Whether you’re sailing on a cruise ship, climbing a mountain, or are simply in another country, getting really sick or injured on the road can be catastrophic…and expensive.
According to the US Travel Insurance Association, most patients requiring medical transport have suffered cardiac, respiratory, surgical, or orthopedic trauma.
A medical emergency on the road may require that you be transported to a local hospital to be stabilized. Then, depending on your medical needs, you may be brought to a larger, more well-equipped hospital, and maybe even repatriated back home.
And those costs can add up…fast. In some countries, you may even actually have to pay for medical care right on the spot.
Based on the size and equipment needed, an air ambulance can cost upwards of $3,000 an hour to operate. If you’re being flown to the U.S. from abroad, we’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars.
That’s why I’m a fan of travel insurance that includes medical coverage, as well as the traditional trip cancellation and interruption coverage.
And in my opinion, if medical evacuation becomes necessary, you want a plan that takes you to a hospital of your choice, not theirs.
For more information, visit the Travel Insurance Archives.
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