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Travel Insurance for Health Emergencies

Find out why travel insurance isn't health insurance and learn the difference.

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Travel insurance for health emergencies

Travel insurance is there to help you when you've been involved in an accident or you've fallen ill and need medical care. Our travel insurance policies can help patch you up and get you back on the road.

Just keep in mind that our policies are travel insurance policies and not health insurance policies or private medical insurance (PMI) policies, and they don’t cover pre-existing medical conditions.

Make sure you read through your policy wording carefully to see exactly what’s covered and how we might be able to help if you find yourself in a health emergency overseas.

So this isn't a health insurance plan?

Nope, it's a travel insurance policy. There’s a key difference: travel insurance can include cover for health issues and medical emergencies while you’re traveling overseas, while health insurance is designed to support healthy living at home (and while we do encourage healthy living, we don’t offer health insurance, sorry).

Our travel insurance policies are there for overseas medical emergencies and are not designed to cover ongoing illness or treatment overseas, or any treatment when you get home.

What does travel insurance cover if I'm sick or injured?

If you’re injured in an accident or suddenly become ill while traveling, you may be covered for overseas emergency medical treatment, including:

  • Hospitalization
  • Day surgery and out-patient treatment
  • Visits to registered medical practitioners
  • Prescribed medicines
  • Ambulances
  • Extra expenses to get you home, if medically necessary.

24/7 multi-lingual support when you need it the most

We also have 24-hour, multi-lingual assistance teams who can guide you to the nearest hospital, arrange medical transport, set up direct payments to the medical facility, and keep you in contact with your family back home. Coverage may depend on your past medical history, what's happened to you and any other conditions, limits or exclusions of cover as described in your policy.

Is there medical cover for Coronavirus?

Some, but not all, of our policies offer cover for medical expenses and repatriation if you get ill with Coronavirus (COVID-19) while overseas when it is not a pre-existing medical condition. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while overseas your benefits may include:

  • 24/7 access to our Emergency Assistance team, who can help you access local medical care
  • Medical costs, including hospitalization
  • Evacuation or repatriation if deemed medically necessary by us and in consultation with your attending physician.

To find out what cover applies to you, read our What’s Covered for Coronavirus, which has all of the details, including benefit limits, conditions and exclusions.

It’s important to note coverage depends on your Country of Residence and varies between plans.

What’s not covered?

Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover everything. Common claims for overseas medical expenses we see where there's no cover include:

  • If you've become intoxicated due to alcohol or drugs
  • If you've been behaving in a reckless manner
  • Non-emergency treatment that can wait until you return home (that's what your health insurance or national health coverage at home is designed to do)
  • Pre-existing medical conditions, as outlined in your policy wording
  • Ongoing treatment at home

This is not a full list of what's covered and what's not covered. There are limits and conditions and exclusions that apply, so for more information check out our articles on overseas emergency medical coverage and adventure sports coverage, and read your policy carefully before you buy. If you’re not sure if something is covered get in touch.

How to get medical assistance for health emergencies.

It’s essential that you get in contact with our Emergency Assistance teams as soon as possible, so that our teams can support you from the time you fall sick or get injured until the time you get home.

So that our Emergency Assistance teams can assist you quickly, please be ready with the following:

  • Your policy number
  • A contact number for where you are now
  • The nature of your problem
  • Your location

Travel Insurance Tip: Our policies may offer coverage for insured events resulting in cancellation, trip interruption and trip resumption. Please take the time to read your policy wording as there are limits on your coverage depending on which plan you buy and your Country of Residence.

Cramps in India

I had been sick in India for about a month with ongoing symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, nausea, fever, loss of appetite etc. Once we had arrived in Turkey, I had an attack during the night at our hostel. I was vomiting, had diarrhea and intense stomach cramping, so my boyfriend and I thought it was best to head to a hospital. Due to my condition I could not walk, it was also 2 or 3am and we had no other method of getting to a hospital other than arranging for the hospital to send an ambulance to pick me up. Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctors undertook an examination of me and my conditions and due to severe dehydration they gave me a drip to restore my fluids. To find out what the cause of my symptoms were, they conducted tests on my blood and stool. The doctor also prescribed me medication to treat both my symptoms and illness. These included creams and also antibiotics.
A.D. Australian in India.

Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you*

Trip Cancellation

Been working hard for your trip?

We'll work hard to protect it.

Trip Protection
  • Unexpectedly hospitalized?
  • Travel buddy unfit to travel?
  • Close relative suddenly dies?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Expenses

Feeling fit and healthy? What if you get sick or injured?

Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.

Emergency Medical Insurance
  • Need meds quick?
  • Accidentally injured?
  • Suddenly sick?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Transportation

Know where the nearest hospital is?

Don’t stress, we’ll get you there quickly.

Evacuation and Repatriation
  • Banged up abroad?
  • Need a hospital urgently?
  • Medevac home?

Help starts here.

Protect your gear

Love photography, filming or sport?

Cover your bags, tech or gear.

Protect your gear
  • Passport or tech stolen?
  • Airline lost your gear?
  • Bags delayed?

Help starts here.

  • Emergency Overseas Medical & Dental Expenses
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
  • Trip Cancellation or Interruption
  • 24-Hour Assistance Services
  • Baggage
  • And more (depending on your country of residence)
*This is a general summary only. Restrictions, exclusions and limitations will apply. Coverage may not be available for all countries, states or provinces. Benefit limits may vary depending on the plan chosen. Get a quote for full details.

24/7 emergency assistance

Whether you need medical assistance or emergency evacuation, our teams are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.

Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?

Contact the team

Get an instant travel insurance quote

Simple and flexible travel insurance designed by travelers, for travelers. See why over 3 million travelers have chosen World Nomads for more than 20 years.

FAQ

Here are our most frequently asked questions about overseas medical insurance. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Help Center or you can ask our customer service team.