What is the difference between travel insurance and medical/health insurance?

Travel insurance is usually for short duration but can be for up to a year and does not cover urgent or elective medical problems. Travel insurance companies expect you to end your trip and return home for elective or urgent treatment and some may insist that you return home before your planned return date. Travel cover is only for accidents and emergencies. If you were diagnosed with cancer while on a long stay travel policy for example, there might be an urgent requirement to commence treatment, but it is not life or death to get on an airplane, and return home. Travel insurance is also not renewable. If you do have a serious medical problem, your coverage will end at expiry or when you return home. Our plans cover all urgent and elective medical problems and are guaranteed renewable. If you have medical insurance you don't need travel insurance unless you are travelling outside of your area of cover.

How is the deductible applied?

European Style Plan: The deductible is charged per treatment episode not per doctor visit. For example, if you broke your arm and had to be treated 3 times, you'd only be charged the deductible once. If you had another accident and broke your leg in the same policy year, you'd be charged again as it is a new unrelated claim. If you seek medical consultations with different doctors on the same claim rather than sticking with the same one, they may apply the deductible again. If you have a medical problem and there's no clear diagnosis and seek multiple consultations with different doctors, then they would charge the deductible each time.

American Style Plan: The deductible is an annual deductible and pays everything over the limit per year.

Are there limitations to the routine dental benefit?

European Style Plan: Yes, cover is only available to those who had a dental inspection and concluded all necessary treatment in the twelve-month period immediately prior to enrolment in the plan, or immediately prior to claiming the Routine Dental benefit. A report from your dentist may be required. So, don't sign up after not having visited a dentist for years and expect us to pay a huge bill for a dental nightmare. Take care of any dental problems yourself within 12 months prior to joining, and or after you join. After that, we will cover your routine dental problems. Think of it this way, dental problems you have before you join or have that first check-up, whether you know about them are not, are pre-existing conditions and are not covered. Only new conditions are covered