Travel Health Insurance: Don't Leave Home Without It!

One of the most important decisions you can make when planning a trip or vacation is the decision to purchase travel health insurance.

Many people neglect to buy this 'just-in-case' coverage, and every year thousands are stranded in faraway places when they are struck with illness, or hurt. Don't let a vacation incident become a vacation nightmare when you cannot pay for emergency medical coverage you sorely need.

The following are things to look for when perusing travel health insurance (also known as travel accident insurance). Make sure the Policy offers at least the following:

* Any charges for ambulance services to the nearest hospital
* Hospital accommodations as needed
* Any laboratory testing and x-rays
* Doctors, surgeons and nurses' fees
* Emergency prescribed medications

Overall, there are some basic questions you need to ask, including:

* Specific amounts of coverage and what is excluded, if anything
* Is there a deductible and how much?
* Are sports related injuries covered?
* Are any medical emergencies due to pre-existing conditions covered or excluded?
* Is every member of your family or travel group covered in the plan?
* Is there a provision for costs incurred if a flight is missed and a more expensive flight has to be booked? What about missed work due to illness or accident?
* Is the cost of returning the sick or injured person home covered?

Medical emergencies can be expensive no matter where they occur. Most people don't think they need this coverage until it's too late - don't be 'most people'! Travel health insurance is an effective and cost-efficient way to secure peace of mind so you can go have some fun!

These tips are brought to you by Travel-like-a-pro.com, where you will find more information and money-saving tips to use on your next trip.

Shauna Arthurs is a writer/editor and Co-founder/owner of a network of web-based help sites, including Travel-like-a-pro.com, home of the Travel Industry Secrets guide to never paying retail travel rates again!