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Home > Destinations > Caribbean and the Atlantic > Caribbean > Aruba > Planning a Trip > Health & Insurance |
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Health & Insurance
Travel Insurance There are three kinds of travel insurance: trip-cancellation, medical, and lost-luggage coverage. Check your existing medical and homeowner's policies before you buy additional coverage. Trip-cancellation insurance is a good idea if you've paid most of your vacation expenses upfront, say, by purchasing a package or a cruise. It protects you if you have to cancel your trip because of sickness or a death in the family. Medical contingencies may be covered by your existing health policy, but emergency evacuation sometimes isn't; and Medicare often doesn't cover all medical expenses overseas. If you need hospital treatment, most health-insurance plans cover out-of-country hospital visits and procedures to some extent. Most make you pay the bills upfront, however, and reimburse you only after all the paperwork's been processed. The differences between travel assistance and insurance are often blurred, but the former generally offers on-the-spot assistance and 24-hour hotlines, while the latter reimburses you for travel problems after you've complied with the filing requirements. On domestic flights, checked baggage is covered up to $2,500 per ticketed passenger. On international flights (including U.S. portions of international trips), baggage coverage is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound, up to approximately $635 per checked bag. Reputable issuers of travel insurance include Access America (tel. 866/807-3982; www.accessamerica.com), Travel Guard International (tel. 800/826-4919; www.travelguard.com), and Travelex Insurance Services (tel. 888/457-4602; www.travelex-insurance.com). For medical coverage, try MEDEX International (tel. 800/537-2029 or 410/453-6300; www.medexassist.com) or Travel Assistance International (Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc.; tel. 800/821-2828 or 202/828-5894). Scuba divers can obtain dive-accident insurance through the Divers Alert Network (tel. 800/446-2671; www.diversalertnetwork.org). Staying Healthy Keep the following suggestions in mind: What to Do if You Get Sick Finding a good doctor in Aruba is not a problem, and all speak English. Hotels have physicians on call, and the modern Horacio Oduber Hospital, L. G. Smith Boulevard, near Eagle Beach (tel. 297/587-4300, also the number to call in case of a medical emergency; www.arubahospital.com), has excellent medical facilities, including a new recompression chamber. If you have an emergency while you're on the eastern end of the island, San Nicolas has a medical center, the Centro Médico, Bernardstraat 10 (tel. 297/584-8833). Consulting hours are limited, but emergency assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Posada Clinic Aruba, L. G. Smith Blvd. 14 (tel. 297/582-0840), has modern hemodialysis equipment, but reservations must be made 3 months in advance. Labco Medical and Homecare Service NV, Fergusonstraat 52, Ponton (tel. 297/582-6651), rents wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, bedpans, and other medical equipment. Service is available 24 hours a day, and delivery is free. If your emergency cannot be handled locally, Air Ambulance (tel. 297/993-0209) service is available to Curaçao, Venezuela, and all U.S. cities. The island's dental facilities are good; make appointments through your hotel. If you worry about getting sick away from home, consider medical travel insurance. In most cases, though, your existing health plan will provide the coverage you need. Be sure to carry your identification card with you. If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before you depart. For conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, or heart problems, wear a MedicAlert Identification Tag (tel. 888/633-4298, or 209/668-3333 outside the U.S.; www.medicalert.org), which immediately alerts doctors to your condition and gives them access to your records through MedicAlert's 24-hour hot line. Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (tel. 716/754-4883 or 416/652-0137 in Canada; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in Aruba, as well as a list of local doctors.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
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Home > Destinations > Caribbean and the Atlantic > Caribbean > Aruba > Planning a Trip > Health & Insurance |
