Do I need medical insurance when traveling to Europe?

Do US citizens need travel insurance for Europe? Yes, US citizens absolutely need travel medical insurance for Europe, including the Schengen area. If you’re a US citizen and you get sick or if you’re seriously hurt while in Europe or the Schengen area, you could face crazy high medical expenses.

Do I need additional medical insurance when traveling abroad?

Generally, most domestic health insurance policies are not accepted abroad, so there is a benefit to purchasing travel medical insurance as a supplement to your health insurance coverage. The travel medical coverage is only valid while you’re traveling.

Does health insurance cover you in a foreign country?

Unfortunately, most domestic health insurance policies dont provide coverage outside your home country. In general, domestic plans limit their coverage to specific geographic areas.

Does my US health insurance work in Europe?

While many US citizens think that they have excellent health coverage and may not need to purchase anything separate for Europe, you must be aware that domestic US insurance plans have very little or no coverage outside US national borders.

Is medical care free in Europe?

Every citizen is enrolled in the national healthcare system and a good portion of medical services are provided free of charge by doctors who are employed by the government. In some (if not all) of these countries, there is some room for private insurance companies to operate and for doctors to run private practices.

Can you use Medicare in Europe?

Yes. Because Medicare has limited coverage of health care services outside the U.S., you can choose to buy a travel insurance policy to get more coverage. An insurance agent or travel agent can give you more information about buying travel insurance.

Is it worth it to get travel insurance?

Though you may pay 5 to 10 percent of your trip cost for travel insurance, travel insurance is often worth the investment for its potential to help reimburse you for hundreds of thousands of dollars of covered travel-related expenses like emergency evacuation, medical bills, and costs related to trip cancellation and …

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield work in Europe?

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan has you covered worldwide. If you need medical care outside the U.S, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands you can rest assured that the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan offers worldwide coverage.

What happens if you get sick in Europe?

In most countries, you can call 112, the European Union’s universal emergency number for ambulance, fire department or police. Most countries also have a 911 equivalent that works as well. Or you can ask a hotelier, restaurant host, or whoever’s around to call an ambulance or taxi for you.