Nobody plans to fall ill on a trip, but different water, a long flight and tiredness make it ordinary. At such a moment the most common mistake is going straight to hospital, whereas if you have insurance the order is entirely different. On the question of medical help one telephone call can be worth hundreds of euros. Below I have written the steps in order.
The first step when you need medical help
An assistance line operating around the clock is written on the insurance policy; call there first. The operator directs you to a clinic they have a contract with and often settles the payment directly. If you skip that step and go to a clinic of your own choosing, a problem can arise over getting the cost back.
If the situation is urgent, of course, call the emergency service first and inform the insurer afterwards. In most European countries the single number is 112, and in North America 911. It is useful to write those two numbers into your phone and keep them. Calling the assistance line and finding the clinic’s address needs internet, so an eSIM that works the moment you arrive is part of the medical preparation.
The pharmacy, a doctor or emergency care
| Pharmacy | A cold, an upset stomach, a small injury |
| Duty doctor | A high temperature, pain that will not pass, suspected infection |
| Emergency care | Difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, serious trauma |
| Dentist | Usually on separate terms, only for acute pain |
In many European countries a pharmacist can give advice on small problems and that is free. Duty pharmacies are open at night too, and the address is written on the door of every pharmacy. Dental treatment, meanwhile, is paid for under most ordinary policies only to the extent of relieving acute pain.
Read more: Travel insurance: what it pays, what it does not and which figures to look at
How the costs of medical help are paid
There are two schemes. In the first the insurance company pays the clinic directly and you give nothing; in the second you pay yourself and get the money back afterwards. Ask which scheme applies not from the policy but from the operator during the call, because it varies by country.
In the second scheme collecting documents matters: a certificate with the diagnosis on it, the prescription, the pharmacy receipts and the payment document. If one of them is missing, part of the amount is not paid. If you have a chronic illness, be sure to declare it when buying the insurance, otherwise a case connected with that very illness is not covered.
Medicine and prescriptions
Take enough of the medicine you use regularly to cover the whole trip and keep it in its original box. Have the doctor’s certificate with you, especially if you are carrying injections or a strong painkiller. Put the medicine in your hand luggage, because the baggage may be delayed.
Pay particular attention to one point: some medicines sold here without prescription are restricted in the Gulf countries and in Japan, and can even be banned. Check that country’s list before the trip; it prevents a serious problem at the airport. Advice on international travel and health is published on the World Health Organization site.
In brief
Call the insurance line first, go to a pharmacy for a small problem, dial 112 in an emergency. Keep all the certificates and receipts, declare a chronic illness in advance, carry medicine in your hand luggage in its original box. To plan your trip and your documents together, fill in the application form.
Note: this text is not medical advice; it explains the insurance and document side, while decisions about treatment are the doctor’s.
