While going on a trip, most people realize the importance of purchasing travel insurance to protect themselves in case something goes wrong. However, there are terms that people hear about travel insurance: travel medical insurance, trip insurance or trip cancellation insurance, visitors insurance, and so on. For an average customer, it can be difficult to understand whether they are all different types of insurance and which one is the right type of insurance that people should purchase.
Travel insurance is primarily available in two different categories. Let us compare travel insurance vs travel medical insurance.
- Travel Medical Insurance
- Trip Insurance
Travel medical insurance is international health insurance that is primarily focused on medical expenses while you are on an international trip. It is generally designed to cover any medical, conditions, or injuries that may occur after the effective date of the policy. Additionally, some of the travel medical insurance plans also cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions.
It is also called visitors insurance, and this term is especially popular among visitors to USA.
Trip insurance (also known as travel insurance) is primarily focused on the prepaid non-refundable trip cost that you may lose in case you can not go on your trip due to covered reasons. In other words, the primary focus is on trip cancellation coverage. Additionally, there are some trip insurance plans also provide coverage for cancel for any reason, provided some additional conditions are met. When you look at all of the benefits of travel insurance for an international trip, you will see that coverage for medical expenses is typically included as well.
Depending upon what you are trying to get protected against, you can decide which one would be more suitable for you, and the following side-by side comparison can help:
| Travel Medical Insurance | Trip Insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Trip Length | Can be purchased for any duration ranging from 5 days to 1 year, and some plans renew up to 2 or 3 years. | Ideally suitable for trip up to 30 days. The price is the same for any number of days up to 30 days and some plans may allow up to 90 days or 180 days. |
| Trip Type | International trip only | International or domestic trip |
| Medical Expenses | Various policy maximums and deductibles available. Within the U.S., direct billing through PPO network may be available. | Typically, one medical maximum with no deductible. No PPO network. Some plans may offer additional medical coverage as an optional rider. |
| Acute onset of pre-existing conditions | Typically, available | Typically, not available |
| Extendable | Typically, yes | No |
| Trip cancellation | Excluded | Included |
| Baggage Delay | Typically included | Typically included |
| Travel Delay | Typically included | Typically included |
| Loss of Passport | Typically, not available | Typically, available |
| Plan Eligibility | A wide variety of choices for U.S. residents and non-U.S. residents | Most plans are available only to U.S. residents |
| Purchase Eligibility | Subject to terms and conditions of each plan, refundable before or after the effective date of the policy. | Only during the free look period, such as 7 to 10 days after the purchase. |
| Home Country Coverage | Incidental and/or end of trip home country coverage available in some plans. | Not available |
| Rental Car Damage | Typically excluded | Available at additional price in some plans. |
| Variations | Typically, the same plan is available to the residents of various U.S. states. | The exact plan benefits may vary state by state. |
Of course, the above is a general comparison of two major types of travel medical insurance. The exact features may vary in each plan, as described in the certificate wording.
Typically, both types of travel insurance plans would provide the coverage for various travel related benefits such as trip interruption, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, loss of checked luggage, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), and more.
We have various insurance plans available both in travel medical insurance as well as in trip insurance categories. For a given type of insurance, you can get the instant quotes from multiple products, compare them side by side, and make an instant purchase online.
However, if you find it confusing to decide which type of travel insurance is the most suitable for your specific situation, please feel free to contact us at any time, we would be glad to help you decide.
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