Overseas Medical Insurance

Every year thousands of Aussies head off overseas. Some go for short business trips to major cities like London or New York, others for study such as university exchange. Holiday-goers may find themselves jet-setting to destinations close to home like the Pacific Islands, while adventurous backpackers head off for lengthy budget holidays around the world.

It doesn't matter where you are travelling to, how you are getting there, how old or healthy you are or how much time you'll be spending away, you should never leave Australian shores without overseas travel insurance. What a lot of travellers unfortunately don't realise is that once we leave home our normal health insurance including Medicare and private health cover will not cover us at all.

In Australia all of us have access to public health care, and many of us also invest in private health insurance. We do this without thinking, because we know that the risk of having an accident or getting sick is very real and we want to protect ourselves against the financial tragedy that can accompany it. When we head off overseas this risk doesn't change, and if anything it is increased.

In foreign countries we try different foods that our stomachs may not be used to, or that may not be prepared hygienically. We are more susceptible to waterborne diseases, such as Giardia, diarrhoea or dysentery. If you fall sick from contaminated food or water, not only will you be in for an uncomfortable few days but you will also find yourself out of pocket for medication and possibly a stay in hospital.

In some countries we face the risk of catching diseases far worse than a simple case of food poisoning. Many popular destinations for Aussie tourists are areas where diseases such as malaria or dengue fever are not uncommon. Mild cases can be treated with proper medication and hospitalisation, however the more serious cases require urgent medical attention that can be extremely costly.

Whether you fall seriously sick or have a serious accident overseas, you will find yourself having to pay entirely out of your own pocket unless you have medical and health insurance. Your expenses may include hospital and doctors' fees, medication, surgery, ambulance and emergency assistance costs, hospital transfers and possibly your return to Australia. This is why having travel insurance is so crucial.

Overseas medical and health insurance will cover your unlimited medical and hospital expenses, as well as emergency assistance. This is included in all of iTrek's policies, as well as $500 cover for emergency dental expenses. As soon as you book your travel, the first thing you should do is purchase medical and health insurance. Your health is the most important thing you have, so don't take the risk of leaving it unprotected by purchasing travel insurance today.