Do you know the difference between health insurance and travel insurance? Or which of these is the most suitable for a trip abroad? Well, if you don't know, then it's time to clear all your doubts with this complete content. Check it out below:
What many people forget when planning a vacation trip, or even an exchange, is that many countries oblige them to take out international health insurance. Even more so when the destination is situated within the Schengen Area na Europe, or for countries like Australia e New Zealand.
And it's easy to confuse health insurance with travel insurance, after all, aren't they the same thing? To help you understand once and for all what this type of insurance is, we have made a complete information guide for students and tourists.
Check if it is really worth taking out international health insurance, what it covers, how much it costs, which countries require you to take it out, and much more. Oh! And to prove how much we want to help you, we've left a special discount coupon for you to use on your purchase.
Here we go?
In this post you will see:
- What is international health insurance?
- What is the difference between international health insurance and international travel insurance?
- Is international health insurance mandatory?
- Is international health insurance worth it?
- How much does international travel insurance cost?
- Discount coupons
- How to buy international travel insurance
- What does international travel insurance cover?
- How does international travel insurance work?
- How to activate insurance
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is international health insurance?
International health insurance is a health plan designed to be used when traveling abroad. That way, instead of spending a hefty bill paying for emergency medical treatment out of your own pocket while traveling, you just need to call your insurance company and they'll take care of everything.
It is indicated, mainly, for those who make longer trips a year and want to guarantee adequate medical care, if necessary.
Check out what international insurance options are available.
What is the difference between international health insurance and international travel insurance?
The difference between health insurance and travel insurance, basically, is that the second option offers, in addition to medical coverage, other types of beneficial and necessary services during the trip. So, the international travel insurance It has coverage for lost luggage, flight cancellation, legal assistance, among others.
While health insurance only provides coverage related to health issues, it is preferable only for people who usually travel longer in the year. However, even in this case, there is annual travel insurance that deserves a more detailed evaluation, and can be more advantageous to the customer.
What are the types of travel insurance?
There are insurances for the most varied styles of travel. Below we list the most common types, and you can read more about them in our in-depth guides that better describe the particularities of each one. Just click above:
- international travel insurance
- national travel insurance
- Maternity travel insurance
- cruise travel insurance
- Multi trip travel insurance
- Multi-destination travel insurance
- annual travel insurance
- interchange travel insurance
- student travel insurance
Check all travel insurance options.
Is international health insurance mandatory?
It may be mandatory depending on the chosen destination.
The European countries that are part of the Schengen Treaty, for example, require the presentation of health insurance with a minimum coverage of 30 thousand euros. Australia, Argentina e Cuba there are also other examples of countries that demand insurance from their tourists, each with its own value requirement.
However, places like United States, Chile e Canada do not require the presentation of health insurance to enter the country. However, it is strongly recommended that insurance be taken out to prevent possible headaches at very high costs.
So, although it is not mandatory to take out health insurance, it is better to take precautions. That's why it's important to check the requirements of each country before boarding.
Check all international insurance options.
Is international health insurance worth it?
It is worth taking out international health insurance if you are planning a long-term trip to a particular destination, such as an exchange program, for example. After all, the investment spent on hiring this service is more affordable compared to the possible expenses with doctors and hospitalizations abroad.
However, this insurance can only cover health-related matters and emergencies, while travel insurance can offer a wider range of services to travelers.
Thus, even in situations of longer trips, the most recommended thing is to take out international travel insurance. Because, as mentioned above, there are insurance options for the most varied types of trips, such as long stay travel insurancethe student travel insurance and even the multi-destination travel insurance, among others.
Check all international insurance options.
How much does international travel insurance cost?
It is possible to hire good international travel insurance for prices from R$ 10 per day. You can even use a online insurance comparator to check available plans.
The amount of insurance may vary depending on the person who hires the service or the activities you intend to do at the destination. For example, an elderly person will have travel insurance a little more expensive than a 20-year-old, and an athlete who practices extreme sports will also have a plan with a higher value.
Insurance is, in general, very cheap and well worth it because it gives you the security of having a smooth trip, without worrying about how to deal with an emergency – just activate the insurance and it will take care of you.
The truth is, everyone buys insurance to have peace, and hopes they never need it. However, if you need it, having this support is quite a help in the midst of a crisis.
Check all international insurance options.
Discount coupons
Better than being covered against possible emergencies during the trip, it is better to hire insurance at the best price on the market. For this, Travel Tips readers can use the coupon FORTRAVELOVERS and guarantee 5% off the final price. Too much, huh?
Oh, and there is an additional 5% discount for those who pay with boleto, pix or transfer, and these discounts are cumulative. That is, you can guarantee savings of up to 10% when contracting your international insurance. Also remembering that the purchase of insurance can be paid in up to 12 installments, making payment as easy as possible.
- Click to redeem coupon FORTRAVELOVERS and get 5% off
- Pay by boleto, Pix or wire transfer to earn an extra 5% and reach the 10% off!
How to buy international travel insurance
Buying international travel insurance is very simple and you can do it online. A highly recommended insurance comparator is Promo insurance, a site that we trust and that offers all the information on the best plans on the market to help you make your choice.
Right on the home page, select the continent of destination, enter the departure and arrival dates, fill in your name, your email, your telephone number and click on “search travel insurance".
You will be directed to a list of available insurance for the destination. To use the comparator, choose from two to four plans and select the option “compare plan“. Then click on the “compare“ on the lower right side of the screen. Ready! Now you can see the advantages of each insurance side by side to make a decision and finalize the purchase.
After hiring, you receive your travel insurance policy by email. Keep this document well, as it contains the general conditions of the contracted plan and all the information on how to call the insurance company in case of an emergency.
So, if there is any eventuality on the trip, you can contact the insurance company via phone, WhatsApp, online chat or email. All contact numbers and forms are available on the policy – so keep the document in an easily accessible place.
It is also worth remembering that all insurers listed in the Promo insurance 24/7 support and fully in Portuguese. That is, even if you are in France, don't worry, the service will be super easy!
Check all international insurance options.
What does international travel insurance cover?
Travel insurance usually covers some items on a standard basis, such as medical emergencies, hospital emergencies or compensation for lost luggage. But there are more comprehensive plans, varying according to the company, the type of insurance chosen, among other details.
If you have a problem in traffic, for example, you can count on travel insurance too. This is guaranteed if you hire travel assistance that even has legal support. It all depends on the insurance you choose, which can be simple or complete.
The most common occurrences that travel insurance covers are:
- 24-hour medical, hospital or dental care on international trips
- Sanitary repatriation
- medical transfer
- Body transfer and coverage for death while traveling
- Total disability due to accident while traveling
- Legal/financial assistance
- Death or serious illness of a family member
There are also some extra coverages that you can purchase with travel insurance:
- Support for Covid-19 and Pandemics
- trip cancellation
- Early return due to accident
- Expenses for misplaced, lost or damaged luggage
- Accidents in extreme sports
- flight delay
- Pregnant
Check all travel insurance options.
Does international travel insurance cover coronavirus?
There are, yes, some travel insurances that cover medical care related to Covid-19. However, it is worth noting that not all of them are.
To ensure that you will have travel insurance coverage if you are diagnosed with Covid abroad, look for plans that specify this particularity. It is common to have this information right in the title of the insurance product, as you can see in the examples below. Even so, always remember to read the policy carefully and ask any questions before hiring.
A good way to look for travel insurance with coverage for Covid-19 is to use a online comparison of insurance plans. So you can look side by side the deductible provided by each insurer, and choose the one that best fits your reality.
How does international travel insurance work?
Insurance may work for assistance or reimbursement.
The options available for assistance in the online comparator provide direct support when an emergency occurs. That is, you contact the insurance company and they instruct you on what to do or how to go to the hospital, for example. That way you don't have to pay anything extra for it, as the insurance bears all the expenses of the service.
Reimbursement insurance, on the other hand, directs you to go straight to the doctor, dentist, or any other professional who will help you, and only then activate the insurance. In these cases, you pay out of pocket and then present the receipts and invoices to receive the amount spent back. This type is more common in credit card travel insurance.
Check out all the international health insurance options.
How to activate insurance
To claim insurance, you can call your policy phone number, free of charge, from anywhere in the world. The service is always in Portuguese. Some insurers also have mobile apps, which makes communication even easier.
Always have your policy number and personal data handy. Tell the representative about your problem and he will give you the support you need to deal with the situation – and try to stay calm to understand the instructions and get out of the situation in the best way possible.
The fundamental thing is to carefully read the travel insurance policy, and understand the particularities of the plan you hired. If you have any difficulties when talking to the insurance company, go ahead and seek help, because the important thing is to receive the support you need. Then you contact the company to resolve the financial issue.
Check out all the international health insurance options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is international health insurance?International health insurance is a health plan designed for travel abroad. That way, instead of spending a hefty bill paying for emergency medical treatment out of your own pocket while traveling, you just need to call your insurance company and they'll take care of everything. See details about international health insurance.
What is the difference between health insurance and international travel insurance?The difference between health insurance and travel insurance, basically, is that the international travel insurance offers, in addition to medical coverage, other types of beneficial and necessary services during the trip. see the details.
Is it worth taking out international health insurance?It is worth taking out international health insurance if you are planning a long-term trip to a particular destination, such as an exchange program, for example. After all, the investment spent on hiring this service is more affordable compared to the possible expenses with doctors and hospitalizations abroad. read more about international health insurance.
Is it better to take out health insurance or annual travel insurance?Annual travel insurance is more recommended due to the greater coverage of services offered to the traveler. Because it offers, in addition to medical and hospital coverage, insurance against lost luggage, flight cancellation, among others. Check out what else annual travel insurance copper.
What does health insurance cover?Travel insurance covers medical, hospital and dental expenses, body transfer, medical return and medical transfer, in addition to other health-related services. Learn more about plans.
Is international health insurance mandatory?It may be mandatory depending on the chosen destination. The European countries that are part of the Schengen Treaty, for example, require the presentation of health insurance with a minimum coverage of 30 thousand euros. However, places like United States, Chile e Canada do not require the presentation of health insurance to enter the country. understand why.
