Short Term Travel Health Insurance

With the October 1^st celebrations just passed, and the Double 9 Festival approaching next week, Hong Kong is on a run of public holidays that will take us through to the end of the year and into the Christmas period. With school breaks added to the mix, and the ease with which Hong Kong residents can access attractive destinations across South East Asia, it feels like many people will be getting out of town over the coming 3 months.

Any travel carries with it a degree of risk – from delayed flights to lost luggage, there are many things that can go wrong on any trip. But, one of the most concerning issues for myriad travelers is the question of “what do I do if I get sick or injured outside of my home country?”

Medical Insurance on Standard Travel Insurance

Many travel insurance plans around the world will provide medical coverage so that, in the event that you suffer and accident or injury while abroad on holiday, you will have the financial support you require to receive adequate treatment. This means that if you buy a travel insurance policy in Hong Kong, through a Hong Kong Insurance company, then in addition to receiving coverage against a range of ancillary risks you can be covered for up to HK$ 2,000,000 (US$ 257,238) for accidents or illnesses you experience whilst overseas.

In many cases, the medical insurance offered under most Hong Kong Travel Insurance options is suitable to manage most emergencies, but is designed to get you back to HKSAR – where it is assumed that you will likely continue to receive necessary healthcare treatment via the city’s Public Medical System. This is to say that, the medical benefits provided to policyholders under many umbrella travel insurance products do not offer extensive healthcare protections; in the event that you need to use the policy you will likely be limited in the total level of financial compensation you receive.

Standard travel insurance products have their place in the market – families going on a beach vacation or a single traveler going abroad to watch a football game will normally have their needs satisfied by most generic travel insurance products available in Hong Kong. However, if your trip lasts more than 3 months, or if you will be working while you are overseas, then it may make sense to look at a bespoke travel insurance solution designed specifically to address your healthcare needs.

Dedicated Travel Health Insurance

If you are planning an extensive trip overseas, and are going to be outside your home country for up to two years, there are now new options available to provided you with comprehensive healthcare protection at a more affordable price-point than is commonly encountered with annual International Private Medical Insurance products.

Designed to protect digital nomads and back packers who are internationally mobile and living in multiple countries over the duration of their journey, Short Term Travel Health Insurance products offer dedicated medical protection with relatively few limits or restrictions that will impact your ability to receive care for new medical conditions. This coverage is intended to provide the policyholder with long term healthcare support no matter where they are currently located in the world, even if they have already left on their trip.

Unlike standard travel insurance products, Dedicated Travel Health Insurance does not offer supplementary benefits outside of health insurance protection. This means that under this type of plan you will not receive insurance protection against the costs associated with lost bags, delayed flights, or missed bookings. What you will receive is health insurance that you can actually depend on and use.

Travel Health Insurance Coverage

Under a dedicated short term travel insurance plan, you will receive protection against a wide range of common medical costs, including:

• Inpatient Medical Treatment
• Outpatient Medical Treatment
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
• Sports Injury Cover
• Emergency Dental Treatment
• Option to choose deductibles or excesses
• Maternity Cover before week 12
• No Overall Limit
• Direct Billing Assistance
• COVID-19 Protection

Under these insurance plans, you are able to receive coverage on a worldwide basis but can elect to exclude the insurance from the USA and Canada for a premium discount. This gives you exceptional protection against a wide range of healthcare concerns without having to pay the costs associated with a full-blown health insurance policy. Further to this, short-term travel health insurance policies do not require any policy administration if you should travel to a third or fourth country outside your home nation – you plan will continue to protect you no matter where you may go in the world, or what passport you hold.

Travel Health Insurance Restrictions and Exclusions

It is important to note that there are restrictions that come with a dedicated Travel Health Insurance policy – the first, as previously mentioned, is that this type of insurance only pertains to healthcare claims. If you are looking for coverage against loss of baggage, or delay/curtailment/cancellation of travel, then it would be wise to consider alternative coverage solutions.

Short Term Travel Insurance Waiting Periods

If you are purchasing a dedicated travel medical insurance plan, then there is a 14-day waiting period applied to all claims. This means that only new medical conditions, diagnosed after you have been on the plan for 14 days, are able for coverage under this type of policy. However, this waiting period is waived if you hold any traditional health insurance coverage immediately prior to purchasing a travel health insurance plan.

Further to this, if you are still in your home country when you purchase a short-term travel health insurance plan then the insurance will not take effect until you travel overseas. But by holding a policy prior to departing on your journey, you can avoid any waiting periods and the insurance will start as soon as you commence your trip.

In addition, Maternity Coverage is tied to a waiting period of 10 months. This means only individuals who have been on the plan for at least 10 months may avail themselves of the policy’s maternity insurance protection.

Coverage Duration

Short Term Medical Insurance is designed to protect you for trips of one month in duration, up to a maximum of two years. This means that if you are traveling between 31 or 730 days, this type of insurance may be right for you. If you are traveling for a shorter, or longer period, then alternative insurance options may be more suitable.

Home Country Restrictions

Treatment in your home country is limited under short term travel insurance to 6 weeks per 180 days. The plan will only cover life-threatening emergency treatment whilst in your home country on this basis.

Hong Kong Health and Travel Insurance Advice

Short term health insurance options are designed to bridge a gap between travel insurance and traditional medical insurance protection in an internationally connected world. In an environment where people can travel from one country to another with simply purchasing a ticket, this type of insurance exists to offer frictionless protection no matter where your journey may take you.

To learn more about the dedicated travel health insurance options offered by CCW Global in Hong Kong, or to learn more about the alternative travel insurance solutions we work with, please Contact Us today and speak with an independent insurance broker now.

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