Best Medical Care For Travelers Abroad
By Wendy Perrin
I'm thrilled to see that one Todd Binkowski of International S.O.S. has written in about my last post, where I was trying to help a reader who did not find in International S.O.S the travel medical insurance he was seeking. (I had recommended International S.O.S. because I believe it provides the best medical care to travelers overseas.)
Todd's input:
"International S.O.S. is an "assistance" company, not an insurance company. The easiest way to explain the difference is that while an insurance company pays your bills, an assistance company actually performs the services. International S.O.S. has a worldwide network of alarm centers, doctors, nurses, clinics, evacuation services, and other travel-related services that can help any time, anywhere in the world.
In addition to our assistance services, we offer medical insurance and trip-cancellation coverage that can be added to memberships if the customer so wishes. The reason we don't lump the insurance coverage in with our normal memberships is that we don't want a customer to have to pay for something he doesn't need. Oftentimes a customer's primary insurance covers him overseas, or his packaged trip may already offer trip-cancellation coverage.
Offering the stand-alone products allows travelers to choose what best fits their specific needs.
We often say in our business that medical insurance is great, but if you can't get to the hospital to see a doctor, what good is the insurance?"
Well put, Todd. Thanks for writing in.
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Omniture events in request:
Hi Wendy,
As a public relations consultant for an air evacuation membership program (Air Ambulance Card), I would warn your readers to compare the fine print. Many programs will fly an injured member to the "nearest appropriate facility" or a hospital it deems appropriate. If you were injured in Indonesia, that could mean a hospital in Singapore. If you were injured in the Carribean, that could be Miami. Imgaine the cost to your family if they had to fly to Miami to be at your bedside for a week or two, and pay for a hotel the whole time.
Also, check to see WHO decides if your condition warrants a flight back. Is it the company, or a medical doctor?
Most of this information is available on a company's website (ours is online at www.airambulance.com).
-Atticus Rominger
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Posted by: nick2 | March 06, 2008 at 03:43 PM