Travel insurance?

Drez

I'm flying to a place via plane at some time (in the future). This place is technically (in other words, geographically thanks to an ocean) in another country. I have never been in another country.

The or bits site I was booking the flight on offered me some travel insurance. It's a bit pricey ($100) but it says it covers medical emergencies and the like.

Is this something I should consider doing?

Fantasma

This insurance is for you to submit a claim after you return from your trip. You basically pay from your pocket the medical services if you need to while you are abroad, when you are back in the United States you provide all your bills, medical certifications, etc and they are to reimburse your medical expenses.

At least this is what was explained to me when I was visiting some places out of my country. I could be wrong, things change quite fast.

Drez

So, should I consider it? I don't plan on engaging in any dangerous activities, unless drinking counts.

ceres

Whether or not the 'medical' part is worth it is going to change depending on the country, I think. It's worth it to find out what the non-medical stuff is and how good they actually are about covering what they say they do.

Thanatos

Yeah, it's going to vary widely from country to country. I don't think there's any real reason to do it for the UK, for instance.

Fantasma

I never used it, so I cannot tell you with certainty what is covered or not. Your best bet is to contact directly the company providing the insurance and ask questions or read their booklets if any.

Siska

Some credit cards come with a free travelers insurance if you pay for the plane ticket with that card. So check and see if that applies to any of the cards you have.

Veevee

Also check with your current medical insurer and see if they cover out of country medical emergencies

zepherin

It depends on the country, but when I travel, I try not to go to places where I'm likely to be stabbed. I think travel insurance is unecessary, especially with health insurance and credit cards offering me a certain level of protection.

krapst78

Also consider that basic, even emergency medical expenses might be significantly cheaper in the country you're visiting, enough so that it wouldn't exceed the $100 fee. Of course this advice varies on a country to country basis so you'll need to do a little bit of research on the place you have in mind.