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Government and insurers advise policies with sufficient coverage to pay for hospitalization and repatriation in case of medical accident or holiday sickness

The United States is the destination chosen by 1 in 6 Spanish travelers who take out travel insurance abroad. Something more than 12% (12.2%) of the contracts for this type of coverage are signed for destinations within Europe (United Kingdom, France, Italy or Germany). This is indicated by the statistics of the Mapfre insurance company. These indicate that trips through the interior of Spain concentrate 7% of the total insurance contracted, especially during the summer.

He reports the Mapfre report, for example, the cost of emergency assistance in a country like the United States. This attention can involve a disbursement close to 1,000 euros. In case of basic hospitalization, depending on the severity, the bill can easily amount to 1,100 euros. Unespa adds that the United States is perhaps the country where healthcare or rescue can have higher costs, even reaching figures that exceed 70,000 euros.

The United States is the destination chosen by 1 in 6 Spanish travelers who take out travel insurance abroad. Something more than 12% (12.2%) of the contracts for this type of coverage are signed for destinations within Europe (United Kingdom, France, Italy or Germany). This is indicated by the statistics of the Mapfre insurance company. These indicate that trips through the interior of Spain concentrate 7% of the total insurance contracted, especially during the summer.

Сost of emergency assistance

He reports the Mapfre report, for example, the cost of emergency assistance in a country like the United States. This attention can involve a disbursement close to 1,000 euros. In case of basic hospitalization, depending on the severity, the bill can easily amount to 1,100 euros. Unespa adds that the United States is perhaps the country where healthcare or rescue can have higher costs, even reaching figures that exceed 70,000 euros.

According to the Statista portal, during 2017 the total number of Spanish trips to national and international destinations exceeded 190 million. After a slight fall in 2014 – with a record of minimums of just over 151 million trips – since then the volume of displacements has not stopped growing. Almost 9 out of 10 people decide to spend their summer vacations abroad, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) collected by the comparator are sure iSalud.com.

Travel insurance

Regarding the reasons why travel insurance is used, the Mapfre study highlights that almost 6 out of 10 people do so because of a health-related problem, a situation that in the case of not having insurance can mean a high cost in certain destinations. The second most used cause is cancellations of the contracted trip, which accounts for almost 20% of the use of the policy.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalls the importance of keeping in mind how expensive medical assistance can be abroad. Therefore, it is recommended to be certain that the limits of our policy are sufficient, especially when traveling to destinations such as the United States, Japan, Canada, Colombia, Venezuela, China etc … When traveling to developing countries, the Ministry advises – before the deficiency of the sanitary infrastructures – to sign repatriation policies to return in conditions to Spain.

The insurance business association, Unespa, reports that almost 1 in 10 accidents suffered by insured travelers is serious or extreme. Half of these travel incidents are related to indispositions and diseases during displacement. Accidents account for another quarter of the notices claiming healthcare.

The top ten of countries with extreme health benefits in the case of health care, according to data from Somos Seguros, are formed by the United States (72,116 euros), Turkey (62,486 euros), Cameroon (45,718 euros), Mexico (28,666 euros), China (27,851 euros), Bolivia (23,673 euros), Morocco (23,471 euros), Fiji (23,376 euros), Russia (22,785 euros) and Colombia (22,708 euros).

Before entering American territory, one of the most important recommendations is to take out travel insurance to the US. When planning a getaway, it is rarely thought that a health problem may arise that requires medical assistance, although it is best to put yourself in the worst case to keep possible unforeseen events under control.

Health in the United States is totally private, so going to a medical consultation costs approximately 150 dollars and being treated for emergencies can reach up to 1,000 dollars. In some cases, the possibility of advancing the return to be treated in Spain can be considered, but in case of suffering an accident or suffering from appendicitis, there is no choice but to be treated at a local medical center.

Choose the best insurance to travel to the United States

One of the main recommendations when choosing travel insurance to the US is based on opting for a policy that offers the most comprehensive medical coverage. In this way, in case of suffering an unexpected illness or an accident during your stay in this country, you can have the most complete protection, without having to advance money for the treatment received.

This coverage, in addition to including medical assistance due to illness or accident, should also include the extension of the stay if necessary, as well as repatriation, along with the displacement and accommodation of an accompanying person. It should be borne in mind that the services of an insurance company may change over time, so it is important to take this aspect into account when contracting.

Other tips that should be considered to opt for travel insurance to the US are:

Since suffering an illness or an accident during the holidays is a serious setback, the insurer must provide all possible contact information in order to receive accurate assistance as soon as possible.

According to the policy of some companies, the insured must advance the money from the medical service and request reimbursement later. This is a very important factor to choose an insurance, since the most advisable thing is not to have to worry about the economic plane, but simply to request the assistance when it is needed.

It is essential that customer service is in the native language, since, although English is handled perfectly, it is always more reassuring to explain what is happening and receive a solution in the mother tongue.

Transparency must be key when hiring travel insurance to the United States. Therefore, it is important that all the clauses of the policy are well explained, as well as the forms of payment and the extension of the coverage.

Do not forget that, although health care is the most important factor, travel insurance must also cover other types of situations, such as lost or stolen luggage, delays in leaving the plane or overbooking cases, the anticipated return due to death or hospitalization of a family member, the management of cash delivery abroad, travel cancellation expenses or private civil liability, among others.

Health care in Canada is funded by the state from taxes received by the treasury. Citizens and permanent residents of Canada with state health insurance do not pay for most medical services. You can get a medical insurance policy in your province or territory.

In some provinces, people who have only received a residence permit can immediately take advantage of local health insurance programs. Other provinces set a waiting period of up to three months. During this period, private medical insurance comes to the rescue.
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