Example: "Co-Insurance = 20% or co-pay is 80/20" means that the insurance company pays 80% of the charges, the insured pays 20%. Often there is a maximum co-pay amount, i.e., a limit or ceiling above which the insurance provider pays 100%. Example: "Deductible = $250 and 80/20 co-pay up to $5000, then 100% up to policy maximum." This means the insured is required to pay the deductible of $250 plus 20% of expenses up to $5,000, and the insurance provider pays 100% of covered expenses that exceed $5000 up to the maximum policy coverage limit. Thus, if total expenses exceed $5000 (e.g. $20,000 in total medical expenses) then the insured pays $250 (deductible) plus the co-pay maximum of $1000 (20% of the first $5000) for a total out of pocket cost to the insured of $1250, and the insurer pays the remaining $18,750 of expenses. Where total expenses are only $3000, then the insured pays $250 (deductible) plus $600 co-pay (20% of $3000) for a total out of pocket cost of $850, and the insurer pays the remaining $2150 of expenses.

Emergency Medical Evacuation, Emergency Reunion, and Repatriation Benefits are often bundled together and included in international medical insurance and travel protection plans.

Emergency Medical Evacuation, Emergency Reunion, and Repatriation Benefits are often bundled together and included in international medical insurance and travel protection plans.

Examples include: expenses resulting from illegal drug use, conditions which existed prior to the purchase of the insurance (see pre-existing conditions), participation in various dangerous activities, participation in certain types of sports (see hazardous sports and activities coverage), etc. Most insurance contracts have many of these exclusions. It is important to read brochures carefully.

Family plans are designed to cover all members in a family traveling together, and premiums are usually priced at a discount compared to the rate for a single person. Some family plans include relations beyond the immediate family, such as grandparents and in-laws.

This is the maximum amount of money that the insurance provider will pay for covered expenses. This may be an overall maximum or an amount for each accident or illness.

Medical conditions associated with the insured (or a spouse, travel companion, or close relative in the case of travel protection plans where trip cancellation results from the medical condition of someone other than the insured ) that existed before the plan or policy took effect are pre-existing conditions.

Many plans and policies offer limited or no coverage for medical expenses or trip cancellation expenses resulting from pre-existing medical conditions. These are known as pre-existing conditions exclusions. Most plans specify a maximum amount of time prior to the effective date of the policy during which the manifestation of any pre-existing conditions would constitute exclusions. Example: Pre-existing conditions exclusions are limited to "five years prior to the effective date of the policy." This means any expenses resulting from medical conditions that were manifested or treated within the last five years would not be covered. However, when purchasing some travel protection plans, particularly on a per trip basis, pre-existing conditions exclusions may be waived if the plan is purchased within a certain number of days after the initial trip deposit is paid (often 7-10 days).

Emergency Medical Evacuation, Emergency Reunion, and Repatriation Benefits are often bundled together and included in international medical insurance and travel protection plans.

However, these benefits can also be bundled together and offered as an economical stand alone annual plan, with no medical insurance or travel protection components, but with virtually unlimited coverage for emergency medical evacuation. For frequent international travelers, this type of stand alone plan is a prudent option to consider, especially for those with adequate worldwide medical insurance. This is so primarily because the emergency medical evacuation coverage that is included with most international medical insurance and travel protection plans is limited to a pre-set maximum dollar amount, usually $20,000 - $50,000. It is not uncommon for emergency medical evacuation costs to exceed the common pre-set limits by tens of thousands of dollars, especially when evacuation is from a remote location.

Travel Assistance

Travel Assistance services may be bundled into an international medical insurance or travel protection plan, but these services are not considered insurance. The term travel assistance covers a broad range of services, often including but not limited to: toll-free multi-lingual 24-hour emergency telephone numbers, local offices around the world, web sites offering aid and advice to travelers in need of travel, medical or legal help, translation services, passport and visa assistance, assistance filling prescriptions, and virtually any special assistance useful to travelers in crisis who are far from home.

Some credit cards and international student identification cards and associations offer complimentary travel assistance benefits to their cardholders and members. However, keep in mind that although travel assistance services can provide instant help with a free phone call when needed most, not all services are free of charge once rendered. Many specific travel assistance services, such as legal counsel or translation services, are provided without question at the time of need, but with the clear understanding that the traveler will subsequently reimburse that service provider at a later date when the traveler is in a more convenient position to pay for the service(s) rendered.