Learning by experience is a great thing if you’re into sports, crafts, or baking. But insurance… not so much. We want to help you avoid learning some things by experience, so that you can be more satisfied with your first-time travel insurance experience. Here are 5 things you don’t want to learn by experience:
- What the exclusions are
Three simple words can go a long way with this one: read the plan document. It sounds boring, but it is worth it. It may also be hard to understand, but that’s why you have us, your customer service department. We can explain your coverage details to you, so that you have no surprise exclusions to keep your claims from being paid.
- When your coverage expires
You may know the end date of your trip, but if you happen to need to extend your trip, make sure you’re thinking about when your coverage will expire. You don’t want to be trapped without coverage for any part of your trip! A good plan is to plan to renew your coverage a week before it expires, so that you don’t run into any issues with the renewal.
- What “timely filing” is
Timely filing is a fancy term for a deadline to file a claim. A good rule of thumb to live by: file that claim ASAP. The worst kind of claim is the one that would have been paid if it was sent in on time. Most plans have a timely filing limit of 90 days. This means that you must submit the claim within 90 days from when the accident/injury/issue occurred for it to be eligible. Check your plan document to see if you have a limit, so that you don’t have to worry about getting denied.
- How much an ER visit costs
Emergency rooms can cost a precious penny. They can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars - that’s a bill that could ruin your trip. Make sure you’re considering what’s an emergency and what’s not, so that you can avoid the high-dollar bills. And check your coverage to make sure that your visit to the ER would be covered in case of a life-threatening illness or injury. Using the ER appropriately can save you thousands.
- What a “schedule of benefits” is
You may see you’re covered for up to $50,000, but what does that really mean? Check your plan document for the schedule of benefits. Some plans pay a certain percentage for medical costs, leaving the rest up to you. Other plans have a dollar amount as a limit for each different kind of service, with a large overall limit ($50,000, for example). Make sure you read your plan document so that you know how much to expect to pay for those medical expenses during your trip.
There are probably a lot more things you don’t want to learn by experience, but those are just a few related to your travels. We hope you do get to learn some great things by experience on your trip, like learning how to do the French “bise,” or how to make Crema Catalana. Happy travels!
About the Author
Julia Peterson joined the Seven Corners Customer Service team in February 2016. She is known as a writer and photographer, an extrovert, and master of the Rubik’s cube. She works from home in Virginia where she lives with her husband and her orange and white kitten, Nutmeg.
