Travel Insurance

If you travel to another country, your insurance probably won’t travel with you. Stuff happens, but fortunately good international travel insurance is inexpensive.

Scroll down to learn more, or skip to a particular type of plan:

Travel Insurance

What Is Travel Insurance?

What would happen if you needed medical care abroad? When you travel outside the United States, your health insurance is likely not making the trip with you. A good travel insurance policy won’t cost you a lot of money but will give you significant protection and peace of mind should your travel meet with unexpected complications such as illness, injury, natural disasters, or even political unrest.

Deductibles are low (most of our clients actually choose a $0 deductible plan) and the cost is typically less than $2 per person per day.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

International travel insurance will help you cover inpatient and outpatient medical expenses as well as evacuation and repatriation if that were to become necessary. You likely get help with more mundane problems like travel assistance services or help with lost luggage, and morbid issues like repatriation of remains. You can also purchase trip cancellation coverage to protect your financial outlay in case something happens that changes your plans.

Types of Travel Insurance

The truth is most travel insurance plans work for anyone traveling outside their home country.

Below we’ll discuss certain specific situations where you’ll need travel insurance.

Mission Trip Insurance

We work with a lot of churches and organizations who send people on short-term mission trips abroad.

There are plans designed for short-term missionary teams as well as for those serving long term.

Groups of 5 or more traveling on a short-term mission trip can get a discount when selecting a group travel insurance policy, which sometimes brings rates down as low as $1 per day per person.

Get more information about missionary insurance here!

Short-Term Travel Insurance Plans

If you’re traveling outside your home country for 5-365 days, you’ll want to enroll in a short-term travel insurance plan.

These plans are thorough and they are inexpensive! The price will vary depending on your age and how long you’ll stay, but plans often cost less than $2 per person per day.

There are varying levels of benefits available with various deductibles. Our standard recommendation is a plan with a coverage amount of at least $100,000 and a $0 deductible. (We suggest eliminating the deductible to keep things simple – and because there’s not a huge price difference to do so).

For non-US citizens traveling to the United States, you’ll want to be sure you select coverage that includes the US and Canada. Also, the Atlas plan (linked below) meets the J1 Visa requirements.

There are group plans available for groups of 5 or more. These plans are perfect for large family groups, short-term mission teams, school trips, and sports teams.

Individuals and families - get a quote for your trip here! Groups of 5+ can get a quote here!

Travel Insurance for International Students

If you are a student planning to study abroad, or the parent of a student, you need to be sure you have adequate insurance coverage while you’re away. Most student visas and most learning institutions will require you to have comprehensive health insurance coverage.

While many schools and programs provide such coverage, it’s sometimes up to you to take care of it. (And don’t count on your domestic insurance plan to work abroad – most don’t.)

The good news is that there are plans designed specifically for needs of international students. And many of them meet the J Visa requirements for inbound international students studying in the United States.

What does international student insurance cover?

Typically your coverage will include:
  • Comprehensive health insurance
  • Emergency medical evacuation
  • Acute onset of pre-existing conditions
  • Most sports activities
  • Emergency dental
  • Terrorism coverage
  • Repatriation of remains
  • Trip delays

Who is eligible for student insurance?

To be eligible to purchase an international student insurance plan:
  • You must be a full-time student enrolled in a college or university (or within 31 days of being so); or be a full-time scholar affiliated with an institution and performing work or research at least 30 hours per week. Full-time high school students studying abroad are also eligible.
  • You must be residing outside your home country for the purpose of pursuing international educational activities.
  • You must not obtain residency status in the host country.
Get a quote on student travel insurance here!

Long Term International Insurance Plans for Expats

If you’re planning on spending longer than a year abroad (regardless of your nationality or citizenship), you’ll need to consider a “long term” international medical / travel insurance plan to cover your needs.
If you’ll be residing overseas for a lengthy period of time, you’ll want to have coverage that extends beyond the limitations of the typical private American insurance plan (or Medicare, which doesn’t travel!). While the country you’ll reside in may provide healthcare services, these may not be fully available to you as a non-citizen, or the available facilities and care may not be adequate to your expectations.

Who these plans are designed for:

  • Coverage for individuals or families living or working abroad
  • Contract employees living and working abroad
  • Seniors with dual residencies six months or longer outside the U.S.

What does this plan cover?

A long-term international health plan is similar to a domestic health insurance plan and also includes a few features common to other travel insurance plans:
  • Medical care
  • Medical evacuation
  • Emergency reunion
  • Repatriation of remains
These plans are annually renewable (assuming you still pay your bill!) so you’ll have continuous protection while you’re abroad.
A long-term international health insurance plan is medically underwritten, so the application process is more like a traditional health insurance plan than the short-term travel plans are. You can choose coverage that includes the United States and Canada or coverage that does not (this will lower your cost). Coverage may or may not include pre-existing conditions, depending on the decision of the underwriters.
There are optional coverages available, including a sports rider (assuming you’re not a professional athlete!), term life coverage, and dental coverage.
Get quotes and information on long-term travel insurance plans here!

Got questions about travel insurance?

Let us help you find the right plan for your needs and situation. Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch soon!