Travel
Travel cover: the medical limit is the only number that matters
Baggage limits are trivial next to the cost of an air ambulance. Most travellers compare the wrong figure.
What follows is an argument about travel insurance, and about where the received version of it stops being true.
The argument in brief
- Repatriation and emergency treatment are the costs that can be catastrophic.
- Undeclared pre-existing conditions are the largest cause of declined medical claims.
- Reciprocal health arrangements do not cover repatriation.
Compare medical, then ignore the rest
The realistic worst case on a trip is emergency treatment abroad followed by a medically-escorted flight home. That can run to six figures in some countries, which makes the medical limit the only figure worth optimising.
Baggage and cancellation limits are small by comparison and rarely decide whether a trip is financially survivable. A policy with a high medical limit and modest baggage cover is the right shape.
State health arrangements are not insurance
Reciprocal healthcare agreements cover state treatment in participating countries and nothing else. They do not pay for repatriation, private treatment, or bringing you home early, and repatriation is the expensive part. They are worth having alongside a policy and are no substitute for one.
Disclosure decides medical claims
Conditions under investigation, recent changes in medication and consultations without a diagnosis usually all count as pre-existing. Insurers interpret this broadly and check medical records at a large claim.
Declaring raises the premium modestly; not declaring can void the medical section entirely.
Activities and transport are commonly excluded
Winter sports, diving, climbing and anything motorised are frequently excluded or need an add-on. Riding a scooter without the correct licence category is a specific and very common exclusion. Check the activity list against what you will actually do, including anything you might be talked into.
Adjust the size of it until it is something you would actually do tired.
The assistance line is the real product
A twenty-four hour emergency line that arranges and guarantees payment directly to a hospital is worth more than a higher headline limit. Policies that only reimburse you afterwards require you to fund treatment upfront, which in some countries is not feasible. Check which model your policy uses before you need it.
The takeaway
Sort by medical limit, declare everything, and check the assistance line pays hospitals directly.
The version you keep doing is the version that works.
Questions readers ask
Is the cover on my bank account enough?
Sometimes for short trips, often not. Check the medical limit, the age limits, the trip-length cap and the pre-existing condition terms — packaged cover is usually narrower.
When should I buy it?
When you book. Cancellation cover runs from purchase, so buying later leaves the whole pre-departure period uninsured.
