Your travel insurance policy can cover your overseas emergency medical expenses if you suffer a serious illness or injury while on your trip, and you need urgent medical treatment.
What Overseas Medical Expenses are covered?
Our policies can cover your reasonable emergency overseas medical expenses (up to the policy limits and when agreed by us, for up to 12 months from the date the illness first appears or injury happens) for:
- Visits to a GP or other registered medical practitioner
- Medical evacuation by air or road ambulance to the most suitable medical facility
- Admission and treatment in hospital
- Day surgery and out-patient medical treatment
- Prescribed medication for sudden illness and serious injury suffered while traveling
- Emergency dental treatment for sudden and acute pain
- Outpatient physiotherapy
- Counseling services
- Out-of-pocket expenses if admitted to the hospital
- A travel partner or close relative to travel to and remain with you if you are admitted to the hospital
- Repatriation home - with a medical escort if you’re not fit to continue traveling, when pre-approved on the reasonable recommendation of a medical practitioner appointed by us.
Note: this is a guide only, as every claim is assessed on its individual circumstances. If you have any questions, please contact us.
How much am I covered for?
We offer two plans – Standard and Explorer – each of which offers different levels of coverage for overseas medical expenses, depending on your Country of Residence. It is up to you to choose what plan has the right level of coverage to meet your travel needs.
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Is cover for Coronavirus available?
World Nomads can offer benefits for medical issues related to Coronavirus (COVID-19). If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while overseas and it's not considered an existing medical condition under our policy, and there is not an active ‘Do Not Travel’ warning in place for COVID-19 in the location you are currently visiting 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.
- In addition, our Explorer Plan also has a Coronavirus Travel Costs benefit for certain events. You can check out our Coronavirus cover article which has all of the details, including benefit limits and exclusions.
How do I get medical treatment whilst traveling?
If something happens, go to the closest medical facility for the emergency medical treatment you need. Call our 24/7 emergency assistance team immediately for advice on what to do, as well as directions to the nearest or most suitable medical facility if you:
- Are sick or injured
- Are in an accident
- Need hospitalization
- Need emergency repatriation
- Require accompaniment in the hospital
Who pays for your medical treatment?
That depends on what’s happened and the seriousness of your medical situation.
We recommend you pay and make a claim later when:
- You see a doctor at a medical center/local GP surgery; or
- You’re treated as an ‘out-patient’ (i.e. no admission to hospital) and where the costs are less than USD$725
- If it looks likely that your treatment costs may end up being more than USD$725, you MUST contact our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team as soon as possible.
Where possible, we will pay the hospital or provider direct when:
- You’re admitted to the hospital – but only after you (or someone else) has contacted our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team so payment can be arranged directly to the hospital once cover is confirmed; and/or
- You require medical evacuation or repatriation home (and a medical escort where necessary) and it's pre-approved on the reasonable recommendation of a medical practitioner appointed by us.
If you pay for any medical expenses, you’ll need to keep copies of all your medical records, bills, clinical reports/doctor’s notes, receipts, etc. to support your claim.
Also remember there's a policy excess applicable to any claim for overseas medical expenses (per event).
Note: all travel insurance plans are different, and cover will vary, depending on what's happened, your Country of Residence, the plan you choose, and any options or upgrades you buy.
If you’re not sure about something, you can always contact us.
How does my travel insurance policy help me in an emergency?
What’s not covered
Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover everything, so make sure you read the Policy Wording for what is and isn’t covered. That way there are no surprises if you need to use it.
Some of the main things that aren’t covered include:
- Any existing medical condition
- Private hospital treatment when publicly funded treatment was available.
- Where care is available under any Reciprocal Health Care Agreement
- Any medical expenses incurred once you return home, even if you require ongoing medical treatment for something that occurred during your trip. Travel insurance does not provide private medical insurance at home.
- Expenses which are not reasonable or medically necessary; routine treatment; elective treatment.
- Anything else that’s listed in the General Exclusions and specific section exclusions in the Policy Wording.
Travel insurance doesn’t cover everything. All of the information we provide is a brief summary. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, and termination provisions of the plans described. Coverage may not be the same or available for residents of all countries, states, or provinces. Please carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage. If you have any questions, please contact us.
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For policies purchase on or after 2 December 2018:
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Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.