Frequently Asked Questions

• Why do I need the TravelCare travel protection plan?

  Please NEVER assume your primary health plan will provide appropriate protection when you travel internationally.

  • Many U.S. health plans do not provide adequate – if any – coverage overseas.
  • U.S. health plans generally do not cover emergency evacuations, which can cost you up to $100,000 or more, depending upon your circumstance.
  • Medicare does not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the United States (except in rare emergency circumstances on our borders with Canada and Mexico) or emergency evacuations.
  • Unlike at home, international travelers need special services to address emergencies, like:
    • How would I know what health providers speak English and are capable of providing care of the quality I would expect at home?
    • When the hospital will not accept my primary health plan and demands a large deposit in order to admit or treat me, what will I do? (This is a common problem as most countries have nationalized healthcare and do not have the means – or the trust – to bill a third-party after-the-fact for services.)
    • What do I do when there is inadequate care locally to treat my condition, and I need emergency transportation to get access to capable care? (International emergency evacuations are not uncommon, are complicated to arrange and are expensive.)
    • Who would I turn to for help if faced with an unsafe environment – a disaster has occurred, there is social unrest, I am being detained for valid or invalid reasons, or the like?
    • What would I do with common, everyday issues like I lost my passport, or I ran out of prescription medication, or my wallet and credit cards were stolen?

  The TravelCare plans provide 24/7 services in any language that address these and a host of other issues unique to international travelers when outside their home environment.

• Won't my regular health plan cover me when I am outside the U.S.?

  It is highly unlikely that your regular medical plan will:

  • know the best place to get treatment in your foreign location;
  • pay a hospital in advance if necessary to assure your admission or treatment;
  • immediately speak with your treating doctor in his/her language to assess your condition, your treatment plans, and their ability to provide appropriate care;
  • pay tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of dollars to evacuate you to a higher level of care if you cannot receive adequate care where you are;
  • accept medical records in a foreign language or pay claims in foreign currencies;
  • be available 24/7 to receive calls to assist you and advocate for you in any language.

  Most people need emergency travel assistance and evacuation services, and Travel Medical insurance, to get proper protection – even if they have great health coverage here in the U.S.

• I have Medicare. Does Medicare cover me when I am outside the country?

  Medicare does not cover medical expenses incurred while traveling abroad except in rare circumstances. (Medicare may cover you if you're in the U.S., but the closest hospital is across the border, or if you have a medical emergency while traveling through Canada between Alaska and another state).

• I have a Medicare Supplement in addition to Medicare. Doesn't that cover me when I am outside the country?

  Only some Medicare Supplement plans cover emergency health care provided in a foreign country. For those that do, the coverage: (1) is limited to 80% of $50,000 after you pay either a $250 or $2,000 deductible, (2) does not apply for emergencies after you have been on a trip for 60 or more days, and (3) does not provide any coverage at all for emergency medical evacuations.

• Can the U.S. government assist me if I become disabled overseas?

  The government does not take financial responsibility to cover the costs of Americans that become ill or that are seriously injured abroad. While a consular officer can assist in the transfer of funds from the United States, payment of emergency services including evacuation, repatriation, hospitalization and other expenses is the responsibility of the traveler.

• Why did TravelCare select Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company ("Nationwide®") as its preferred carrier?

  Before selecting Nationwide as our preferred carrier, we considered most of the top U.S. providers of international travel medical insurance. We feel Nationwide offers the best combination of broad benefits, affordable rates, financial strength and high-quality customer service. People know and trust the Nationwide brand.

• Who is eligible to purchase the plan?

  U.S. citizens with a current passport traveling outside the U.S.

• What are the minimum and maximum trip lengths covered?

  A trip can be as short as 1 day or as long as 12 months; however the minimum premium equals 7 days of coverage.

• What methods of payment are accepted?

  Coverage may be purchased with VISA or MasterCard

• The Travel Medical Insurance is "excess coverage". What does that mean?

  Nationwide will pay your providers directly for your covered expenses, or will reimburse you for covered expenses if you paid the providers directly. If Nationwide then determines the benefits paid under their plan are eligible benefits under any other benefit plan, they may seek to recover expenses from the other plan to the extent the other plan would have covered as well. Any recoveries Nationwide makes helps to keep the cost of their coverage down.

• When does coverage under TravelCare products become effective?

  All coverage will begin on the later of the Effective Date, or upon Your departure from Your Home Country.

• When does coverage under TravelCare products end?

  Your coverage will end at 11:59 P.M. local time on the date that is the earliest of the following: (a) upon Your return to Your Home Country; (b) when Your Trip exceeds ninety (90) days.

• Do the TravelCare "Get me Home" Emergency Evacuation and Assistance plan or the TravelCare "Protection Plus" Travel Medical Insurance plan have any deductibles or copayments?

  No. Both the Emergency Evacuation and Assistance plan and Travel Medical Insurance plan will pay 100% of the reasonable and customary charges for the expenses they cover up to the plans' maximums.

• Does the Emergency Evacuation and Assistance plan have exclusions and limitations?

  Yes. Please click here for a complete listing of the Emergency Evacuation Service exclusions and limitations, and all other terms and conditions of the coverage.

• Does the Travel Medical Insurance plan have exclusions and limitations?

  Yes. Please click here for a complete listing of the Travel Medical Insurance exclusions and limitations, and all other terms and conditions of the coverage.

• Does the Emergency Evacuation and Assistance plan pay benefits for "Pre-Existing Conditions"?

  Yes. There are no pre-existing condition limitations or exclusions.

• Does the Travel Medical Insurance plan pay benefits for "Pre-Existing Conditions"?

  Your coverage does have limitations on benefits for Pre-Existing Conditions. Please click here to review the full plan details that apply in your State.

• What is the role of the assistance company and how do they help me?

  The assistance company is a 24/7 multilingual service available to assist you when you are traveling internationality. They have the expertise and resources to help you when you are faced with travel, medical, legal, personal security and other emergencies or concerns when traveling internationally, regardless of the severity. You simply call a toll-free phone number from within the country (or you can call them collect from anywhere in the world), and they will assist you.

• What happens in the event I need to be hospitalized?

  It is important that the assistance company is notified as soon as possible. They will monitor your care and work through the complex details of foreign hospitalizations. They will immediately speak with your treating doctor to assess your condition, your treatment plans, and whether or not an evacuation is necessary. They will update your family, employer and personal physician as appropriate. In addition, they will coordinate all insurance verifications and admission details.

• How does the assistance company help me get admitted to a hospital?

  The assistance company can direct you to the hospital in your locale that is most capable in getting you treatment. If you elected to purchase the TravelCare Travel Medical Insurance, they will coordinate all Nationwide insurance verifications and billing, including making advance payment arrangements with the hospital, like issuing a "guarantee of payment" on behalf of Nationwide. This ensures that there is no delay or denial of medical treatment because you are unable to make the up-front payment or because your regular insurance is not recognized. The assistance company will settle any guarantees of payment with the hospital on Nationwide's behalf.

• Do foreign hospitals really refuse to admit patients if they don't have cash or a plan that will guarantee in advance to pay?

  Unfortunately, that situation is not uncommon. Here in the U.S., where most our healthcare is financed by private insurance, people can receive medical treatment and admission to a hospital by presenting their health plan ID card. In other countries, where healthcare is generally provided under state-financed or state-provided health systems, that is not the case. Their financial infrastructure is not set up to provide care and then send a bill to a third-party to pay the costs after-the-fact. That is why it is common for foreign hospitals to require an up-front payment – often ten thousand dollars or more – or a "guarantee of payment" from a travel insurance provider they are familiar with, like Nationwide. You do not want treatment delayed or denied because you are having difficulty quickly coming up with the cash or sufficient credit balances on your credit cards.

• What if the local hospitals are not capable of providing treatment?

  The assistance company has expertise in knowing the capabilities of international hospitals and clinics. That information, in conjunction with their assessment of the treating physician's diagnosis and treatment plans, will enable the assistance company's physicians to make an evaluation of whether the local hospital is capable of providing you the treatment you need. If the assistance company's doctors are of the opinion that you cannot receive appropriate care there, they will make arrangements to have you evacuated to either: (1) the nearest hospital where adequate treatment can be obtained or (2) to a hospital of your choice near your home in the U.S. to obtain further treatment or recover (or both). The assistance company will consult with all parties involved and fully manage all logistics of the evacuation.

• What if I have a security problem?

  In the event of a security situation, you can call the assistance company for help at any time. Additionally, if the situation is deemed to require emergency evacuation, you are covered up to $100,000.

• What if I have a general travel related problem?

  You can call the assistance company for help at any time. They will assist you with lost or stolen passports, legal referrals, translation services, emergency transfers of funds and a variety of other travel related issues.

• About the providers?

  United Healthcare Global is a global medical, safety and security solutions provider that delivers:

  • a fully integrated solution focused on prevention, intervention and response
  • a world-class, worldwide assistance infrastructure
  • first-world standards of primary and emergency medical care in remote and hazardous locations
  • a strengthened global network of practicing medical specialists and resources
  • robust medical, safety and security protocols
  • emergency medical and security evacuation and crisis response capabilities
  • extensive travel intelligence, insurance and protection services
  • specialized technical and operational health and safety expertise

  Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's. The company provides customers a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto insurance, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, pet, life insurance, farm, commercial insurance, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, public and private sector retirement plans, long-term savings plans and specialty health services.

• Can I add my spouse and dependent children for coverage?

  Each traveler must apply individually and be issued their own policy. After you have completed your application, click New Quote to begin a new application for an additional traveler.