Illness or accident abroad: does your hospitalization insurance offer relief?

With summer just around the corner, many people are eagerly looking forward to their vacation. However

, it’s worth taking a moment beforehand to consider the risks you might face while traveling, as you can also get sick or have an accident while on holiday. In particular, in foreign countries, this can lead to hefty bills. Many people rely on their hospitalization insurance to cover these costs, but what does it actually cover? And is it worthwhile to take out additional travel assistance insurance?>

Reimbursement of medical expenses due to illness or accident

Via your hospitalization insurance: yes, but…

Your

837-4c7a-ace4-1b6f8ab6ec98" href="/node/240">hospitalization insurance covers your medical expenses after an illness or accident abroad, but only if you are actually hospitalized. Outpatient medical expenses (such as a doctor's visit or medication) are not reimbursed.

An accident or illness on vacation often brings other expenses as well, such as the repatriation of

the insured person and/or family members, or the organization of assistance (for example, a rescue operation). These additional costs are usually not covered by hospitalization insurance.

Your health insurance and the travel insurance via your credit card also have their limitations

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Your health insurance through the health fund provides coverage for unforeseen and

urgent medical care abroad, but the coverage is often limited (both in terms of geography and reimbursed amounts) and you often have to pay a deductible.

Similarly, you need to be cautious with the travel insurance via your credit card

>: it only applies if you (partially) paid for the trip with your credit card, and coverage has many exclusions; not infrequently, there is also a high deductible.

The most comprehensive solution: a travel assistance insurance

You’ll travel with more peace of mind with a

-type="node" data-entity-uuid="6db0a0b6-38e2-4a7b-a2c3-3faa6a21489c" href="/node/227">travel assistance insurance. This not only provides broader coverage and higher reimbursement for medical expenses after illness or accident abroad, it also offers extensive assistance to travelers:

assistance in case of theft or loss of travel documents,

reimbursement of search and rescue costs,

reimbursement for early return due to hospitalization or death of a family member, or serious damage

to your home or car,

assistance from an interpreter,

assistance in case of legal proceedings abroad,

and so on.

What if you have an accident or breakdown with your car?

For costs incurred due to an accident or breakdown with your car abroad, the same principle applies

: you can make use of your ordinary -entity-uuid="da1b4d0a-264a-4d6c-a8b4-3b295bfce20e" href="/node/233">third party car insurance – but only to a (very) limited extent. Most costs are not covered by this insurance, so assistance insurance is also recommended for your car when you go on vacation.

With assistance insurance for your vehicle and passengers, you can, for example, count on:

roadside assistance and towing in Belgium and abroad,

repatriation of your vehicle and the insured persons (passengers),

assistance in case of theft,

and so on.

Seek specialist advice

Whether it’s standard hospitalization insurance, car insurance, or travel assistance insurance,

there are many options, each with their own terms and coverages. To efficiently cover your travel risks, it's best to seek the advice of a specialist. This helps you avoid overlaps in coverage and gaps in your insurance.

Are you heading abroad this summer and want to be properly insured? Feel free to contact us for more

information or an insurance proposal.