Travel Insurance Coverage For Senior Citizens
You’ve probably seen busloads of seniors arriving at tourist spots that you visit. Travel can indeed be more meaningful when you are older. It can also be more dangerous, hence seniors must purchase travelers medical insurance. Seniors often have time aplenty and substantial savings, and if lucky, no kids to take care of.
International travel, however, comes with its share of complications. For one, travel, by its very nature, makes anyone more prone to illnesses, and with seniors, the susceptibility is increased. Also, the traveler’s U.S. medical insurance is seldom accepted abroad, and seniors must purchase travel health insurance to be covered during travel.
Seniors must remember a few tips to keep them safe and healthy when abroad. Researching the destination will help prepare for the trip better. The Centers for Disease Control regularly publishes alerts on travel to different countries. They also have information on companies offering travel medical insurance.
Vaccinations are critical, and any international traveler must remain up to date on his/her immunization. Researching more about specific conditions such as heat and pollen count of destination cities can help seniors plan and schedule their insurance accordingly.
Since travel insurance is a short-term plan, it covers unexpected medical care hospitalization and consultation, ambulance services, accidental death and dismemberment, and medical evacuation. In case of the unfortunate death of the plan holder, the mortal remains are sent to the home country. If the trip is cut short or baggage lost during common carrier travel, most plans offer some reimbursement.
If you are a senior traveling overseas, prepare yourself for the trip. Request your medical practitioner for a note with information on your pre-existing conditions, regular prescription drugs, if any, and information on drug allergies. Purchase your prescription drugs for the duration of the trip, with a few days extra, to tide over any extension in the itinerary. Travel insurance usually does not cover prescription drug costs.
If you wear glasses or dentures, carry an extra set with you. Your travel insurance will not cover them, and you don’t want to spend time locating an optician when traveling. Pack a medical kit with basic supplies such as cotton balls, adhesive bandages, and basic medication for problems such as cold.
Remember to keep a steady, easy pace when traveling periods of high activity alternating with period of low activity may not work well. If possible, find a travel partner or group, or at least, let someone know about your schedule. Avoid travel at night, where possible. Travel insurance is best as a great ally whose services you never actually use.
Dan Miller often writes about travel insurance.