summer! Where does the time go? Now that we are seniors, and we have lots of time to do fun things, time just slips by. Some of those fun things may be traveling, so now let’s talk about some important factors to consider while making your travel plans for 2026 and 2027.
When I’m booking my client(s) for a trip, sometimes they hesitate when I start talking to them about travel insurance. Some of their responses are: “We already have medical coverage” or “We’re only going for a few days; what can really happen?”
Well, a lot can happen, even if it’s just for a few days! For starters, most medical insurances, especially Medicare and Medicaid, will not cover you if you travel outside the United States, including cruises. Plus, depending on where you are, the hospital or an air ambulance transfer can cost thousands Here are just a few examples of claims that one of my insurance companies paid out:
- A traveler fractured their arm in Mexico, which resulted in $75,000 in medical expenses.
- A traveler in St. Croix had to be airlifted back to Texas due to cardiac arrest. It cost $58,000 to bring him home.
- A traveler had to be airlifted back to Michigan for a broken kneecap while traveling in Italy. The total cost of the air ambulance was $150,000.
- A traveler in Vietnam had an aneurysm while traveling. It cost $152,000 just in medical expenses and then another $375,000 to be airlifted back to Tennessee.
For international travel, paying an insurance premium of $400 is much better than trying to use your credit card(s) to pay $75,000 or more in medical and hospital bills, even if you have coverage. Many insurance companies, depending on the plan you choose, can make payment arrangements on your behalf if you are expected to pay before you can leave the medical facility for a covered reason.
Even if it’s a trip within the United States, where you don’t have to pay in advance, travel insurance can help by covering annual deductibles and co-pays. For example: A family traveled to Florida for a Disney World trip and one of their children got so excited that they tripped and hit their head on a rock. Their emergency medical copay/deductible was over $1,000 and covered by their travel insurance.
As you can see, you never know what might happen, even if it is a trip within the United States.
If you have an injury during your vacation, please make sure you don’t leave the medical facility, cruise ship, etc, without your paperwork from the medical staff. Remember once you leave the facility, it will be very hard to get copies of your documents (doctor’s notes, test results, bills, etc). Regarding the next few steps, I will assist you filing the claim. For most of my clients, they are usually upset and sometimes get confused on what to send to the insurance company, whereas I have been in the business almost 40 years and I know what they need to make your claim process easy for both you and for the insurance company.
I hope this information was helpful, useful and you will think twice about purchasing your trip insurance. I always say, we all buy homeowners and car insurance and we hope that we never have to use it. But someday you may have to file a claim. It’s the same with travel insurance!!
Be good, have fun and let’s travel together!
For more information on any of my trips and cruises, make sure you go to my updated website, www.carols-trips.com. To book a trip, contact Carol Cane, Travel Professional, at 352-787-9253. Carol’s Trips, LLC is a full-service travel agency.
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