Travelling to the US without medical insurance...

[MontyVeda]

For every anecdote where insurance would have been handy or was needed, there's probably a hundred where it wasn't needed... but you're right. It might not be worth the risk.

No idea why it didn't cross my mind the last time i went and like then, I'm embarking on a trip i can barely afford. I'll also be doing a bit of cycling and I might, possibly, maybe get the reversed brakes mixed up in the split second of an emergency stop... again.

Hows about our seasoned travellers recommend me a decent inexpensive insurer?

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Try Travelbag or Trailfinders for insurance. You can haggle with them on price, because (and you'll hate me for telling you this) the profit margin is almost 100%

 

[srw]

Try Travelbag or Trailfinders for insurance. You can haggle with them on price, because (and you'll hate me for telling you this) the profit margin is almost 100%

That sounds extraordinarily unlikely. It would imply that there is no effort involved in selling an insurance policy (not true) and that no claims are ever made (also not true).

It may well be true that a travel agent makes a lot of money out of selling travel insurance - my experience from nearly 20 years ago was that the insurance company made a loss while the distributor made a profit - but I doubt it will be 100%.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

That sounds extraordinarily unlikely. It would imply that there is no effort involved in selling an insurance policy (not true) and that no claims are ever made (also not true).

It may well be true that a travel agent makes a lot of money out of selling travel insurance - my experience from nearly 20 years ago was that the insurance company made a loss while the distributor made a profit - but I doubt it will be 100%.

You may well be right in one sense, or not in another. I'm going by my experience when I worked for commission at a travel agent about 20 years ago. The mark up WAS 100% within the travel agent's system so selling insurance was a good little earner for us consultants. We were permitted to sell a policy for £1 if it got a sale that included flights, transfers, hotels etc. What the margins were between head office and the insurance company I couldn't tell you.

 

[srw]

You may well be right in one sense, or not in another. I'm going by my experience when I worked for commission at a travel agent about 20 years ago. The mark up WAS 100% within the travel agent's system so selling insurance was a good little earner for us consultants. We were permitted to sell a policy for £1 if it got a sale that included flights, transfers, hotels etc. What the margins were between head office and the insurance company I couldn't tell you.

A 100% markup isn't the same as a 100% profit margin - that's a 50% profit margin.

I don't know enough about the regulations around the sale of travel insurance these days to know whether your experience from 20 years ago is still relevant.

 

[Milkfloat]

Ignorance indeed:

- The Americans caused one of the biggest genocide by trying to exterminate the red Indians.
- America is the only country in the world that used atomic weapons twice, killing thousands of people in a flash.
- America is the biggest waster of energy and resources.
- American fast food could be responsible for the level of obesity in the Western world.
- The gun culture in America is so powerful that even mass killings in schools is not enough to weaken it.
- The American army occupied my country until the mid sixties after ww2 until General De Gaulle told them to go home.
_ The North Vietnam has been bombarded endlessly with chemical weapons for years in the late 60s and early 70s.
- Many American films are based on using guns, violence and explosions.
Ignorance?

The French were also partly responsible for America gaining independence, so it is all your fault.

 

[gavroche]

The French were also partly responsible for America gaining independence, so it is all your fault.

Lafayette was the man. I believe he is well remembered I America.

 

[Nigeyy]

The answer is yes, you are crazy not to have some form of coverage -and understand that coverage as well (insured and covered aren't necessarily the same thing). Be very aware of the co-pays and deductibles that may be applicable.

It is a law that you must be treated for a medical emergency in the US, but that's not really the full story -sure, cut off your finger accidentally, or have a heart attack, etc and you will be treated (it wouldn't surprize me with some hospitals if physicians are under pressure to discharge patients as quickly as possible without proper emergency care as well, but that's another story). But the kicker here is that you will only be treated just enough to they can shove you out of the door (regardless of if you need long term care) unless you do have insurance coverage or are very wealthy. Long term patients really are bad for hospitals that have to run as businesses, particularly poor and/or uninsured ones.

So I know what you might be thinking -hey, so if I am in a car crash, I can still get medical care! So why should I get insurance? Well, you will end up with a large bill, and granted you can probably skip on paying this and get back to the UK and forget about it...... but it will mean that you probably can't go back to the USA. That may not be too bad -until maybe one day your relative gets married to a US citizen or your job needs you to travel there, or for some reason that flight you are on gets diverted to Florida. It does happen. Still not convinced? US companies can employ UK collection agencies to collect debts -I'm not sure if that can affect your credit record in the UK. But yes, I'm sure you could probably get away with it all said and done as you will be in another country, but it may come back to bite you.

I personally would take out a policy -though again, I'd want to know what exactly it covers. Just consider it as part of the cost of visiting.

 

[PaulSB]

I've previously had a world wide annual policy with Tesco for myself and wife. Cost £150. Following my heart attack our claim for a cancelled holiday was paid in full within a week. High on my list of recommendations. I've yet to discover the potential costs now I have a heart attack history!!

A cycling friend of mine was knocked off his bike three days before the end of a four week holiday in NZ. Fortunate to survive it was eight weeks before he was allowed to be repatriated when he and his wife flew home first class accompanied by an NZ doctor. Goodness knows how much his care cost, all met by the insurers.

He's back on his bike.

As I understand it the EHIC only covers basic costs. Outside of Europe one takes pot luck. I can't imagine travel without adequate insurance. I wish no ill on anyone but if someone doesn't insure there would be no sympathy from me if the worst happened.

 

[mjr]

I've previously had a world wide annual policy with Tesco for myself and wife. Cost £150. Following my heart attack our claim for a cancelled holiday was paid in full within a week. High on my list of recommendations. I've yet to discover the potential costs now I have a heart attack history!!

Both the BHF and HEART UK keep lists of sympathetic insurers https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/living-with-a-heart-condition/money-issues/insurance and https://heartuk.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/learning-resources/useful-links - as I hinted earlier, I feel the most important thing is to avoid being refused insurance anywhere because that closes a lot of doors.

Tesco are selling Aegis policies who used to be OK but I don't know if they've gone crap or if Tesco are selling a rubbish policy because it now says they "are unable to provide cover for your declared condition(s) and any condition directly or indirectly linked to this" when I go through it. For heart and circulatory conditions, that's a huge exclusion and I suspect it could be very expensive. It also seems like disability discrimination to me not even to offer cover at any price.

 

[jefmcg]

Be very aware of the co-pays and deductibles that may be applicable.

It's travel insurance, not health insurance. The insurer has no relationship to the hospitals, so co-pays aren't a factor. You and/or your insurer will pay the full invoiced cost. If you are insured, you will pay the excess and any exclusions on your policy, so it's a good idea to read your policy.

But it's good advice overall.

A cycling friend of mine was knocked off his bike three days before the end of a four week holiday in NZ. Fortunate to survive it was eight weeks before he was allowed to be repatriated when he and his wife flew home first class accompanied by an NZ doctor. Goodness knows how much his care cost, all met by the insurers.

Presuming he was in a public hospital, the treatment itself would have been free, as there is a reciprocal agreement between the NHS and NZ health care system (same with Australia, UK holiday makers are entitled to the same cover as citizens). It wouldn't cover repatriation of course, but on the other hand a travel insurer will repatriate you as soon as they can, rather than at the best time medically, because the second you touch down in blighty they get to stop paying for everything. However, that's not a reason not to have insurance.

For every anecdote where insurance would have been handy or was needed, there's probably a hundred where it wasn't needed... but you're right. It might not be worth the risk.

Well thousands, I expect. That's why it's so cheap. Here's a data point. I have never made a claim on travel insurance. I have only every travelled overseas without insurance once. I broke my arm. Spent 3 days wrapping and unwrapping a crepe bandage and pretending it wasn't broken until I got back to the NHS.

I also got a kidney infection in the USA once - the sort of thing that is easily rectified with antibiotics, but would probably have killed me without. A GP visit, a lab test and some drugs from Duane Reade set me back about $500 in 2001. I was travelling for work, so claimed it on expenses. I watched a Morgan Spurlock documentary about living on the minimum wage. He cut himself and went to the ER. As I recall, he was charged $300 for a bandage. Insurance companies make arrangements with hospitals, they don't pay that much, but if you walk in off the street it's a captive market and they will charge you a lot of money even for basic treatment.

 

[slowmotion]

That sounds extraordinarily unlikely. It would imply that there is no effort involved in selling an insurance policy (not true) and that no claims are ever made (also not true).

It may well be true that a travel agent makes a lot of money out of selling travel insurance - my experience from nearly 20 years ago was that the insurance company made a loss while the distributor made a profit - but I doubt it will be 100%.

I'm sure the public are actively, and noisily lobbying for the insurance industry to be granted charitable status. Long overdue.

 

[Hill Wimp]

Mod Note

Stop the personal spats and attacks please and keep on topic.

 

[mickle]

I went to America for three years many years ago. Like a eejit i didn't have any health insurance. I had a terrible collision with the road after going over the bars in a sprint - landing flat as a pancake on my face. I was taken to hospital in an ambulance, and released, still bleeding and heavily concussed when they discovered I didn't have insurance.

But I'm alright now.

Maybe this should be in the helmet thread..

 

[MontyVeda]

..

I went to America for three years many years ago. Like a eejit i didn't have any health insurance. I had a terrible collision with the road after going over the bars in a sprint - landing flat as a pancake on my face. I was taken to hospital in an ambulance, and released, still bleeding and heavily concussed when they discovered I didn't have insurance.

But I'm alright now.

Maybe this should be in the helmet thread..

Ouch!

Did they not try to claim against you personally for the ambulance ride?