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Test
Your Travel Insurance IQ
Your answer page...
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Question One...
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Emergency Medical insurance was designed
for only one reason -- to help you cope financially
with unexpected health problems when you are
travelling.
Answer: B
-- False |
| Explanation: While
it's true that Emergency Medical insurance was
designed to help you cope financially with unexpected
health problems, there is another very important
aspect to this plan that many travellers aren't
aware of. Travel insurance can be your friend
in need when the unexpected does occur. Many
travel insurance medical plans come with an
emergency assistance phone number. In a crisis
they can answer questions like: Where can you
find a good doctor? What if they speak a different
language? Are these medical facilities safe?
What if you have to be air ambulanced to another
hospital? Who will contact your family
if you can't? It is wise to make sure that your
particular policy has this emergency assistance
option. |
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| Question
Two... I want insurance protection
for my trip in the event I can't travel
on the date I planned to. The type of insurance I want
is:
Answer: A -- Trip
Cancellation & Interruption
Explanation: An
unexpected illness might prevent you from travelling
on the dates you planned or a death or accident
in your immediate family could cause you to cut your
trip short and return home earlier. Trip Cancellation
insurance will pay you the non-refundable portion of
your trip (i.e. if you've pre-paid for your hotel) and
it will make the adjustments necessary to your airline
ticket as well (i.e. if you must travel home immediately,
there will be no extra costs on your new ticket). You
may, however, be required to pay the additional charges
on your airline ticket up front and your insurance company
will reimburse you later. Always check the fine print
of your policy for particular details. |
| Question
Three... Part of my trip involves
cave exploring. Will emergency medical insurance pay
for my claim in the event I injure myself while doing
this activity?
Answer: C
-- Better check the fine print
Explanation: Some
policies exclude specific sporting activities from coverage.
Spelunking or cave exploring, is viewed by some insurance
policies as a hazardous sport and may not be covered
by an emergency medical plan. Other activities that
may be excluded are mountaineering, parachuting, skydiving,
bungee jumping, etc. If you want to be sure, check the
policy's fine print or ask the insurance company directly
if you're covered. |
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Question Four...
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My 11 month old daughter has raspy breathing and
seems to be running a fever. We're in a hotel in London,
England. I have emergency medical insurance for both
of us. What should I do? |
Answer: A. Call the hotel doctor
B. Call the Emergency Assistance number
Explanation:
While we won't presume to administer treatment advice
for a potentially sick child, we do recommend the
first two options. Fortunately, since you are in
London, you probably won't have much difficulty
finding a hotel doctor or local physician. But what
if you weren't? What if you didn't know the
language? What if you didn't know the local
customs or practices, let alone where to find a
doctor? Even if you found a medical facility,
how can you be sure you can trust the prescribed
treatment? This is the exact time you should be
using your emergency assistance telephone number.
They will offer the support and advice that you
need. P.S.
We're glad that you have chosen insurance for both
you and your daughter. Children are not automatically
covered if one of their parents has purchased an
emergency medical plan. |
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| Question
Five... I have to take prescription
medicine every day. If I run out while I'm travelling,
will emergency medical insurance pay for the refill?
Answer: B -- No
Explanation:
You will not be paid for prescriptions that you should
have filled at home. A prescription refill is generally
considered an "expected cost" rather than an
"unexpected cost" by most insurance plans
and, rightfully so. Your trip planning should involve
taking the right amount of prescription medication with
you when you travel. However, in the event that
you do need a refill, there are two things you should
know: - Remember that emergency assistance telephone number
we were talking about earlier? Use it! While the
insurance won't pay your bill, the assistance service
can help you find a doctor or pharmacy to assist you in
getting your prescription refilled. - If you're covered
by an employer group plan in your home country, the costs
for the refill may be covered under your general prescription
drug plan. Save your receipts, just in case. |
Question
Six...
I'm six months pregnant and will
be travelling for two weeks in another country. Will
emergency medical insurance cover me in the event
I go into pre-mature labour?
Answer:
C -- Yes Explanation:
Most emergency medical policies would view pregnancy
complications as a covered emergency provided the
pregnancy is in the first or second trimester. However,
look for insurance restrictions regarding the length
of pregnancy. Some plans will cover you up to eight
or ten weeks from the expected due date, others may
not cover you at all. (While I've never yet
seen a policy that specifically excludes emergency
charges with respect to pregnancy, it's always smart
to check). |

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Question Seven...
I've heard
the term pre-existing condition used a lot in insurance-speak.
What does it mean?
Answer:
A.-- A chronic medical condition |
Explanation: Buyer beware! In an effort
to control excess claims cost, insurance companies
have introduced the concept of pre-existing conditions
(P.E.C.). If you have a pre-existing condition, check
this provision very, very carefully as the definition
of a P.E.C. can vary from company to company. Some
policies maintain that if your pre-existing condition
is
"stable and controlled" for a specified
period of time, then these conditions would be covered.
Some policies may not even have a pre-existing condition
exclusion if you're only travelling on a short trip.
It pays to ask a lot of questions and know exactly
what you're getting. P.S.
Make sure that you always report your P.E.C. truthfully
when you are purchasing your policy. It's far better
to pay a higher premium and be fully covered than
to lie about your condition and, then, not be covered
at all. |
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Question Eight...
How do
I know which is the best travel insurance policy to
buy?
Answer:
C -- Buy the one that best suits your needs |
Explanation: Cheapest or most expensive
is not the criteria you should use when selecting
travel insurance. For example, if you only want
trip cancellation
insurance, don't choose a more expensive packaged-plan
that includes other coverages such as medical coverage.
Or, if you want every possible aspect covered (cancellation,
health, baggage theft, etc.), look to the combination
packaged-plans as they will normally offer a better
price. Again, if you have a pre-existing condition,
you'll want to read the fine print to find the plan
that works best for your particular needs. |
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| Question
Nine... I'm on a beach in South America
and I've lost my passport. What should I do?
Answer: B -- Call
the Emergency Assistance number
Explanation: This
is the beauty of emergency medical insurance and their
emergency assistance number. You don't have to be ill
for them to help you. While you might be completely unsure
about how to solve this passport problem, the people at
the emergency assistance centre have dealt with this same
problem many times before. They know exactly what to do.
They'll hold your hand and assist you in getting your
new passport as soon as possible. |
| Question
Ten... I've had my trip to Tahiti planned
for months and wouldn't you know it, I've been called
to serve on a jury. Is there insurance coverage
available that will reimburse the cost of my trip?
Answer: A --
Yes. It's called trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Explanation: Most
trip cancellation policies will include a call to jury
duty as an insured reason for canceling your trip. There
are many other unavoidable situations that could cause
a trip cancellation and you should review your policy
for a list of the "insured risks" that are covered. |
So? How
insurance savvy are you?...
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Perfect 10 |
--
You're a pro, a Gold Star Journey Woman. Start
packing! |
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7--9
points |
-- You need just a little
brushing up before you can leave home. |
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6-8
points |
-- Be careful, you don't
know enough yet and could get into very big trouble. |
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5-7
points |
-- Don't show anybody your
score. It's clear you need more research time. |
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5
points or less |
-- Unpack your suitcase.
Don't even think about travelling, yet! |
| Happy,
safe, healthy travelling, ladies! |
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