How to Buy Travel Insurance Abroad? A Quick Guide to Key Travel Accident Insurance Claims

When traveling abroad, having proper coverage is essential. Although your domestic commercial insurance usually isn't restricted by where an accident occurs, medical expenses overseas can be very high, often costing tens or even hundreds of thousands, so it's best to get travel accident insurance for more comprehensive protection.
(Recommended Reading:)

Many people get “travel accident insurance” as a freebie when paying for tour packages or flights with a credit card, but be sure to check the scope of coverage—it might be limited to “during the use of public transportation.” This type of travel accident insurance only covers accidental injuries or disabilities that occur during a specific period while using public transport. Therefore, accidents that happen after arriving at your destination or during the trip are not covered. On the other hand, travel accident insurance you purchase on your own before departure generally does not have restrictions limiting coverage to when you’re using transportation.

Medical insurance is usually added as a rider (to accidental death and disability coverage) and can be divided into reimbursement-based and daily allowance types. However, given the high cost of medical care abroad, it’s recommended to focus on the reimbursement limit, which commonly doesn’t exceed 10% of the main policy amount.

Medical coverage is further divided into coverage for accidents or illnesses:

Similar to regular accident insurance, the daily allowance type is limited to hospitalization or non-hospitalized bone fractures calculated by the number of days. The reimbursement-based type, however, is not limited to hospitalization—outpatient services can also be covered.
(Recommended Reading:)

Common coverage items include hospitalization, outpatient services, and emergency treatment, each with different limits, so it's good to pay extra attention.
If you want to increase your medical insurance limit but are limited by an insufficient main policy amount, you can either raise the main policy amount or consider travel accident insurance that isn't limited by the main policy amount.

Emergency assistance services provided by each insurance company may vary slightly. The services mainly fall into two categories: travel assistance and medical rescue. Within medical rescue, “medical expense advance payment” and “emergency medical evacuation back to your home country” are particularly important:

Medical costs overseas can easily reach hundreds of thousands in a single instance. Although you may be covered by relevant insurance, you typically have to apply for claims back in Taiwan, which could result in not having enough funds to pay for treatment. In such cases, the “medical expense advance payment” feature can come in handy. However, the advance payment limits vary by provider—some are based on the insured amount, while others set a fixed cap (for example, up to USD 5,000).

When you need to be transferred to a better medical facility or even evacuated back to your home country, the transportation costs and accompanying medical staff fees can reach up to millions. In such situations, the “emergency medical evacuation” service can help manage the process. Depending on the provider, some cover all the costs, while others pay up to a certain limit (for example, up to USD 25,000).
(Recommended Reading:)
However, not every insurance provider offers these emergency assistance services. Some may be limited to travel within the Schengen Area or only applicable in cases of accidents. Be sure to pay close attention to these details before purchasing your insurance.

Many people worry about unexpected events such as flight cancellations or lost luggage while traveling abroad. Travel inconvenience insurance can provide some financial relief. As a reminder, the three key expenses mentioned above are relatively high, so it’s especially important to carefully consider travel accident insurance when going abroad.
]