International Medical Insurance

International Medical Insurance, sometimes called expatriate insurance, is very important for people who plan to be away from their native country for an extended period of time.

Besides overcoming problems with traditional health insurance coverage from US managed care plans, such as; geographic limits and the closed provider networks,  international medical insurance addresses the other special needs of travelers who must deal with foreign health care systems like:

• Language translation
• Foreign currency exchange
• Transportation to Western treatment centers
• and a variety of cultural issues.

Deciding which international medical plan to buy depends on you and your family's personal needs, finances, and travel itinerary. For instance, If you're heading for Paris rather than the farthest reaches of Tibet, you can probably do with less than $150,000 in emergency-evacuation coverage. If you're taking your family overseas for two years or more, you might want to consider wellness coverage, especially if you have children.

Pricing for this type of coverage is varied and hinges on your desired benefits, among other factors. Some plans might charge more depending on the area of the world you'll be traveling to.

Experts caution against shopping on price alone, because if a product is much less expensive than others, it probably has major exclusions.