#BringDianaJamesHome | travel insurance

Our Experience Without Travel Insurance, and What We Have Learned

Posted on July 15, 2023July 21, 2023 by Aaron

When Diana first fell into a coma after her subdural hematoma one of our hindsight regrets was not having purchased travel insurance. In a study by AAA, only 38% of Americans plan to or have purchased travel insurance for international flights. Our family has had little experience with international travel. Diana’s ticket was purchased by a family friend to bring her out to Portugal for a visit. Often, it is during the process of booking a ticket where travel insurance is purchased, their coverage can be decent, but at times more expensive than purchasing it separately, and with fewer options than what can be acquired through a more tailored plan.

Since she fell into a coma we have researched deeply into travel insurance to see how it could have helped us, and to help others avoid the same situation. With the most expensive problem, international air medical repatriation, there seems to be only 2 specialized options that would have helped. However, We do want to highlight where general travel medical insurance would have been valuable to us. In this post, we will explore the different options for travel insurance, and where it would have had the most impact in our situation.

Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation Coverage

Posted on July 12, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Cover Trip

*Note: This deeply relevant article has been re-arranged to highlight the coverage elements that we feel are most important. Nothing has been changed or edited, beyond moving some info to the top. Please visit the original link for the unedited version.

This coverage provides for medically necessary evacuation to a medical facility, medically equipped flights to return home, or the repatriation of mortal remains to your primary residence. (A repatriation definition is provided below.)

Contents (click to jump down *on original site)
What does Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation cover?
Repatriation definition
What is NOT covered
Is there coverage for non U.S. citizens?
Important notes about this coverage
What type of policy covers this?
How much coverage does each company provide?
Summary

Summary

All medical evacuations and repatriations must be approved and coordinated with the travel insurance provider
Not all plans provide for the return of minor children or bedside visits
Emergency evacuation and repatriation coverage does not extend to visits to your home country

Important notes about this coverage

Emergency evacuation and repatriation coverage does not extend to your home country
All medical evacuations must be approved in advance and coordinated with the travel insurance plan agents
In a situation of repatriation, your representative must contact the travel insurance provider to make arrangements
Some plans provide reimbursement to bring a friend or family member to your bedside if you are hospitalized for at least 7 days
Some plans provide reimbursement to return dependent children home if you are hospitalized for at least 7 days
Benefits paid for evacuation and/or repatriation are less the cost of your unused return travel ticket

Air ambulance insurance coverage for medical repatriation and evacuation

Posted on July 1, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Air Medical Service Worldwide

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Medical Air Service is an internationally renowned air ambulance company that connects patients and health-care providers all over the world. In a critical medical condition, do you or a loved one require a timely and reliable transfer from one hospital to another across the globe?

Count on us for your medical flights! They are specially designed to relieve you of the stress of aeromedical repatriation and evacuation, and are coordinated by our teams of experienced medical personnel and flight attendants. However, does your health or travel insurance cover our services? While some policies do, gaps in coverage can leave you struggling to pay large bills. Here are a few of the most important highlights.

Is air ambulance covered by insurance?

Generally, standard medical insurance does not cover air ambulances
For your medical flight to be covered by insurance, you must have air ambulance coverage
Air ambulance coverage is, sometimes, included in travel insurance plans
Read your insurance policy carefully or ask your insurer about air ambulance coverage
Medical Air Service can organize your air ambulance flight, even if you do not have air ambulance coverage.

Pre-existing Medical Condition Coverage

Posted on June 13, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Cover Trip

This coverage addresses the needs of travelers who have pre-existing medical conditions. The coverage is actually in the form of an exclusion waiver because travel insurance plans automatically exclude coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.

Summary

No travel plan covers pre-existing conditions, but you can purchase a package plan that offers an exclusion waiver
You must purchase your plan within a certain number of days of the initial trip deposit (typically 14-21 days) or final payment (in some cases), and you must insure the full cost and length of the trip
You must be medically stable when you purchase the travel plan and if a claim is made, the travel insurance provider will examine your health records over the look-back period

Contents (click to jump down)
What does the Pre-existing Condition Waiver cover?
What is the ‘Look-back Period’ and ‘Medically Stable’?
Pre-existing condition examples
Important notes about this coverage
How much coverage does each company provide?
Summary

Bring Diana James Home

Posted on May 15, 2023July 19, 2023 by Megan

Hi! Our names are Megan and Matthew, we are the daughter and son to Diana James. We are experiencing one of the most surreal events of our lifetime currently. It’s hard to imagine what we are dealing with, even for us living in these moments!

On Mother’s Day (5/14) we put our mother on a plane in Portland Oregon for what was supposed to be a trip of her lifetime to Portugal. Within 24 hours of landing she suffered a subdural hematoma, we believe due to some unfortunate events that occurred during her travel. She went to a park along the river bank for an art class and didn’t feel well. She lost consciousness at the park and the ambulance was called. She was taken to Braga Portugal for an emergency craniotomy (removing part of the skull to relieve pressure). We were notified on Tuesday 5/16 and were on a flight out on 5/18 arriving 5/19.

Up until 5/30 she had been intubated with ventilator assist but had a tracheostomy to allow her lungs to stay strong and her throat to heal. We spend several hours a day at her side offering encouragement and familiar voices in a foreign country. She is still unconscious but she has shown signs of improvement. Her eyes have started to open a little bit and had a few tears, she gripped our hand the other day, she blinks her eyelids and moves her body (especially when we tickle her feet), she responds to pain AND most importantly she is now breathing on her own without ventilation. Her latest CT Scan (5/31) was normal. As of 6/1, she has been moved from ICU to the neuro floor for rehabilitation. Her doctor back home, the doctors here in Braga and her children fully believe she just needs more time to wake up.

The 3 Best Travel Medical Insurance Plans: Updated April 2023

Posted on April 1, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Cover Trip

If you want to enjoy peace of mind while traveling outside your home country, you need the best travel medical insurance beforehand. This will protect you in case of emergency for you and any companion travelers. And in this article, we’re going to share the 3 best policies with you.

These plans provide emergency medical coverage for travelers who are leaving their home country. They cover medical emergencies and emergency evacuations. Your health insurance from home might not cover you abroad – which is why this is such an important consideration. You need to have travel medical coverage when going abroad.

Not only are we going to unveil the 3 best travel medical insurance plans currently available. But, we’re also going to cover everything you need to know about this type of plan in general, including:

Why it is essential
What the benefits are
What exactly is covered
How it works
What it costs
How to get your plan set up

But, let’s start with the main topic at hand – what are the best travel medical insurance plans available for travelers right now?

The Three Best Travel Medical Insurance Plans

We have three plans we’re going to discuss – but the ideal pick for you will depend on a number of factors, including your trip destination, desired coverage, age, and more. With that said, I recommend Seven Corners for your travel medical insurance plan. They have specialized in this coverage since 1993, insuring thousands of international travelers every year. Here is why they’re so great:

What is Flight Insurance?

Posted on March 27, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Insure My Trip

Airline Ticket Protection Explained

Flight insurance is a coverage option that is most often available as an add-on when booking an airline ticket, either from an airline directly or through a third-party site, like Expedia or Priceline. Flight insurance is a “light” type of coverage due to the lower plan limits compared to other options. Every insurance plan, including flight insurance, has a certificate that outlines what may be covered regarding unexpected events and the maximum value of the coverage. Collectively, this certificate describes the plan limits.

What Does Flight Insurance Cover?

For most flight insurance plans, the coverage is limited to unexpected events related to your air travel. In general, this type of policy covers flight delay, trip cancellation or trip interruption, and lost, damaged, or stolen luggage up to the plan limit. It also covers you if you’re not able to fly due to a documented medical reason on the date of your trip. Keep in mind that since the limits are low, it may leave some gaps in coverage.

Travel Insurance Coverage: The Complete Guide

Posted on March 16, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Cover Trip

*Note: This article has been reorganized to highlight medical issues first, please visit the original link.

Travelers of all types buy travel insurance coverage: singles, families, honeymooners, seniors, volunteer vacationers, even business travelers. Every traveler and every trip is different, but understanding the benefits and exclusions is important to choosing the right policy or package plan.

Note: In each example, a range of coverage represents the high and low. Actual benefits will depend on the plan you choose.

Pet Care Coverage

Posted on March 15, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Cover Trip

*We are a family of dog lovers. So while this may not be an issue for us at the moment, it is one close to our hearts.

When you travel with your fur baby, you may be surprised to know that a travel insurance plan can protect them as well as you. Read on to learn about pet care coverage with travel insurance.

What type of policy covers this?

Not many plans offer this type of coverage and the ones that do are typically package plans.

Summary

Travel insurance benefits for pets is extremely limited and only a couple of plans offer any real protection for pets
When making a travel delay claim for pet-related fees, you’ll need appropriate documentation from the kennel
Your pet must be healthy and have updated shot records for pet benefits to be payable
Your pet must be checked in with a licensed commercial boarding kennel for pet benefits to be payable

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Posted on March 14, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Cover Tip

This simple guide will show you exactly how travel insurance protects you and your money

So, what does travel insurance cover? That’s exactly what we’re here to discuss today. Here’s the very short answer:

Travel insurance covers lost money from canceled trips, emergency medical expenses, evacuation costs, baggage & delays, and 24/7 assistance.

This is a simple overview of the coverage you get with comprehensive travel insurance. The long answer is that your specific travel plan will dictate the coverage you get. For a more in-depth explanation you can read our complete guide to travel insurance coverage. Meanwhile, we’re going to explain the 5 things most travel insurance plans cover. Towards the end, we’ll recommend your next steps in securing the best possible travel insurance coverage.

So, What Does Travel Insurance Cover? 5 Common Coverages

We’re going to start by explaining what travel insurance covers. From canceled trips to medical emergencies, evacuations to delays – most of your concerns are covered by the insurance company you get your plan through. However, the degree of coverage you have is dictated by your specific plan – so read carefully when comparing travel insurance plans. Oh – and after we finish up this section, we’ll answer an equally important question: what does travel insurance not cover? First things first – let’s talk about trip cancellation coverage.

How Does Insurance on Airplane Tickets Work?

Posted on March 14, 2023July 19, 2023 by Aaron

Original Link | Allgetaways.com

Protecting yourself against trip cancellations, airline changes, and lost or damaged baggage makes financial sense. When traveling, people want to be able to get away from the stresses of their life, not add more. People don’t consider or feel the need to buy travel insurance during their getaways. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many are still feeling weary to go on vacation and are investing in travel insurance plans. It’s helpful to have insurance in place if your ticket is non-refundable because if you need to make a last-minute change, you are protected. There are many travel insurance companies and insurance providers you can go to that cater to your needs. You have the option to buy coverage for things such as medical and dental expenses while away from home.

What Airline Insurance Covers

Airline ticket insurance can be used for trip cancellations, trip interruptions, trip delays, medical expenses, spending beyond your credit card, and baggage loss. When you buy a ticket and then need to cancel it, you will not get your money back unless your airline ticket insurance and your reason for cancellation is a covered reason. Reasons include the death of a family member or traveling companion, illness, injury, medical evacuation, and more. In return, the travel insurance can reimburse you only if a prepaid, non-refundable ticket. Rental cars, the cost of your flight, and other travel assistance are offered through those reimbursements. When your trip is interrupted, has a flight delay, or needs to fly home immediately instead of taking the return flight you originally booked, your insurance will cover any trip costs you might have to pay. Your insurance policy will also reimburse you for costs associated with lost, stolen, or damaged luggage while you travel. If you miss a connecting flight and forfeit a hotel reservation, your insurance will cover any charges or deposits you can’t get back from the hotel. When you buy a policy that includes medical coverage, your airline ticket insurance also pays for expenses not covered by your own health plan.

Summary

Important notes about this coverage

Table of contents

Summary

The Three Best Travel Medical Insurance Plans

Airline Ticket Protection Explained

What Does Flight Insurance Cover?

What type of policy covers this?

Summary

So, What Does Travel Insurance Cover? 5 Common Coverages

What Airline Insurance Covers