Health insurance can make your stay in another country much easier. Insurance is not always required at border crossings, so some people may neglect the need for it. But not having health insurance for traveling abroad can have unpleasant consequences.

What is insurance and how does it work?
Health insurance is a service that guarantees the insured person medical care and related expenses in case of need.

The essence of insurance is that the person who buys the policy, in case of an insured event (injury, illness, etc.) is entitled to medical care within the budget and list of services for which the insurance was issued. In fact, the budget and list of services depend on the particular insurance company, the price of the policy, and the age and health status of the person. As a rule, health insurance guarantees inpatient (treatment in a hospital), outpatient (doctor on call at home), emergency (ambulance) care, and payment for medications. The insurance can cover the cost of treatment in full or in part. If an insured person falls ill, he should call his insurance company, which will direct the client to the right clinic.

If the insured happens to be in the hospital in an emergency, you need to inform the insurance company after the fact. If you had to pay some bills yourself – keep receipts and supporting documents for treatment. You will also need to provide them to the insurance company.

What is insurance abroad for?
The average market price of a standard insurance policy is about 1.5 euros per day. But the cost of medical services when you need to see a doctor – many times more expensive. In most countries of the world medical care for non-residents is provided on a fee basis. For example, in Norway visiting the family doctor for uninsured people costs from 20 euros, visiting a specialist in Czech Republic – from 30 euros. A day of inpatient treatment in Germany costs about 125 euros. And an ambulance call in Switzerland, in case of absence of the insurance policy, may cost about 800 Euros.

Consequently, even minor health problems in case of absence of insurance can become very expensive. In many countries pharmacy drugs are sold only on prescription, and to get it you will also need to see a doctor.

Here is a short list of problems with state medicine, which insurance policy helps to solve:

Queues. The first and most unpleasant surprise awaits patients without insurance in Europe. If you are uninsured and decide to use state medicine in a European hospital, be prepared that it may take several weeks, or even months, to see a doctor.

Distance counseling. In Europe, state medicine provides face-to-face consultations. If you need an urgent or small consultation, and have no time to wait in line, you have to pay for a remote doctor’s appointment. Above we have already written about the average price of an appointment with a European doctor.

Taking out an insurance policy takes minutes and guarantees medical services that we are easily accustomed to receiving at home. To protect yourself from trouble abroad and to be safe for you and your loved ones, it is advisable to buy health insurance in advance. The fact that in Europe and other countries, almost all citizens have insurance policies, shows that insurance is no longer a luxury, but an affordable necessity for everyone.