If You Have Travel Insurance, Always Keep Receipts
As for Elliott Advocacy , one reader described how a simple insurance error cost her about $ 6,000 in hospitalization. According to a reader, she tripped on a chain while on vacation in Mexico, which in an incredible series of events resulted in an ambulance ride to a local hospital, multiple X-rays, blood transfusions, and multiple leg fractures. , and emergency surgery.
Luckily, she decided to purchase travel health insurance before traveling through Allianz, which meant her surgery would be covered. However, after another series of events – including being detained at gunpoint by hospital security personnel for not paying for a procedure she no longer wanted – she rushed home with no evidence of her treatment, and, well, you probably can guess where it goes from here.
Without proper paperwork, it was difficult for her to obtain any reimbursement under her travel health insurance. At the end of the day, they needed to make sure that the treatment actually happened. A year later, after failing to provide proper documentation, she still had nearly $ 6,000 short of her budget. (Miraculously, she got her money back due to her “unique circumstances” with the help of Elliott Advocacy , but we’d bet that’s pretty much the exception to the rule.)
What can be done to avoid a similar fate? Well, here’s the simplest of all travel tips: keep your receipts. Assuming your treatment is covered by insurance, this is the only best way to ensure that you don’t have a few thousand dollars left over. (Of course, you should definitely check with your insurer to make sure your treatment is covered before getting it, if the situation permits.)
If you are in an emergency, naturally, you may not think about getting any kind of documentation. We recommend that you request it while abroad and, if possible, in person; getting documents over the phone will only become more difficult, especially if there is a language barrier.
And remember, there is a difference between standard travel insurance and health insurance. The former can cover lost bags or delays, while the latter can cover the cost of emergency medical care. (Some comprehensive policies cover both.) If you’re traveling with expensive property, travel insurance may be worth it. If you are traveling abroad to an unfamiliar place for weeks or even months, then health insurance may be worth it. Here’s our guide on how to choose between the two before your next trip.