Travel health insurance: Your protection for wonderful vacation moments!

Travel health insurance: Your protection for wonderful vacation moments!

Anyone traveling abroad should not only think about sights, but also about health. Unfortunately, many travelers underestimate the risk of getting sick or having an accident while on vacation. Broken bones or even heart attacks can affect anyone, regardless of where they are. The costs of medical treatment abroad can be significant; Hospital stays can quickly amount to several thousand euros, and transport back to Germany can even cost tens of thousands of euros. Therefore, travel health insurance is not only recommended, but necessary in many cases. [Rheinpfalz] reports that appropriate insurance is essential, especially for trips outside of Europe, while it is highly advisable for trips within the EU.

The health system of statutory health insurance is patchy within the EU. Travelers who rely on the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) must note that it is not 100 percent accepted in many countries. Although the card offers basic protection, additional costs for treatment may still apply. Those with statutory health insurance only receive services that correspond to the level of the trip, but additional payments are often required. The electronic health card is also not recognized everywhere, and private doctors often do not use it to bill you. What is particularly problematic is that the return transport from the holiday destination is not included in the catalog of benefits provided by statutory health insurance.

Travel health insurance costs and options

The prices for travel health insurance are usually quite affordable. Individuals can take out insurance for under 10 euros per year, while families can be well covered for around 25 euros per year. It's worth comparing the different tariffs, as there are also special offers for families. [Consumer Advisory Board] advises that travelers should pay attention to excesses and the fine print. This may include important exclusions that may result in the traveler bearing the costs in the event of damage.

• Wichtige Punkte für eine Reisekrankenversicherung:
• Keine Ausschlüsse für Vorerkrankungen.
• Keine Erstattungsobergrenzen für Transport- und Behandlungskosten.
• Rücktransport auch bei medizinisch sinnvollem Grund.
• Weltweiter Schutz und mindestens 5000 Euro für Such- und Bergungskosten.
• Vermeidung von Selbstbeteiligungen.

Travelers should also consider the possibility of taking out travel health insurance at short notice up to the day of departure, although this is no longer possible once the trip has begun. For longer trips, which often last more than six to eight weeks, long-term international health insurance is required. These special policies can be more expensive, but provide the necessary protection for extended vacations.

Special considerations for travelers with underlying medical conditions

Chronically ill people should take particular precautions and, if necessary, obtain a clearance certificate from their doctor. The choice of insurance provider is crucial here, as some providers can set strict conditions that can lead to difficulties in an emergency. Before undergoing expensive treatments abroad, consumers should always obtain confirmation of cost coverage from their insurance company in order to avoid unexpected financial burdens.

All in all, travel health insurance is necessary coverage that many travelers often neglect. The low annual costs are in strong relation to the potentially high expenses that you could incur in the event of illness. Therefore, every traveler should not underestimate the need for this insurance and, in the best case, should take action before departure and compare different options.