Comparing Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance: Which One Is For You?

Trying to get travel insurance and need to differentiate between travel insurance vs international health insurance? Then let’s dive in here.

When planning an international trip, whether it’s for vacation or an extended stay, your safety and well-being are paramount. Two critical aspects to consider in your preparation are travel insurance and international health insurance. Understanding the difference between the two is crucial in making an informed decision. This guide aims to provide an in-depth analysis of travel insurance vs international health insurance.

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Understanding Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a type of coverage that safeguards you against unexpected events during your trip. It typically includes coverages like trip cancellation, lost or delayed luggage, travel delay, and some degree of medical emergency coverage.

Pros of Travel Insurance

1. Comprehensive Protection: Travel insurance covers a broad range of travel-related issues, such as trip cancellation or interruption, lost or delayed baggage, and travel delays.
2. Emergency Medical Coverage: While not as comprehensive as international health insurance, travel insurance often provides a certain degree of emergency medical and dental coverage.
3. Short-term Coverage: Travel insurance is perfect for vacations or short-term travel as it’s typically bought for the duration of the trip.

Cons of Travel Insurance

1. Limited Medical Coverage: Travel insurance isn’t designed to provide comprehensive health coverage. It usually covers only emergencies and not routine care.
2. Not Suitable for Long Stays: If you’re planning to stay overseas for a long period, travel insurance may not provide adequate health coverage.

Understanding International Health Insurance

International health insurance provides comprehensive medical coverage for people living or working abroad for a long period. It typically includes routine check-ups, prescriptions, surgeries, emergency care, and sometimes dental and eye care.

Pros of International Health Insurance

1. Extensive Medical Coverage: Unlike travel insurance, international health insurance offers comprehensive health coverage, including routine care and non-emergency treatments.
2. Suitable for Long Stays: If you’re an expat or planning a long-term stay abroad, international health insurance is more appropriate.

Cons of International Health Insurance

1. Higher Cost: Generally, international health insurance premiums are higher than travel insurance due to the extensive coverage they offer.
2. Doesn’t Cover Travel Issues: Unlike travel insurance, it doesn’t cover trip cancellation, lost luggage, or travel delays.

Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance: Making the Right Choice

Your choice between travel insurance and international health insurance depends on your specific needs, the duration of your stay, and the nature of your trip.

• For Short-term Travel: If you’re planning a vacation or a short business trip, travel insurance should suffice. It will cover any travel-related inconveniences and provide coverage for emergency medical situations.
• For Long-term Stay or Residency: If you’re planning to live, work, or study abroad for a long period, international health insurance is the way to go. It will cover both routine and emergency healthcare needs while overseas.

What’s the Difference and Do Insurance Companies Offer Them Together?

Some insurance providers do offer both travel insurance and international health insurance, though they are typically separate plans. This is primarily because each type of insurance serves different purposes and has different coverage scopes.

Travel insurance is designed for short-term protection and typically covers emergencies that might occur during a trip, like trip cancellation, loss of baggage, or emergency medical situations. This makes it suitable for vacations or short business trips.

On the other hand, international health insurance is designed for long-term protection, specifically for individuals who are planning to live, work, or study abroad for an extended period. It offers comprehensive medical coverage, including routine check-ups, preventative treatments, surgeries, and sometimes even dental and vision care.

There are some providers who may offer a combined or comprehensive plan that includes elements of both travel and international health insurance. These plans are designed for specific groups of people, like frequent travelers or ex-pats who frequently return to their home country. However, these types of plans are less common and can be more expensive due to their broad coverage.

Remember, it’s crucial to carefully evaluate your needs, understand the terms of your coverage, and communicate with insurance providers to ensure you’re choosing the right plan for your circumstances. It’s also advisable to compare different providers to see what they offer and at what price points.

Travel Insurances Offering Both Travel Insurance and International Health Insurance

Here are examples of insurance providers that offer both travel insurance and international health insurance:

Heymondo

Heymondo provides tailored travel insurance solutions to global explorers, covering a range of scenarios from medical emergencies to trip interruptions. Their policies, available for single trips, annual multi-trips, and long stays, are designed to suit the individual’s journey. Moreover, Heymondo offers International Health Insurance for expats or individuals living abroad for extended periods, addressing their broad health needs with coverage for hospitalization, medical tests, and specialist services, among others.

We strongly advise taking a closer look at an extensive review of Heymondo to determine if their offerings align with your travel or expatriate health insurance needs.

👉🏽 Additional Reading on Heymondo: Safetywing vs Heymondo – Which is Better for Travel

SafetyWing

SafetyWing offers travel insurance geared towards digital nomads and long-term travelers. This covers unexpected illnesses or injuries, hospital charges, and even some non-medical costs like trip interruption. They’ve also launched Remote Health, a more comprehensive health insurance product that can serve as primary health coverage and is suitable for nomads and remote workers worldwide.

We highly recommend reading an in-depth review of Safetywing to find out if it’s for you.

👉🏽 Additional Reading on Safetywing: Travel Insurance for Babies and Children til 10 and Best Safetywing Seniors Travel Insurance until 69 years Old

Allianz

Allianz provides both travel insurance and international health insurance. Their travel insurance plans cover trip cancellation, baggage loss, and emergency medical situations among other things. Their international health insurance, on the other hand, provides more comprehensive coverage for long-term expats, including routine treatments, surgeries, maternity care, and more.

Seven Corners

Seven Corners offers both travel medical insurance and expatriate medical insurance. Their Liaison Travel Medical insurance covers medical emergencies during trips, while their Reside Worldwide plan is designed for those living outside of their home country for an extended period.

Aetna International

Aetna offers both travel insurance and international medical insurance. Their travel insurance covers trip cancellation, loss of baggage, and medical emergencies during travel. Their international health insurance provides a full range of health benefits, from hospitalization and treatments to wellness and routine medical.

Cigna Global

Cigna Global offers international health insurance that includes coverage for hospital stays, specialist consultations, and treatments such as physiotherapy and cancer care. They also offer travel insurance policies with benefits like trip cancellation, baggage loss, and emergency evacuation.

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Diving into Heymondo for Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance

Heymondo is another provider of international insurance products, especially catering to the needs of travelers and expatriates. As of my knowledge cut-off in September 2021, the company offers a range of products designed to provide coverage for medical emergencies, trip interruption, and other common travel mishaps. Here’s a brief overview of their offerings:

Travel Insurance

Heymondo offers travel insurance products tailored to the needs and duration of your trip. They provide Single Trip, Annual Multi-Trip, and Long Stay policies, all of which come in different tiers of coverage (Standard, Premium, and VIP). These insurance packages generally cover medical expenses, repatriation, luggage, trip cancellation or interruption, and provide access to a 24/7 assistance app.

Key Points:

• Policies can be customized with optional add-ons, such as adventure sports coverage or additional cancellation reasons.
• COVID-19 medical coverage is included in their policies.
• The policies do not have an age limit.

International Health Insurance

Heymondo also offers International Health Insurance, intended to cover expatriates or people living abroad for an extended period. This insurance typically covers a wide array of health services, including hospitalization, medical tests, specialist services, and emergency services, among other things.

Key Points:

• Coverage can be worldwide or worldwide excluding the USA, Canada, and other countries with high medical costs.
• Outpatient coverage is an optional add-on.
• Pre-existing conditions might be covered, subject to underwriting and a waiting period.

As always, it’s crucial to thoroughly read through the policy details to understand the coverage limits, exclusions, and deductibles before purchasing an insurance plan. For the most recent and detailed information, please refer to Heymondo’s official website or contact their customer support.

Diving into Safetywing for Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance

SafetyWing, a relatively new player in the field, is doing some innovative things in the insurance industry. They specialize in coverage for digital nomads and long-term travelers, but their products can be suitable for a variety of people.

Travel Insurance (Nomad Insurance)

SafetyWing’s travel insurance product is marketed as “Nomad Insurance” and is designed to cover people from all over the world while outside their home country. It includes coverage for medical emergencies, trip interruption, lost checked luggage, and personal liability. Importantly, SafetyWing’s travel insurance also includes limited home country coverage, providing 15 or 30 days of coverage for every 90 days of policy purchased (30 days for U.S. residents), which is a unique feature among travel insurance providers.

Key Points:

• Coverage can start as soon as the next day and can be purchased while already traveling.
• It operates on a subscription basis, renewing every 28 days until it’s canceled.
• It covers people up to 69 years old.
• COVID-19 related medical expenses are covered.
• Note that pre-existing conditions and routine checkups are not covered.

International Health Insurance (Remote Health)

In response to the needs of their customers, SafetyWing launched Remote Health, a more comprehensive health insurance product that can be used as a substitute for health insurance in your home country. It’s a fully equipped health insurance that covers a wide array of health benefits worldwide.

Key Points:

• It includes coverage for pre-existing conditions after a waiting period.
• Covers hospital charges, doctor and specialist fees, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, and cancer

👉🏽 Additional Reading on Safetywing: Travel Insurance for Babies and Children til 10 and Best Safetywing Seniors Travel Insurance until 69 years Old

Final Thoughts on Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance

When comparing Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance, best to get an insurance offering both like Heymondo and Safetywing.

Understanding the difference between travel insurance and international health insurance is vital to ensure you’re adequately protected when traveling or living abroad.

When choosing, consider your travel duration, health needs, and the potential risks or inconveniences you might face. Ultimately, the choice between travel insurance and international health insurance will hinge on what best suits your personal circumstances and requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance

1. What’s the difference between travel insurance and international health insurance?

Travel insurance provides coverage for travel-related incidents like trip cancellation, lost luggage, and some emergency medical care. In contrast, international health insurance offers more comprehensive health coverage for those living or working abroad, including routine medical care.

2. Can I have both travel insurance and international health insurance?

Yes, depending on your needs and the nature of your trip, you can have both. If you’re living abroad but often travel for short periods, having both could offer comprehensive protection.

3. Which one should I choose for a short-term trip?

For short-term trips, travel insurance typically suffices. It covers travel-related issues and offers emergency medical coverage.

4. Do I need international health insurance if I’m moving abroad?

If you’re moving abroad for a significant time, international health insurance is advisable. It provides extensive medical coverage, including routine check-ups and non-emergency care.

Remember, the goal is to make sure you are well-protected and prepared for any eventuality during your trip. Always assess your needs carefully and choose the insurance type that best matches your situation.