My wife and I are about to take our first non-business trip to London. Previously, I didn't think about my health insurance because my employer carries a generous package for when you're on the road.
Now that I'm "off the clock" (are any of us ever anymore?), do I need to do anything with my health insurance? What is the procedure if I trip and break my ankle?
Whether you need to "do" something depends on your coverage. Remember that insurors will look for any excuse to avoid payment. Contact them to be sure of your coverage abd any limitations
You will want to ask your health insurer if your policy covers you while in Europe. Most policies don't, from what you say it's possible yours is an exception but you won't want to assume that without knowing.
You asked what happens if you break an ankle. Injuries of this type, though not life threatening, sometimes can end your trip and/or make it necessary to return home sooner, which can result in potentially large costs. Medical evacuation costs are in a separate category from other health insurance and you'll want to ask your insurer if this is covered.
If you need additional traveler's medical insurance, let us know and we can recommend some sources.
I work for one of those great companies that covers me, including med evac, wherever I am. I asked the same question before my first international trip, and I was told by my company that there was nothing special I needed to do to have coverage while I was gone -- didn't need to call and let them know I'd be traveling, or anything else. You really have to ask your company what their rules are.
Definitely check and make sure first! IF they don't offer coverage outside the US for personal trips, there are lots of good companies that offer trip insurance you can purchase separately.
I work for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield so I have a bit of experience in this area.
In general, if your employer covers you while overseas and you are injured/sick it goes something like this:
You find a hospital/doctor (Anthem has a 1-800 call in line which can help you locate one if your overseas and don't know where one is)
Then, depending on the policies of the hospital/doctor you are seeing you may need to pay up front. Other physicians/hospitals have no problem filing the charges to your insurance for you.
In the case that you need to file the claim yourself you simply copy all the reciepts and documents and fill out a brief form (not complicated, just basic stuff.. your name, insurance number, where you were seen etc). Mail or fax that to the insurance company and they will reimburse you.
Like the previous posters stated, each policy is different because each employer has specific rules on how they want things to be covered. Don't hesitate to call your customer service and ask all these questions, they should have a wealth of information!
P.S.
I doubt any health insurance company will need "notification" that your overseas... its not like your credit cards really. However its a very good idea to call and get all the basic info so you know how everything works incase you are injured or sick.
As other replies have said, it is really important to check with your insurance company. We have great coverage in the U.S., but I found out that our insurance only covers treatment outside the U.S. in an emergency room or emergency admission to a hospital. For emergency treatment, we would have to pay upfront, get an itemized bill, and then submit it to our insurance when we return home. That means we also had to make sure we had a high enough credit limit on our credit cards to cover this possibility. Hope that helps.
