It surprises me actually that it's not so well known that for many people around the world, it's possible to have free health insurance whilst traveling. But I guess, who is going to tell us? Definitely not the travel agents since they make a whopping huge commission (sometimes 60% of the cost) from selling you private health insurance/ travel insurance. By the way if you get to the end of the article and still have some questions, send me an email and I'll be happy to help you out.
Railay Beach, Thailand - A paradise only accessible by boat. Flickr Argenberg.
Yes there are a lot more things travel insurance can cover you for than just health care, but usually health care is the biggest expense.
So it might surprise or even shock you to know that high quality, free health insurance is available for travelers in certain countries. There are three options I will tell you about, the first is a very unknown reciprocal agreement between a certain group of countries worldwide, and the second is a more well known one available to all European Union citizens who travel to other E.U. countries. The third option is for everyone else.
Kovalam Beach, Kerala, India. Flickr Mehul.Antani
The First Program
If you are a citizen of any of the following countries, and travel to any of the countries on this list, you are fully covered for any medically necessary treatment that you need whilst you are in that country.
The countries include Australia, New Zealand, The United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, The Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Malta and Norway (some of the best quality healthcare in the world is in Norway).
Nusa Dua Bali, Indonesia. Flickr BEST PHOTO
The reason for this is that healthcare is seen as a right, not a privilege in these countries and so it is offered free to their citizens and to the citizens of the countries they have reached an agreement with.
To receive this free healthcare, you need to provide your healthcare card and your passport when needing assistance. For further information, check out your government health insurance website or if you are Australian, simply click here.
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Sorry to my American friends, but your health system is all privatised/run for profit which means you are not covered for free in other countries.
The Second Program
If you are a member of any EU country, you are also entitled to free healthcare in any other EU country upon presentation of your EU healthcare card. For further information on how to get your EU healthcare card, click here.
Options for Everyone Else
Unfortunately there isn't free health insurance available for everyone else. But that doesn't mean you can't get a good deal on your health insurance when traveling. The absolute worst thing you could do is go for the travel insurance your travel agent is trying to push on to you (most people do this because it's a matter of convenience and have built a certain level of trust with that person, but don't realise they are paying double or triple what they need to be).
Nisyros - Evangelistria Monastery, Greece. Flickr vsitgreecegr
The best thing to do in this case is firstly NOT to use a travel agent. Why use a middle man who needs to make commission off selling a ticket/health insurance to you? Cut out the middle man and do it yourself using these simpleTop 5 Unique Tips for Flying Cheap. And also, go to google and search for "cheap travel insurance" and I guarantee you will find a better deal than accepting anything that your travel agent can offer you. A great place to start for comparing health/travel insurance is World Nomads.
Also be sure to check out the Top 10 Tips for Backpacking on the Cheap, and the Top 30 Unique Ways of Saving Money for your Dream Trip.
Also, I wanted to mention that occasionally I send out a unique newsletter with my secret and unique money saving tips, great deals on flights, and special locations unknown to the average tourist (at bargain prices). You really can travel on a super small budget to exotic locations if you have all the information the travel companies don't want you to know about!
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