As a rule, any need for doctor's help should be accompanied by a call to the phone number specified in the insurance policy. Moreover, it is strictly necessary to do it first – regardless of the nature of the disease or injury (of course, if the patient is conscious and can speak).
It is necessary to give the service company your your personal data, insurance number and then wait for instructions. If the situation allows it, you can get a return call within 15 minutes and be told which closest clinic you should go to. If this is not an option, you will be asked to call an ambulance or to go to the nearest hospital yourself. The main thing is to receive confirmation by phone.
Depending on the nature of the injury and your location – both country and remoteness from civilization – the insurance company can offer two payment options. In the first case, you will be provided with medical assistance and medicines automatically at the company's expense, in the second – you will have to pay yourself, collect all bills and patient payment information, and upon arrival apply to the insurance provider for compensation.
Always carry an insurance policy with you, especially if you plan to drive away from the hotel. Also, remember that all your actions should be coordinated with the operator of the company. Otherwise, you may be denied reimbursement of funds for medical services.
Please note that the insurance company will not cover the treatment of chronic illnesses, in rare cases will reimburse the visit to the dentist, and even less often pay the cost of treatment if the injury was received in a state of intoxication or the tourist caught a "local" disease, which should have been inoculated against prior to leaving home country.
If, however, you are faced with a situation when you failed to use the insurance policy, or you travel without it, you should have a substantial amount of money to cover the treatment. For example, in Europe, a simple visit to the doctor's office can cost between 50 and 150 euros. Not complex procedures will pull the bill up another two or three hundred, but hospitalization for 2 days will add up an amount of about 1,500 to 2,000 euros.
If there is no such amount at your disposal, be prepared that treatment can also be refused. Although in some countries (for example, in the US), the exorbitant bill for treatment can be presented post factum.
A tourist who finds himself in a difficult situation should always remember about the opportunity to apply to the embassy of the country which he is a citizen of. Here they should always be helped, including paying for expensive treatment (although the spent amount will still have to be returned).
Keep in mind that a well-stocked first aid kit will serve you like a charm. Always take with you the most necessary medicines, because abroad they can have a different name, be released only on prescription and, moreover, be very pricey.
If the problem gives you the benefit of time, always look for possible options to reduce the cost of treatment. For example, a doctor in the hotel can conduct a simple examination for free, wash the wound and prescribe a medicine. Even in America, the country with the most expensive medicine, you can always find public clinics, where for very little money and in the absence of good service you can still get quality medical care.
The need for medical care can arise anywhere and at any given time. In order not to spoil your holiday and not treat your condition in a foreign clinic, we once again want to emphasize an important rule – always arrange quality insurance. Well, of course, take care of your health!