Travel health insurance

Travel health insurance – Your most important travel companion

Do you experience real "wanderlust" and like to plan your holiday in advance? Those who have already decided on a destination, booked transport and accommodation can enjoy the sense of anticipation. Especially if you have good travel protection in place. With HanseMerkur Travel Insurance, you make the right provisions and are fully covered.

Why is travel health insurance useful?

Doesn't statutory health insurance also cover you if you need medical assistance while travelling? The answer: Unfortunately, only to a limited extent. The costs you have to pay yourself in an emergency without travel protection depend mainly on the country you are travelling to and the type of treatment you receive there.

When travelling to other EU countries or the European Economic Area (EEA), you need the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which is on the back of the e-card. On presentation of your EHIC, you can benefit from medically necessary visits to a doctor or hospitalisation in an EU/EEA member state and Switzerland. Depending on the type of service, however, the statutory health insurance may only cover costs up to a certain rate and you may have to pay extra.

If, on the other hand, you are travelling to a country outside the EU/EEA states, travel protection is even more important. Medical treatment or even a stay in hospital for several days is entirely at your own expense without travel protection. In countries with particularly expensive health care systems, such as the USA or Canada, this results in a significant financial risk. If you take out private travel health insurance before your trip, you will not only save money and unnecessary worry, but you can also start your holiday with a good feeling.

What benefits are covered by travel health insurance?

HanseMerkur offers various travel insurance policies that we have adapted to different needs. The benefits included in a travel health insurance policy, therefore, depend on the travel insurance in question.

Our international health insurance policy covers you for up to 364 days in the event of a claim. In the Carefree and Premium plans, we cover, among other things, outpatient medical treatment, painkilling dental treatment, medicines and dressings, as well as return transport to Austria. You do not pay a deductible.

What is the difference between the Carefree and Premium plans? With both plans, you enjoy excellent protection. In the latter, you benefit from additionally insured events such as a sickness-related visit – for example, from your family – in the event of a hospital stay of longer than five days. Individual benefits also have higher reimbursement amounts. For example, inpatient medical treatment is insured for an unlimited period in the Premium plan and up to € 300,000 in the Carefree plan. To decide on a plan, it is best to weigh up which benefits are particularly important to you within the travel health insurance policy.

How do I find the right travel health insurance for me?

HanseMerkur's travel health insurance policies are tailored to different types of travel. If you are planning a single holiday trip, we recommend the international health insurance for up to 364 days. Do you travel several times a year and not longer than 62 days? In this case, our annual international health insurance for worldwide travel destinations is worthwhile – often for as few as 2 trips per year. For even more comprehensive protection, frequent travellers benefit from our annual travel protection premium including travel curtailment, delay protection, travel liability insurance and accident insurance.

In addition to travel protection, travel cancellation insurance is also important to you in case you are unable to take your trip for various reasons. If your trip lasts a maximum of 31 days, the cancellation and travel protection is suitable for you, through which you also cover possible cancellation costs before the trip in addition to the international health insurance. If you travel with your family, you will receive a discounted family rate. A group rate, on the other hand, is available for groups of 10 or more.

But your age also plays an important role in finding the right travel health insurance. Would you like to start an adventure as a student, au pair or as someone taking part in Work & Travel? With our international health insurance for young people, young adults up to the age of 39 benefit from low premiums and optimal travel protection for up to 364 days.

As an option, we offer an additional package under international health insurance for up to 364 days and under international health insurance for young people, which completes your travel protection. It includes emergency, travel liability, travel accident and luggage insurance.

Practical advice

Did you know that the statutory insurance cover does not apply to return transports from the holiday destination to the home country Austria? However, private travel health insurance can cover you in the event of costly medical return transport. Depending on the country and the distance to Austria, costs of more than € 10,000 may be incurred for return transport without travel insurance. HanseMerkur's international health insurance, on the other hand, fully covers the costs in the event of medically reasonable return transport.

At a glance – International health insurance up to 364 days

If you suffer an accident during your trip abroad, become ill or need medical assistance for other reasons, travel health insurance will protect you. In addition to reimbursement of outpatient and inpatient medical treatment costs, international health cover offers many benefits:

  • No deductible (exception in the Carefree plan: 20 % deductible for medical expenses abroad, provided the claims were not first submitted to social or private insurance
  • Costs for patient transport to the nearest hospital and for any necessary return transport to Austria
  • Consultation via foreign doctors on site
  • Costs for numerous additional services, e.g. travel of family members in case of hospitalisation for more than 5 days
  • International health insurance from € 1.50 (per day up to 65th birthday/without USA & Canada)

You can find all services here.

Framework conditions

These general conditions apply to our international health insurance:

  • Scope of cover: worldwide or worldwide without Canada/USA
  • Validity period: Commencement of trip until the end of the trip (from reaching the border)
  • Rate up to and from the age of 65
  • Maximum duration of trip: 364 days
  • Deadline: Insurance can be taken out at any time before the start of the trip