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Would appreciate any personal experience with short-term trip health insurance in the BVI -- Our health insurance has no coverage and age 63 begins to tempt fate -- Thanks
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By "no coverage" do you mean just in the BVI's, out of the country, etc.? Reason I ask is that ours provides "Out of Network" coverage.
As far as health insurance look at SkyMed here on the sponsor page. I've never looked at them for anything but medical evac but who knows?
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"Insure My Trip" is a TTOL sponsor, and they provide full travel insurance, not just medical evac. Medical evac is very important, as it can cost $50,000 and up, but if you're going to buy travel insurance, it's better to buy insurance that covers medical care AND other travel related issues. Insure my Trip allows you to compare several travel insurance policies side by side, to determine what works best for you.
As far as "out of network" coverage, our medical insurance has EXTREMELY high co-pays and deductibles, if we go out of network.
Carol Hill
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First check to see what you have with American Express. For many of us there are very solid reasons to only use American Express for airline tickets. Not all the cards are equal so you must check your own benefits and you must use The Card to get the benefits. Maybe you can get that from VISA or MC but I have not found it.
Two, if you do not automatically have it from American Express? For us the most important benefit is global coverage that allows you to get an American doctor on the phone 24/7 and if you have any issues that require significant treatment a medically equipped airplane will be sent to get you home and to your care. My experience is not the risk and cost of treatment you can get locally on a trip. The cost and risk is transportation if you want or need to go home for significant care. If anyone in your group gets real sick you will want to see that plane to get you home. That all starts with a service that gets a US physician on the phone 24/7 to review your symptoms and possible treatment. They will either refer you to a local doctor known to them or come get you.
Last edited by StormJib; 08/18/2016 10:29 AM.
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Out of Network with my coverage is simply a 20% co-pay exactly the same as Out of Network in the states.
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StormJib said:
First check to see what you have with American Express. For many of us there are very solid reasons to only use American Express for airline tickets. Not all the cards are equal so you must check your own benefits and you must use The Card to get the benefits. Maybe you can get that from VISA or MC but I have not found it.
Two, if you do not automatically have it from American Express? For us the most important benefit is global coverage that allows you to get an American doctor on the phone 24/7 and if you have any issues that require significant treatment a medically equipped airplane will be sent to get you home and to your care. My experience is not the risk and cost of treatment you can get locally on a trip. The cost and risk is transportation if you want or need to go home for significant care. If anyone in your group gets real sick you will want to see that plane to get you home. That all starts with a service that gets a US physician on the phone 24/7 to review your symptoms and possible treatment. They will either refer you to a local doctor known to them or come get you. Which is exactly what SkyMed does.
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Ours is a LOT more than that..
Carol Hill
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We use IMG for expat and folks on foreign travel. http://www.imglobal.com/en/index.aspxBut, I think travel insurance is a better bet for this kind of trip. Cheers, RickG
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Tangentially....
You may wish to focus on medivac
Getting ill on Tortola - you may be wise to jump to SanJuan
or, at the very least STT - and of course - Miami being the first choice
Medivac at times has obscure wording - that requires a Doctor to sign-off- admitting that you MUST be evacuated because they cannot provide appropriate care.
.... which then raises yet another issue of ego & pride ((sigh))
So - if that wording exists in your policy - find one that states Medivac is YOUR choosing
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Through Insure My Trip we got On Call International. It's evacuation insurance at our choice. Mercifully haven't had to use it yet, so can't review their performance. We have UN medical jnsurance, good anywhere in the world.
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CGB said:
Tangentially....
You may wish to focus on medivac
Getting ill on Tortola - you may be wise to jump to SanJuan
or, at the very least STT - and of course - Miami being the first choice
Medivac at times has obscure wording - that requires a Doctor to sign-off- admitting that you MUST be evacuated because they cannot provide appropriate care.
.... which then raises yet another issue of ego & pride ((sigh))
So - if that wording exists in your policy - find one that states Medivac is YOUR choosing That's what SkyMed does. Once you are stabilized you and a companion can be transported by fixed wing aircraft to a medical facility closest to the town/city you claim on your application.
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for clarity... I used the term "medivac" generically - I have no idea if that is used as a trademark by anyone
((CMA as a far more important version of CYA))
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Just figured that the OP wanted more specific information...
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I bought trip insurance through Insure My Trip this week for my trip to BVI this November. My concerns are: medi-vac; baggage delay; and trip interruption. Very happy with the website comparison shopping and the phone support I got when I called in to ask questions. And super happy to purchase from a TTOL sponsor! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />
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Sunnykm said:I bought trip insurance through Insure My Trip this week for my trip to BVI this November. My concerns are: medi-vac; baggage delay; and trip interruption. Very happy with the website comparison shopping and the phone support I got when I called in to ask questions. And super happy to purchase from a TTOL sponsor! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> Unless I missed it after all these years/trips, InsureMyTrip policies do not cover medical evacuation.
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Check out OnCall International. It's a one year membership.
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I called them to make sure I was getting the correct policy...plus they have a really easy to navigate website to compare policy benefits, so I could see in writing what I was purchasing over the phone.
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Sure they do. It's part of any standard travel policy.
Carol Hill
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Carol_Hill said:
Sure they do. It's part of any standard travel policy. Yes they apparently do BUT with some concerning restrictions as per the paragraph below from one of the CSA policies. I may have mis-read but the SkyMed policy will transport once stable not only if the local facility can't adequately treat you. Moving you to a hospital or medical clinic (emergency medical evacuation)
If you're seriously ill or injured during your trip and our medical team determines that the local medical facilities are unable to provide appropriate medical treatment:
• our medical team will consult with the local doctor;
• we'll identify the closest appropriate facility, make arrangements and pay to transport you to that facility.
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Rick--we're talking about EMERGENCY medical evac here, which normally means a private jet. I don't believe Sky Med will pay for a private jet either, if a person can be adequately treated where they are. The difference between SkyMed and most of the others is that they will take you to your home hospital of choice. Most of the others will take you to the nearest medically appropriate facility. ...which could be Miami, which would be convenient for someone from Florida, not nearly so convenient for someone from California. I do note that the "taking you home" option is also available on some of the more expensive plans, so that is not limited to Sky Med.
Carol Hill
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SkyMed flies you in a "fixed wing aircraft" so as to differentiate from a helicopter. The difference in SkyMed taking you to your home hospital of choice is why I've contracted with them. BTW, the "nearest medically appropriate facility" may not even be Miami but could easily be St. Thomas or San Juan. Bottom line? I NEVER want to utilize it! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
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and - to all of us:
try imagining a situation where the insurance company would be "legally scared enuff" to actually be willing to pay for it.
May we never get near....
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My Mother in Law got sick on a trans-atlantic cruise. Was taken off the cruise ship in Italy to the Rome American Hospital where she was there diagnosed with brain cancer. She purchased the $79 cruise ship travel insurance which was On Call International. They had a nurse fly to Italy to deal with the hospital, arranged her flight home to her HOME hospital, flew with her to her home hospital, had an ambulance waiting at the airport to take her to the hospital and stayed at her home hospital with her until she was all checked in and in her room. The nurse took care of EVERYTHING....no details for my MIL to worry about. All included in the cost of the $79 plan. I will never travel with out travelers insurance again.
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It was and very much appreciated. Like I said....I will never travel with out it again. The piece of mind alone is worth the cost.
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GOD now I have StormJib aka: PA Ron private messaging me with his drivel!! He apparently can't comprehend basic info and has continued his cut and paste in the PM's!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/smashpc.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/smashpc.gif" alt="" />
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Rick--you can block anyone you want from sending you PM's, by clicking on their user name and selecting "ignore"
Carol Hill
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lol! don't cut the PMs must be worth a giggle <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />
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- only person on my ignore list -same poster = same reason - drivel. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Argue.gif" alt="" />
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Definitely am blocking PA Jib as he just sent one telling me I apparently don't understand that InsureMyTrip is a "broker" for several insurance companies. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />
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RickinAtlanta said:Sunnykm said:I bought trip insurance through Insure My Trip this week for my trip to BVI this November. My concerns are: medi-vac; baggage delay; and trip interruption. Very happy with the website comparison shopping and the phone support I got when I called in to ask questions. And super happy to purchase from a TTOL sponsor! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> Unless I missed it after all these years/trips, InsureMyTrip policies do not cover medical evacuation. That would all come down to which of the more than 30 underwriters and more policy option than I can count from https://www.insuremytrip.com/travel-insurance-providers/.Sponsor InsureMyTrip can meet almost any need. Before you buy you may want to check what you already have from your personal insurance and employer underwriters along with the benefit to many who use American Express. There is great choice with InsureMyTrip, not all plans are created equal. The more flexibility and control on the insured end the greater the cost. For those truly sick the ability to chose where the "best" healthcare for you at that time may be the most important option.
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Hoping he will realize there is free porn on the innywebernet and that will keep him occupied.
My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...
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Just spit out a mouthful of a "heavily rum-infused beverage" laughing so hard!!! Carol--PLEASE, can we have a "like-more-than-a lot!!!" button to push??!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />
Sometimes we live no particular way but our own...
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