Travel Health Insurance, GET. IT.

[pylon]

Just got back from taking a trip with my folks and my Niece in Maui. 3 days left to go on the holiday, and the least likely person of the four of us, my 20 year old niece decides to get appendicitis and needs to get it removed ASAP.

My mother looked after the travel insurance for her, and it was around $40 bucks.

Forty.

Dollars.

And it took care of everything no questions asked. AMA was amazing, and was constantly following up every 24 hrs checking on her health, and was in constant contact with all the health care providers to assure she was looked after with top notch care. In fact, when we pulled the AMA card out at the clinic, and the Hospital, both were quick to acknowledge how easy AMA is to work with, and the receptionist at the clinic regarded them as 'the best one'. They also made sure the procedure was taken care of by a specialist, and did the keyhole surgery so she could travel sooner, and more comfortably.

The American system definitely left a lot to be desired, and was pretty damn appalling to be honest. The folks at AMA seemed more concerned about her care, than the health care professionals there. All they kept bringing up was "How are you paying?" She was left to wait with what could have been a ruptured appendix, while the clerk was negotiating with the insurance people. All that matters in the US system IS THE CASH. They DO NOT care about patient welfare. And the fact that Americans are allowing this continue, and a large majority wish for it to continue, is mind bottling. And the waits there. I have never in my life waited half as long for care in Canada, than we had to on all three of her appointments.

When you leave the ER there, they have a room, with people behind bullet proof glass like you see in prisons with those round microphone speaker thingies, and all the doors are electronically locked by the clerks behind the window, until you remit payment. It was bizarre. Like some sort of scene from a dystopian film. Once you enter that room, you are not leaving it without making a payment arrangement, no matter how mangled you are. The doors are literally locked from the outside.

Anyway, I have always relied on my Visa Avion benefits, but after seeing how amazingly AMA handled this whole thing, I am certain I will use them in the future for myself.

Don't cheap out on travel insurance people! And thanks AMA.

Also I am not a shill. That forty bucks saved us around $12,000, and everyone should make sure they are protected. I know all too many people that roll the dice. Consider this a PSA.

[Deegee]

Travel insurance is something we offer through our Credit Union Branch with a partnership with another company (similar cost to what you just quoted) and built into several of our Credit Cards and it's something I mandate the team asks people about when they are going on a trip or getting large amounts of foreign cash, or anything else that might tip us off that they are going on holidays.

One of the worst phone calls I ever took at the Branch was one to transfer $35K from someone's savings into their chequing account because they didn't have travel insurance in place and were stuck out of country.

[worth]

Thank you for posting this. I am leaving on April 1 for a year or so. I don't have insurance yet, but I was going to visit one of the AMA retail locations to talk about insurance.

If I do the online quote through AMA for my trip, it comes out to $1,700, which is a lot, especially for someone who is about to have no income, but it works out to less than $5 per day and i'm sure I would gladly pay $5 per day if it meant I would be treated for any injuries right away.

I'm happy everything worked out for you and that AMA was concerned for your nieces well being and that, considering the circumstances, everything worked out well in the end.

[Ace]

Travel insurance is so ridiculously cheap that it's a no brainer. My entire family pays less than $200 a year for unlimited trips lasting 35days or less.

I had a great experience however at the maui hospital, nothing like yours. Actually I often comment how much more efficient the care is :S

Agree though about ensuring they get all your financial info, but for the record my sister used to have to do the exact same thing to Americans who travelled here...though no glass jail.

[Ace]

Originally Posted by worth

Thank you for posting this. I am leaving on April 1 for a year or so. I don't have insurance yet, but I was going to visit one of the AMA retail locations to talk about insurance.

If I do the online quote through AMA for my trip, it comes out to $1,700, which is a lot, especially for someone who is about to have no income, but it works out to less than $5 per day and i'm sure I would gladly pay $5 per day if it meant I would be treated for any injuries right away.

I'm happy everything worked out for you and that AMA was concerned for your nieces well being and that, considering the circumstances, everything worked out well in the end.

That's trip cancelation insurance, which is usually not worth it. You need travel medical insurance.

[worth]

It says Emergency Medical Plan, nothing about trip cancellation. And you're right, I am only concerned about Medical Insurance.

[FlamesAddiction]

My sister was in Florida and had to take my niece in. They prescribed antibiotics and the insurance even covered the extra amount so that she could pick which flavour she wanted.

[Ace]

Originally Posted by worth

It says Emergency Medical Plan, nothing about trip cancellation. And you're right, I am only concerned about Medical Insurance.

The problem is the trip length, you have a trip of a year listed, you actually need to specify something like 14 days.

If you want an annual plan that is a different policy. (Right now the computer thinks you're going on one trip lasting a year)

[worth]

I am going on a trip lasting a year...or more. Hehe.

[GP_Matt]

I have heard that the year long insurance is a lot cheaper is you specify that you will not be in the US during that time. If you are going to be in the US for a short period it may be cheaper to get the non-us plan and then a short plan to overlap for your US portion.

[Ace]

Then that is crazy cheap...Americans pay way more than that for regular health care which is essentially what you're getting.

It's possible you could buy insurance from a Chinese company directly as well.

I have a great policy from Travel Underwriters, not sure if they have a good one for a long trip like that.

[Northendzone]

i should note that many of us have some travel coverage if you have extended health care benefits on your group insurance plan

[worth]

Won't be in the US at all. I will chat with them about it. Thanks for the tips. Ace, I misread your post where you said you get it for $200 a year. Didn't see the part about the trips being under 35 days.

[Superflyer]

I always get travel insurance through AMA. I also have it through my works health plan. I have never had to use it (knock on wood) but for the few bucks it is, it is worth the piece of mind.

[guzzy]

RBC insurance is also very good. they don't ask questions.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Ace

Then that is crazy cheap...Americans pay way more than that for regular health care which is essentially what you're getting.

Not really the same at all. It only covers emergencies, and counts on Alberta health insurance paying a good portion of any bill.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by guzzy

RBC insurance is also very good. they don't ask questions.

Insurance companies are kind of like the big banks where everyone seems to have one that they like and one that they just hate. I say that because I have a client who is a travel agent who will not use RBC because she has had many issues with them.

I think that the AMA policy here is underwritten by Manulife (not entirely positive on that) and (a) I'm sure you can find people who both love and hate them! and (b) they have a "claims concierge" service for when you're travelling and have an issue where they will even send someone to you to assist you.

Like some of the other posters here I always buy extra coverage, on top of the group policy I have. I mean maybe its never a concern and I could save that amount of money, but for what I consider a minimal price I have full peace of mind knowing that I have more than enough coverage for the worst case scenario.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Travel medical insurance (not trip cancellation) is tax deductible as a medical expense too. Assuming you have enough expenses to trigger it, that further brings the cost down to $33.

Thirty. Three. Measly Dollars.

Just get it.

[Mccree]

Great West Life handled my cost without any questions when I needed an ER visit in Las Vegas a few years ago. The only problem we had is that we didn't have my card on hand and had to leave a $1,000 deposit before they would let me go. We kept getting bills from all the Doctors that treated me but we submitted the bills and Great West Life paid the entire amount but it was a pain to keep getting bills.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by fotze

You are leaving the most interesting parts of that story out.

You've got some stories that you could share though, don't you?