Full Time Travelers Health Insurance •

Health Insurance For Full Time Travelers

Heather Markel, Writer, Speaker, Photographer, Traveler, Business Strategist

If you’re thinking of traveling full time, especially independently of a full time corporate job, health insurance is no doubt on your mind. It was one of the things that kept me from quitting my job for years. My logic continuously convinced me it was impossible to get, or pay for, without that corporate job. As my paycheck deductible for health insurance began increasing more quickly than my salary, I began to have second thoughts. It turns out, there’s more than one way to get health insurance! So, if this is something on your mind as you contemplate whether to become a full time traveler, here are some thoughts.

You Don’t Have To Have A Corporate Job To Get Health Insurance

It turns out, there’s more than one way to get health insurance, and not having a corporate job does not mean you have to have “bad” health insurance, either. Here are a couple of paths to start your research.

Many associations, like Freelance.org, offer a reduced, group rate for health insurance for their members. So, you could join an association and benefit from this discount. Clearly, do your research before joining to be sure they have a plan and a cost that make you happy. These plans are usually best for someone planning to travel domestically in the USA, as opposed to in and out of the country.

Another route is to get an insurance broker. You can Google one who is local to where you live and they can help you explore what are commonly called expat insurance plans. If you’re traveling internationally, this is what you’ll want to get. When I was marooned in New Zealand for two years during the pandemic, my expat insurance covered my doctor visits and dental cleanings. These plans typically cover you for your travel overseas, and do not cover you as much in your country of nationality. Of course, because, if you’re an expat, you aren’t expected to be in your country of nationality.

Is It Worth Investing In Health Insurance?

That’s a question only you can answer, but let me tell you about a recent scenario that sure made me glad to have my health insurance.

I had just arrived in France. A few days in, I unexpectedly began having bad asthma. That’s when I discovered I forgot to bring my asthma medication with me. There’s no way to get it in France without a prescription. As a tourist, it’s very hard to get a same day doctor appointment. That’s when I reached out to my insurance company to see if they could help. Within two hours, they emailed me a prescription that was filled by a French pharmacy, in a tiny town in Normandy, immediately. I hope you never need the insurance, but, if you do, it’s a huge relief, and potential life saver, to have it.

7 Comments

Sharyn on July 3, 2022 at 00:07

Great info. Thanks for the advice. I never travel without travel insurance.

ANUKRATI DOSI on July 3, 2022 at 07:57

Experiencing Asthama in a foreign country itself sounds scary. Thank god, your insurance company sorted that out for you. The traveler’s health insurance does make sense.

Heather Markel on July 3, 2022 at 13:18

Yes I was very lucky!
Reply

Laureen on July 3, 2022 at 09:12

I get this question a lot from
People so I will refer them to this when next I do. We luckily have insurance still from Arne’s corporate job. Although the times we have needed doctors we have found in most cases it’s so cheap we pay cash. Of course, luckily, we have never had any
major issues. So glad you got your Asthsma meds!!

Heather Markel on July 3, 2022 at 13:19

Good for you! And yes I’m glad too!!
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Sue on July 4, 2022 at 11:47

This is so important to read & I’m really pleased that your insurer sorted you out so quickly. I always travel with insurance but have a 12-month cover for multiple trips. However, it is not suited to long-term travel & the 70-day max is nowadays what brings me home. I wasn’t aware that there was expat insurance so very good to know!