Short term Travel Medical vs. one year policy

[bkk6060]

So I have been investigating medical insurance since I am considering a longer stay.

The one year policy quotes I am being sent for my age are around $300 US per month.

This was from Bupa, Cigna, AXA.

Then I checked the the short term travel medical. Most will give you a 2 month policy. Some others may be longer.

The premiums quoted are 1/2 of what the long term policies are.

Also, the coverage is actually better with the short term including evacuation, death benefits, less deductibles, etc.

So am I missing something? Why not just book the short term policy every 2 months?

I know they ask you your arrival date and exit date, but I usually go someplace every 2 to 3 months anyway.

[impulse]

It's been years since I had to read the fine print on a travel policy, but for me, it boiled down to the travel policy covers emergencies, with a general aim of getting me home where my normal health insurance kicks in. Great for emergencies like car wrecks, dire sickness and the likes- especially cases that require medical repatriation. Not very valuable if I'm capable of flying unassisted in coach.

Show up at a hospital with cancer, a hernia or some other expensive problem that isn't life threatening- and the travel policy will pay some portion of the difference in the airfare for having to change my flight to get home to get treated. They may even pay some portion of the doctor's fee to diagnose the problem. But if I'm capable of traveling, travel I will- back home where my health insurance will cover the treatment (or not).

Show up with the same problem with a genuine medical insurance, and they'll pay for the treatment- subject to normal terms, conditions, limitations and pre-existing clauses.

The other difference (for me anyway) was the number of hits when I Googled "travel insurance scams". It's difficult to tell what you're really getting.

[Sheryl]

Some travel insurance policies will cover you for as much as 1 year. But you have to be traveling away from home, not setyled and living abroad, and lying about this could invalidate coverage.

Indeed they will not pay for elective procedures that could wait till you got home.

And most would not have direct billing arrangements with Thsi hospitals.

All thst said, if you are not certain about settling here permanently and still have a home address/base back in your home country, you could go with a travel policy to start with, understanding the limits described above. World Nomads I know will cover for up to one year and if you are unsure about duration of stay can get it for less and extend (but not exceeding one year away from home).