# Travel insurance question



## Mrtcpip (Feb 15, 2014)

If I am technically a resident of Italy, (ER visa) and I travel home to the US for a month, what is the best travel insurance option? Everyone I check seems to be orienteD toward US residents? This for the help!


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Assuming that you're covered by some form of insurance in Italy (national health or private insurance), then you would get a travel policy for Italian residents. (Most insurers will ask you for your nationality, which is fine, but you should be sure to get a policy for Italian residents.)

Try some of the UK insurers rather than the US ones. They tend to have "European" policies more readily available. They actually only need to know your country of residence for the "repatriation" clauses of their contracts.
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## Mrtcpip (Feb 15, 2014)

Thank you so much!


----------



## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

....However, in reality many (or even most) medical insurance companies don't want to insure U.S. nationals resident overseas for visitor travel to the U.S. Here are some that are willing, at least in principle (listed either by company name or policy brand): IMG, Cigna International, AARO, Liaison, Aetna International, Diplomat America, and GeoBlue. Note also that all of these companies have age and other limits, and many of them are not PPACA compliant, meaning they don't have to meet basic U.S. standards for quality of coverage.

This is one reason why you might want to consider signing up for an ongoing supplemental insurance policy in Italy, beyond the public medical system. Your private carrier may be willing to provide either temporary or permanent international benefits of some sort.


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Unless things have changed, AARO doesn't offer travel insurance - though their regular expat insurance will cover treatment in the US. Check the international companies for travel insurance: AXA, Swiss Life, Allianz, Bupa, etc.

Or Google "travel insurance." It's much more common here in Europe to take travel insurance when visiting abroad and there are a number of travel insurance "markets" online. 

I have also gotten very reasonable travel insurance through the airline I'm taking - though I think you have to take the offer when you're buying the tickets online. Air France, at least, seems to offer it regularly. 
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Well, let's consider Air France's travel insurance for a moment. According to their policy disclosure document there's a 150,000 euro limit on medical care. It's pretty easy to blow right past that figure in a real medical emergency in the United States (and in some other countries), especially since you're going to get the out-of-network rate.

I also find it "amusing" that the policy can deny benefits if you don't contact the carrier before obtaining treatment. "Amusing" because the policy is limited only to some emergency medical care, and presumably you're not going to be contacting your insurance company while you're unconscious or in a coma. But that's what the policy says.

There are some other troubling limitations, but those two jump out. It doesn't look like a great policy for U.S. travel -- let's just leave it at that.

Bupa looks much more reasonable at quick glance.


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Not sure what policy you were looking at, but the policy I have gotten through Air France in the past had a full million and a half dollar limit. Maybe it depends what country you're coming from? Or possibly whether or not you're a frequent flyer member - but what you're describing is definitely not what I had my last couple of trips over to the US.

But take a look at what's on offer through a site like https://www.worldwideinsure.com/international-travel-health-insurance.htm or Travel insurance, Get the best quote on international travel insurance – Lonely Planet or https://www.travelguard.com/travelinsurance/international.asp?intcmp=clc-001-Nav-2-International

I've also used Columbus Direct - Award Winning Insurance & Service (when they were connected with a frequent flyer program I was enrolled ing). Google "international travel insurance" and there are lots of options and quite a few comparison sites you can work with. (And you have the option for annual insurance - usually limited to a certain number of trips or days per year outside your home country - or per trip coverage.) Just be aware that travel health coverage for the US is the most expensive type of policy, due to high health care costs in the US. 
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Mrtcpip said:


> If I am technically a resident of Italy, (ER visa) and I travel home to the US for a month, what is the best travel insurance option? Everyone I check seems to be orienteD toward US residents? This for the help!


I have seen it suggested before: if you are 65 years-old or older, eligible for or already collecting Social Security, and expect to travel to the US more than once per year, the most cost-effective option may be to sign up for Medicare and the lowest-cost Medicare Advantage Plan you can find.


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Is the Medicare Advantage plan actually even necessary for short-stay visits like that? Medicare tends to handle most, if not all in-patient care and treatment (and it costs nothing if you have the quarters). For visits, all you really need is "emergency" coverage. The one thing Medicare won't do for you that travel cover will is to ship you back "home" once you're able to travel. 

For a month-long trip, especially if you aren't doing that sort of thing more than once or twice a year, finding travel cover would seem the more economical route, especially for the under-65 set.
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## Kats (Nov 1, 2014)

I recently took out expat travel insurance from Citybond Suretravel. I took an annual policy so covered my recent holiday but I will now have cover for return trip to the UK.


----------



## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Medicare Part A doesn't cover physicians' fees or prescription drugs, both of which are still relevant to emergency care. Part A is "better than nothing," but it's not adequate.

That said, Part A combined with _quality_ supplemental emergency medical insurance, including repatriation, would be a good combination.


----------

