Why Travel Health Insurance Is Important
Protection against high costs and peace of mind in an emergency – the most important coverage when traveling
A travel health insurance (also called overseas health insurance) is advisable for several important reasons – and for most trips it is almost indispensable.
1 Your regular health insurance often does not fully cover you abroad
Publicly insured (e.g. statutory health insurance in many European countries):
- Within the EU/EEA and Switzerland the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) applies. However, you only receive the benefits that local residents get – often with co-payments, limited choice of doctors, and a lower standard of care.
- Many private clinics or hotel doctors do not accept the card at all.
- Outside the EU (e.g. USA, Thailand, Turkey, Egypt) statutory health insurance usually covers nothing.
Privately insured: Coverage abroad is often incomplete here as well, especially regarding expensive medical repatriation.
2 Medical treatment costs abroad can be extremely high
Even simple treatments are often significantly more expensive than at home:
- A doctor’s visit or treatment for gastrointestinal issues by a hotel doctor in Egypt can easily cost €700–1,400 (at home often under €100 for private patients).
- Cuts, fractures or emergency treatments in the USA or Canada can easily amount to €10,000–20,000 or more.
- A hospital stay with surgery can quickly run into tens of thousands of euros.
Without insurance you usually have to pay these costs immediately on the spot.
3 Medical repatriation is the biggest cost factor
This is the most important reason of all:
Statutory health insurance never covers a medically necessary or medically advisable repatriation back to your home country.
Cost examples:
- Repatriation from within Europe (e.g. by helicopter): often €10,000–20,000
- From overseas or Asia by air ambulance: €50,000–200,000 and more
Good travel health insurance covers exactly this – and often also organises the transport.
4 Further advantages
- Coverage of doctor and hospital costs, medication, pain-relieving dental treatment and necessary medical aids
- Often a 24-hour emergency hotline that helps find a suitable doctor or hospital and clarifies cost coverage
- Very affordable: good annual policies start from around €10 per person (families a little more)
Conclusion
Travel health insurance protects you from potentially life-ruining costs and gives you the security of being well looked after in an emergency – without having to worry about the bill.
For most experts (consumer advice centres, independent testing organisations, automobile clubs etc.) it is the most important travel insurance of all – far more important than luggage or trip cancellation insurance.
Tip: Make sure the policy covers medically advisable (not only medically necessary) repatriation and that search, rescue and recovery costs are included.