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Medical insurance vs. Travel Insurance Medical insurance vs. Travel Insurance
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Staying Healthy on the Road Medical info, e.g. malaria, vaccinations, travel medical tips, medical insurance, where to find a doctor.
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Ripcord Rescue, WORLDwide evacuation services for all, and Travel Insurance for USA residents

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  #1  
Old 14 Jan 2008
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Medical insurance vs. Travel Insurance
I have BUPA International medical insurance already that covers me for medical treatment the world over, except for in the USA (an expensive option I declined).

Do I need to get another "Travel insurance" policy to supplement this too, or could I just get a MedJet policy to get me to a hospital, where the treatment would then be paid for by BUPA.

I've only briefly looked at the MedJet site, but would they repatriate me to the UK from North America to get treatment, since I'm not covered by BUPA there...?

I think I can live without the theft, hijacking cover etc etc...

Anybody else done this? How did it work out?

Nick
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  #2  
Old 15 Jan 2008
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Think you'll find that MediJet (and other medical evac policies) have to have some medical treatment in the country where the injory/whatever occured .. so they have a medical person to say you need medical evacuatiuon .. rather than a trip home at their expense. If reasonable treatment is avalible where you are then I dought any insurance is going to fly you to get treatment eleswhere .. just adds too much risk and $$$$$

Travel insurance is for baggage, passports .. cancled flights .. lost things ..
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  #3  
Old 15 Jan 2008
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You may find Bupa cover does not include high risk activities, its becoming increasingly difficult to get cover for motorcycle touring especially from UK companies.

Depending on where you are going you may not need it except in case of death or real serious injuries.

In India I paid £10 to have an infected mosquito bite surgically removed from my head. For £5 in Guatemala I had a consultation and treatment for a serious viral infection. I lived in Thailand for a while and regularly visited the Doctor and Dentist and rarely paid more than £5.

I would be happy with a policy which ships home my remains unless going to the US where cover is a neccesity.
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  #4  
Old 15 Jan 2008
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Travel insurance make sure it covers everything that you want to do, and get it in writing and file it with someone that will watch your back and doesn't mind pushing people to get things done.

Mine left me high and dry when I informed them that I need an operation abroad, I even had to fly myself home to get an operation on the NHS I now have a limp and loss of movement because it took so long to get an operation.
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  #5  
Old 16 Jan 2008
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Check out this option
I don't usually jump into these threads, but US and Canadian residents may want to check out another medical evacuation option... some of these services have fewer of restrictions mentioned by Frank Warner. A company I work with, Air Ambulance Card, flies sick or injured members home to the US or Canadian hospital of their choice when they are hospitalized 150 miles or more from home. It is the member's choice, as long as the doctors say it is safe for the member to be transported. Check out the website and compare to other standard travel insurance. There's no fine print,
no conditions and restrictions.
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  #6  
Old 8 Feb 2008
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Medjet not enough, get other cover
I had a bike crash in Peru and got flown back to the UK by Medjet with a nurse they supplied. No problems with Medjet, I recommend the company.

However, I wasn't in a condition to fly for two weeks, having surgeries and recovery in a private Cuzco hospital.
None of those costs (£6000) were covered by Medjet. I paid them myself as I had exceeded the trip length limit of my normal travel insurance.

If you need Medjet's services then you are going to be in bad shape, and if you're in bad shape you're likely to need some immediate local treatment. Given that USA treatment would be of high quality then you should take it, as opposed to perhaps insisting on being repatriated from a country with bad health care.

If you don't need any local treatment then you really don't need Medjet.
If your BUPA doesn't cover USA you will need some other travel insurance.
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  #7  
Old 21 Aug 2013
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GLOBAL + Rescue insurance
Anyone had any experience with GLOBAL + Rescue. I will be travelling through South and Central America for 5 months. I am looking at their Medical insurance. Anyone made any claims?
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  #8  
Old 22 Aug 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richted View Post
Anyone had any experience with GLOBAL + Rescue. I will be travelling through South and Central America for 5 months. I am looking at their Medical insurance. Anyone made any claims?
I had a look at their Terms & Conditions. It seems to me (I could be wrong) that they don't provide any medical insurance or cover for treatment. What they do provide is emergency evacuation from place (possibly to a hospital) but all medical bills and treatment costs are excluded.
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  #9  
Old 2 Oct 2013
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Navigator...got a policy for 18 months for a reasonable price only downfall is that need to renew from uk, but we needed ski cover too as working a snow season in Canada and they were the only ones who would for both motorcycle travel and snow sports! Nomads I have been told are quite goid too.

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  #10  
Old 11 Oct 2013
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just renewed with world nomads - the price has gone up, and, at least for their australian underwriters, you now have to select 'level 3'(highest) cover for activities if you are going to be on anything that is not a well maintained tarmac road

send them an email first - your response will include a 10% off coupon code (current is WNHELP)
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