|
Test Your Travel Insurance
IQ
Your answer page...
Question One...
|
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. |
 |
|
| 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.
|
Question Four...
|
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. |
 |
|
| 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). |
|
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
| 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?...
 |
Perfect 10 |
--
You're a pro, a Gold Star Journey Woman. Start packing! |
 |
7--9 points |
-- You need just a little brushing
up before you can leave home. |
 |
6-8
points |
-- Be careful, you don't know enough
yet and could get into very big trouble. |
|
5-7
points |
-- Don't show anybody your score.
It's clear you need more research time. |
|
5
points or less |
-- Unpack your suitcase. Don't even
think about travelling, yet! |
| Happy,
safe, healthy travelling, ladies! |
|
|
