The effective start date cannot be earlier than tomorrow's date. Please click on the "Edit Plan" button above to edit the quote with your updated travel information. You may also contact your agent or GeoBlue Customer Service at 1.855.481.6647.
Many global citizens, leisure travelers and business travelers still do not have robust international health insurance protection while overseas. The choices left to you in the absence of a comprehensive travel medical insurance plan might be 1.) Government-sponsored programs (such as Medicare) which categorically do not cover care received in a foreign country or 2.) Employer-sponsored health plans which are limited in their international travel medical insurance and very rarely cover medical evacuation. Under employer-sponsored health plans, even if a sudden onset of illness or injury is covered, the services are usually rendered on a pay-and-claim basis. This leaves travelers caught in unfortunate situations to absorb what could be prohibitively high costs up front, in order to receive vital medical care.
Accessing healthcare in some parts of the world can be tricky. Some hospitals won't provide any treatment—or won't allow a patient to be discharged—until the hospital has received a guarantee of payment. This guarantee is essentially what allows direct billing between the healthcare provider and the insurance company. Such guarantees are commonly provided by the travel medical insurance provider (in conjunction with assistance providers) but rarely by other types of insurance Without a travel medical plan, you'll have to pay in advance, perhaps as much as tens of thousands of dollars, with your credit card. Of course, for this to work the hospital must accept foreign credit cards and you must have a sufficient credit limit.
In addition, traveling for medical attention—either to a place with higher quality medical care or to return home where your regular insurance is accepted—can be difficult. Medical evacuations are often too complicated to arrange yourself; in addition to finding a receiving facility, you also need to ensure you are working with a trusted transportation provider. The solution? Most travel medical insurance includes a medical assistance benefit, which is critical. It gives you a vital lifeline in the form of 24/7/365 access to a company that will assure that you're getting appropriate treatment locally, or if necessary arrange an evacuation for you with a creditable evacuation company. The assistance company will also be available to help with other travel related problems such as legal troubles, lost passports or credit cards, etc. Emergencies are rare but everyone should have a contingency plan. Your travel health insurance plan can also come in handy when it comes to paying for a medical evacuation, which are at times accompanied by a six-figure price tag.
If you have health insurance in the U.S., the first step is to check with your insurance company to establish what kind of coverage you have. You should make sure your plan includes benefits for medical expenses incurred internationally, if medical evacuations are covered and the extent of that coverage. If you have difficulty getting a straight answer, that alone should be a warning. Travel medical insurance policies are designed to pick up where your primary health plan leaves off. If you do not have health coverage, these plans act as primary insurance while abroad. The best designed plans offer more than emergency benefits. They cover big ticket items such hospitalization and surgeries but will also pick up the tab on physician office visits, ambulance services, prescription medications and more.
Health/accident insurance. Typically referred to as travel health insurance, these polices pay for doctor and hospital bills, and sometimes dental care and medications. These plans can be written for short trips (1 day - 6 months) and will supplement Medicare or a managed care plan. International health insurance can also be purchased as primary insurance for expats or someone relocating to another country for an extended period of time (6 months or longer). These plans are comprehensive and include added features such as preventive services, acupuncture, chiropractic care, maternity benefits and more.
Medical Evacuation. Evacuations can be expensive (as much as $100,000 or more from a remote location). In addition to the coverage, you'll want assistance arranging an evacuation. All of GeoBlue’s products offer coverage for medical evacuation.
Select either the 1st or the 15th of the month. You must select a date within the next 90 days.
If you currently have health coverage, we strongly recommend that you maintain your current coverage. The specific effective date you request is subject to underwriting and approval of your application, and we strongly recommend you allow 60-75 days for underwriting. This will help ensure that your application is processed before you surrender your present insurance and will prevent you from being required to pay for two policies.
Later in the application process you will be given the option to allow GeoBlue to assign your Effective Date. If you choose this option, your effective date will assigned as either the 1st or the 15th of the month following the approval of your application.
REQUESTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE DOES NOT GUARANTEE UNDERWRITING TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE DATE REQUESTED.
Please indicate the applicable 5 digit zip code on the quoting tool to confirm eligibility.
The Washington D.C. zip code that applies is 20036.
Policies for U.S. citizens abroad are issued through the Global Citizens Association office in Washington D.C. When you apply for coverage you become a member of the Association.
Please indicate the zip code in your home area or employers address.
If you maintain coverage from a U.S. Primary Health Plan for the duration of your travel, you are eligible for simplified underwriting consideration. This process features fewer medical questions and a more expedient decision.
Rates for the Xplorer Select plan are not determined by health history.