Travel

Medical insurance.

Your own health insurance may provide the best coverage available. Check with your agent to see if your health insurance covers you while traveling abroad and/or if a rider can be added to extend your coverage while abroad.

Personal possessions insurance (baggage, etc.).

Your best protection against loss/theft is personal caution. Take traveler's checks instead of cash. Don' t take valuables abroad. If you still feel you need baggage insurance, check your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy to see if it covers loss worldwide.

Trip cancellation.

This is valuable insurance to have and covers loss of funds if you have to cancel due to unforeseen medical reasons.

Insurance payments abroad.

Most insurance coverage will require that you submit a claim after you return home. Medical insurance is generally not paid to a foreign doctor or hospital. You will have to pay medical bills abroad, save receipts, and submit the receipts to your insurance company upon your return for reimbursement. Also, your policy may not include medical evacuation or repatriation. Think about this before you travel. If you require medical treatment abroad you will need extra money to handle the costs (doctor visits and/or prescriptions). Medical emergencies seldom happen, but when they do it's best to be prepared.

Here are some good sites we've found on the Internet to look for travel insurance. Some of the sites are also good reference areas. We're always looking for new information sources, so if you have any comments or suggestions, let us know.

International SOS - Provider of medical, personal, and travel assistance to students / scholars studying abroad. Membership includes pre-trip medical advice and referrals as well as coordination of complex medical evacuations. For more information visit our website. World Travel Center - In association with Worldtravelcenter.com, Worldwide Classroom presents this link to their website containing information on obtaining health insurance for the international traveler of any nationality. Travel Insurance Services - One of the pioneers of the travel insurance industry in the U.S. having specialized in Travel-Related insurances since 1973. We have been offering a wide variety of travel insurance for individuals, groups, international students, families and businesses online since 1997.