Should I get travel insurance for my trip to Mexico?
Insurance is of course a personal choice. And we're going to a conventionally safe place with modern medical services. And it's barely a week. That's all true. But "shit happens," as they say. And sometimes that "shit" means a big expense. Travel insurance can help offset those sorts of costs. Many of those costs are medical in nature.
It's Relatively Inexpensive
Yes, between your health insurance, credit card policies, and even homeowner's policies in some cases can provide routes to recoup emergency expenditures under their coverage. In International Travel though, you can be expected to pay that cash up front and file a claim for it later. For $100 - $200 you can get policies that cover hundreds of thousands of dollars for things beyond stolen luggage and trip delays, like health emergencies and evacuation.
how do you pick a policy and provider?
Quotes and reviews. That's pretty much what we've got, so I use things like Trust Pilot to look at the company ratings and reviews of travel insurance companies. Many will provide quote comparisons against multiple providers. What I want is:
- The medical coverage to serve as a primary policy, not a secondary one. I want to be able to use it without having to file a claim with my U.S. health insurance first.
- A high limit on medical coverage, like $250,000 or more.
- A good baggage coverage limit (those dive computers and cameras are expensive!).
- Maybe pre-existing condition coverage, if needed at thie time.
- A reputation for fast claims processing.
Example Quote
I ran a quote for 2 people for just this trip to Cozumel, and priced the trip at $3,000. Of the quotes I reviewed, I chose the following as an example of what I usually look for in a policy.
Note the medical policy:
| SUBJECT | COVERAGE |
|---|---|
| Medical Cover | Primary |
| Medical Insurance | $250,000 |
| Medical Evacuation | $1,000,000 |
Is it worth it? Isn't insurance turning into a scam?
Look, we hedge our bets and hope for the best. I've never had to use it, honestly, and hope I never do. But short-term coverages are a bit different that long term policies. And I hope the reviews are still from real people. And, well, like I said, we hedge our bets and hope for the best.