Health Insurance Blog

According to the article “Mexico Unveils New Travel Health Insurance Scheme to Win Back Tourists” by Karen Elowitt for petergreenberg.com, Mexico has made a bold move towards winning back tourists after the stigma of Swine Flu has left the country struggling.  Mexico will be setting up a unique health insurance plan which will be available for tourists in the case of illness free of charge.

The program is called the “Tourist Assistance Card” which can be accessed by contacting a toll-free phone number which connects them to a multi-lingual call center.  There may be applicable deductibles and patients will have to get treatment from authorized hospitals. 

The health insurance is being offered by a private company called MAPFRE and it will be available for any type of medical emergency from car accidents to the flu.  They will also offer additional assistance to those who have lost their passports or who need traveling advice.  It is still to be determined whether or not this generous offer will lure enough tourists back to Mexico to save their economy, but it’s a creative solution that could work.

According to the article on PRWeb, “Swine Flu Epidemic Emphasizes Need for Good International Travel and Health Insurance” from Good Neighbor Insurance, the World Health Organization declared the Swine Flu a global flu pandemic.  The H1N1 virus has cases confirmed in 74 countries, has affected about 28,000 people, and approximately 141 deaths.  Symptoms are generally mild, but there is fear that the virus will mutate to a more severe strand.  There has yet to be any sign of that.

Countries around the world are on alert and there is global concern.  Travelers from all parts of the world are thinking twice before heading out, especially to Mexico where the strand was first discovered back in March.  Even young, healthy travelers can become ill and it’s important that you are protected if this happens to you.  Travel insurance can protect you with overseas emergency health insurance.  Some plans help you find local medical care and can assist with evacuation back to the US. 

These are scenarios no one likes to think about, but international travel is part of life for many people.  Having travel insurance can give you peace of mind as you prepare for your trip.