Making sure your health is covered is not just about buying travel insurance, although that is a very important aspect of your care. Before you set off you should visit your doctor for a medical. A quick check of your health could be the difference between dealing with a minor illness at home and needing major medical intervention while you’re away. If you require prescription medications you should ensure you have enough to cover you while you’re away. Researching your ability to obtain your medication in foreign countries is worth the time it will take if you are setting off on an extended travel adventure. You’ll need to know how to get new prescriptions and where to purchase the items you need. Many countries will not sell your brand of medication so it pays to be aware of other brands that your doctor approves for your use.
If your home country offers cover abroad through your national health service you should make sure you have the appropriate identification and membership so that you can claim if you have health issues abroad. Once you know you are covered it could be as simple as presenting your card at a medical facility to receive treatment. Cards like the European Health Card are a great example. UK residents should carry these when they travel through Europe but the cards are only valid for five years. A quick check before you leave home will ensure that your card is within date and able to be used.
Even if you do have some kind of health care that covers you on holiday, you should still purchase travel insurance. Travel policies cover much more than your medical needs when you’re away from home. Refunds of lost deposits if an illness causes changes to your plans, money to replace lost luggage and even extra funds for pets to be housed if your return home is delayed, are just some of the options you can receive with a good travel insurance policy. When you’re planning a trip, the last thing you want to imagine happening is an accident or illness of some kind, but accidents happen more than most of us realize. When you’re in the ambulance on your way to a hospital in a country that doesn’t speak your language, you’ll be relieved to know you are covered and that your travel insurance company will take care of the details for you.
Travel vaccinations are another important consideration before you visit foreign lands. Different countries have different recommendations for appropriate vaccinations. Your doctor can advise what you are likely to need or you can visit a specialist travel doctor. Many people choose to visit travel clinics overseas to save money; do your own research to decide what is best for you and your family in this area. Some vaccines are relevant only to a particular set of people or a particular type of travel. I urge you to research each one to see if it's necessary.
Good health is nothing to take for granted, especially when you are travelling far from home. Avoiding expensive treatments overseas means you save money too. By doing a little bit of work before you set off you can make sure that you have an enjoyable trip and return home in the same good health you enjoyed before you left.
Have we missed anything? What else related to your health should you check before you leave home on holiday?
Work out your budget
The first part of planning any holiday is, of course, working out how much you can realistically spend. Different holidays can cost wildly different amounts depending on what it is that you’re planning on doing – even when both holidays are spent within the same city. Decide on your budget and use that to filter down the list of places you want to visit.
Decide where you want to go
The French Riviera is a fairly long stretch of land – as we’ve discussed, some parts of it are more expensive than others. There is a huge wealth of things to see and do, which means that there are holidays for anyone who wants to visit the area. Do you want to spend your holiday at a beach resort with the kids, or do you want to rent a villa by the sea and get a taste of the local culture? Once you’ve decided on this, everything else can start falling into place.
Spot up on your basic French
By and large, you can get by along the French Riviera using only simple English and basic French. However, if you want to make the most of your time abroad you should study up on your basic French before you leave. Knowing how to order two baguettes from the local boulangerie, for example, can help make buying your breakfast a lot more enjoyable. The same goes for almost everything else you’ll do during your holiday.
Pack your beach essentials
The chances are that if you’re heading to the Riviera you’re going to be spending a little time at the beach. Whether you’re heading down with your kids or you’re taking a trip on your own, the beach essentials you’re going to need are almost always the same. Other than the usual beach towel and sunscreen, there are a number of other things you should be packing. An empty sunscreen bottle which has been cleaned out makes for a handy (and stealthy) way to store your valuables at the beach. Remember to pack some resealable plastic bags for your electronics, too – it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Grab your EHIC
Last but not least, if you hail from Europe you need to grab your EHIC. The European Health Insurance Card is a huge part of any holiday in Europe, and nowhere is this truer than the French Riviera. While you can do your best to avoid things like swimming with jellyfish, or eating things that will make you ill, accidents happen. Your EHIC is the difference between free state-funded health care and a very expensive medical bill should you require the help of a French doctor. Fortunately, you can apply or your European Health Insurance card at sites like www.europeanhealthinsurancecard.org.uk – they’re pretty easy to get hold of, and they can save you an unbelievable amount of money should your holiday take a turn for the worse. Wish they had these in the US as well!
Pack your beach essentials
The chances are that if you’re heading to the Riviera you’re going to be spending a little time at the beach. Whether you’re heading down with your kids or you’re taking a trip on your own, the beach essentials you’re going to need are almost always the same. Other than the usual beach towel and sunscreen, there are a number of other things you should be packing. An empty sunscreen bottle which has been cleaned out makes for a handy (and stealthy) way to store your valuables at the beach. Remember to pack some resealable plastic bags for your electronics, too – it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Grab your EHIC
Last but not least, if you hail from Europe you need to grab your EHIC. The European Health Insurance Card is a huge part of any holiday in Europe, and nowhere is this truer than the French Riviera. While you can do your best to avoid things like swimming with jellyfish, or eating things that will make you ill, accidents happen. Your EHIC is the difference between free state-funded health care and a very expensive medical bill should you require the help of a French doctor. Fortunately, you can apply or your European Health Insurance card at sites like www.europeanhealthinsurancecard.org.uk – they’re pretty easy to get hold of, and they can save you an unbelievable amount of money should your holiday take a turn for the worse. Wish they had these in the US as well!
There are many hotbed items in the travelers world of pre trip items to worry think about. Where to go first? RTW tickets or open ended?? How much to plan out ahead of time? Do we vaccinate for everything, a few things, or none at all? and one of the most talked about; do we insure or not?
Travel insurance is usually two fold. One side of it is travel health insurance and the other side is for our possessions. Medical insurance for travelers comes in a variety of packages; family plans, over 60's travel insurance policies, singles, couples, and really any option to suit what you need. There are also plans that vary in accordance with where you are traveling. Most I have seen have a US or non US option as the health care in the US is astronomical, but that could be saved for a whole other post.
So back to our question, to insure or not to insure:
Insure your possessions?
This one really depends on a couple of main factors. To start, the first thing you should determine is if what you are traveling with is really worth anything at all. If you are traveling with clothes and an old phone then buying insurance for your belongings really doesn't make that much sense. Some people do it anyway but in my opinion it would not really be worth the trouble or the cost, even if it is not that much per year. That being said if you travel with fancy cameras and computers then it is most definitely worth getting. The cost is generally very low so more than worth it even if you lose just 1 item during your travels. It happens faster and more often than you think.
The other factor to consider is where in the world you are traveling to. Some countries, cities, or towns have a much higher incidence of theft than others and while this is not a perfect guideline it should be factored in when determining if you want to pay for insurance or not. I am not one to throw fear around but I know a lot of travelers and nearly all of them have either lost something or had something stolen during their travels. We have been extremely fortunate to not have lost a thing, nor have we been victims of theft during our SE Asia trip although we did experience a home invasion while living in Costa Rica so we know how easily it can happen.
Insure yourself?
Health insurance is usually an even bigger issue than insuring your belongings, especially if you are older and/or have children. Most people will agree that it is a good idea to carry some type of health insurance even if that is only to cover extreme emergencies or one in which you need evacuation as few of us have a spare $30,000+ sitting around for a fancy helicopter ride. I used to think, "oh that never happens, who needs evacuation insurance?" Well a few friends of mine have needed that evacuation insurance and the bottom line is that when you need it you don't see it coming and you need it right then and there. You may never need it, lets hope you don't, but when you do I am pretty sure you want it all set already. No one should be stressed about costs when a huge emergency strikes! It is also a very inexpensive add on as the companies know it is not something used very often.
As for standard health insurance packages, there are many to choose from. Be honest with yourself about what might be a and what you feel most comfortable with. I know many travelers that have no insurance and many that carry a full load of insurance just in case. If it eases your mind so you have no worries then get whatever relieves those worries best. Also be sure to factor in where you are going. If you plan to spend your time in SE Asia and Central America you may be far less worried about insurance as the cost out of pocket for the most common health issues is shockingly low. On the other hand, if you plan to travel in the US, as I mentioned above, you will be in for the shock of a lifetime when you get the bill. Very few people have that kind of extra money laying about and again not what you want to worry about when health care crisis strike!
Travel insurance is usually two fold. One side of it is travel health insurance and the other side is for our possessions. Medical insurance for travelers comes in a variety of packages; family plans, over 60's travel insurance policies, singles, couples, and really any option to suit what you need. There are also plans that vary in accordance with where you are traveling. Most I have seen have a US or non US option as the health care in the US is astronomical, but that could be saved for a whole other post.
So back to our question, to insure or not to insure:
Insure your possessions?
This one really depends on a couple of main factors. To start, the first thing you should determine is if what you are traveling with is really worth anything at all. If you are traveling with clothes and an old phone then buying insurance for your belongings really doesn't make that much sense. Some people do it anyway but in my opinion it would not really be worth the trouble or the cost, even if it is not that much per year. That being said if you travel with fancy cameras and computers then it is most definitely worth getting. The cost is generally very low so more than worth it even if you lose just 1 item during your travels. It happens faster and more often than you think.
The other factor to consider is where in the world you are traveling to. Some countries, cities, or towns have a much higher incidence of theft than others and while this is not a perfect guideline it should be factored in when determining if you want to pay for insurance or not. I am not one to throw fear around but I know a lot of travelers and nearly all of them have either lost something or had something stolen during their travels. We have been extremely fortunate to not have lost a thing, nor have we been victims of theft during our SE Asia trip although we did experience a home invasion while living in Costa Rica so we know how easily it can happen.
Insure yourself?
Health insurance is usually an even bigger issue than insuring your belongings, especially if you are older and/or have children. Most people will agree that it is a good idea to carry some type of health insurance even if that is only to cover extreme emergencies or one in which you need evacuation as few of us have a spare $30,000+ sitting around for a fancy helicopter ride. I used to think, "oh that never happens, who needs evacuation insurance?" Well a few friends of mine have needed that evacuation insurance and the bottom line is that when you need it you don't see it coming and you need it right then and there. You may never need it, lets hope you don't, but when you do I am pretty sure you want it all set already. No one should be stressed about costs when a huge emergency strikes! It is also a very inexpensive add on as the companies know it is not something used very often.
As for standard health insurance packages, there are many to choose from. Be honest with yourself about what might be a and what you feel most comfortable with. I know many travelers that have no insurance and many that carry a full load of insurance just in case. If it eases your mind so you have no worries then get whatever relieves those worries best. Also be sure to factor in where you are going. If you plan to spend your time in SE Asia and Central America you may be far less worried about insurance as the cost out of pocket for the most common health issues is shockingly low. On the other hand, if you plan to travel in the US, as I mentioned above, you will be in for the shock of a lifetime when you get the bill. Very few people have that kind of extra money laying about and again not what you want to worry about when health care crisis strike!
So what do you plan to do or what have you done about insurance when you traveled in the past? Go all out and carry all insurance possible or skip it and hope for the best?
Starting January 1, 2014, anyone who has the means must purchase health care insurance or face a penalty.
Companies that employee 50 or more people will have to offer an insurance plan. Any individual who receives insurance through their employer and pays over 9.5% of their salary in premiums can choose to buy optional state-run health insurance. This is also offered to people whose insurance covers less than 60% of the cost.
There are provisions made for those who do not earn more than 400 percent of the set poverty level, face financial hardships or based on religious beliefs.
For those expatriated who live abroad, the mandate for obtaining United States-based health insurance plans does not apply to you if you live outside of the US for more than 330 days out of the year. Instead, the IRS new tax code will treat expatriates as though they maintain the minimum required health coverage.
To qualify, you must be eligible for the foreign earned income exclusion. This exclusion lets US expatriates skip paying taxes on up to $91,500 of their income. You will still have to pay taxes on any income that exceeds this level. This includes the Medicare tax, which the new bill has also mandated an increase of one-half of one percent for anyone earning more than $200,000 as an individual or $250,000 jointly.
That means the percentage you will be paying for Medicare will increase from 2.9% to 3.4% of annual income. The Medicare tax has no cap, so no matter your income, you have to pay it.
There is a chance that the insurance coverage you purchase in the country of your residence will not be of use when you travel to the United States, so you might want to look into purchasing additional supplemental coverage anytime you are planning a trip back to the US so that you know you are covered for any emergencies or health issues on your travels.
If you are living the life of a nomadic traveler, it is important to purchase holiday insurance that is recognized as a credible coverage in the United States in order to meet the requirements of having insurance and avoid the penalty.
There are many providers that offer international health insurance plans that will cover you wherever you travel as well as back in the United States. Companies include HTH, Cigna and Blue Cross, as well as many others.
Be sure that you are purchasing a plan that gives you full coverage while you are abroad instead of just a travel insurance plan that only covers emergency visits to the hospital. But note that hese plans will not be effective once you set foot back in America so they will not be viewed as credible health coverage.
Image Credit: Red Cross - Wikimedia Commons
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