When you start looking into buying a visitors insurance policy, you’ll want to know what’s covered and what isn’t covered. Can you get a preventive check-up while you are away? Can you get preventive treatment for pre-existing conditions?

So simply put, visitors insurance does not cover routine check-up or preventative treatment like flu shots, dialysis, blood pressure checks or vaccinations. Visitors insurance is a travel medical policy that covers travelers for any new medical and travel related risks while they are visiting a different country. Insurance can cover hospital bills, stolen baggage, cancelled plane tickets, and more. It is meant to provide coverage during a medical emergency or if an accident happens.

Why Aren’t Routine Check-Ups Covered?

Visitors insurance isn’t meant to act like your regular medical insurance back home. It is there in case of emergencies and illnesses that need to be taken care of right away. Therefore, routine check-ups are not covered by visitors insurance since they prove to be costlier. For the premium you pay, it may not be viable for insurance companies to provide coverage for routine treatments.
Before you go on a long trip, you should see your primary care doctor at home to refill any medications, get a physical, and do any preventive treatments necessary for your health. If you go for a routine check-up while you are on a trip, your claim will probably be denied. The medical coverage covered in visitor’s insurance is more for when things actually go wrong, not to prevent things from going wrong.

When you go on a long trip, it’s nice to know that you can see a doctor if you need to. However, visitor’s insurance isn’t meant to act as a preventive measure while you are travelling. As stated above, any preventive treatment you need, such as medication refills, primary care visits, vaccines, and more, should be done before you leave for your trip. This should be covered by your medical insurance back home. Use your visitor insurance policy to pay for claims like doctor’s visits due to a broken bone or a high fever.