Health & Insurance

Travel Insurance

The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the cost and length of your trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you're taking, but expect to pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself. You can get estimates from various providers through InsureMyTrip.com. Enter your trip cost and dates, your age, and other information, for prices from more than a dozen companies.

For U.K. citizens, insurance is always advisable when traveling in the States. Travelers who make more than one trip abroad per year may find an annual travel insurance policy works out cheaper. MoneySupermarket.com compares prices across a wide range of providers for single- and multitrip policies.

Most big travel agents offer their own insurance and will probably try to sell you their package when you book a holiday. Think before you sign. Britain's Consumers' Association recommends that you insist on seeing the policy and reading the fine print before buying travel insurance. The Association of British Insurers (tel. 020/7600-3333; www.abi.org.uk) gives advice by phone and publishes Holiday Insurance, a free guide to policy provisions and prices. You might also shop around for better deals: Try Columbus Direct (tel. 0870/033-9988; www.columbusdirect.net).

Trip-Cancellation Insurance -- Trip-cancellation insurance will help retrieve your money if you have to back out of a trip or depart early, or if your travel supplier goes bankrupt. Trip cancellation traditionally covers such events as sickness, natural disasters, and Department of State advisories. The latest news in trip-cancellation insurance is the availability of expanded hurricane coverage and the "any-reason" cancellation coverage -- which costs more but covers cancellations made for any reason. You won't get back 100% of your prepaid trip cost, but you'll be refunded a substantial portion. TravelSafe (tel. 888/885-7233; www.travelsafe.com) offers both types of coverage. Expedia also offers any-reason cancellation coverage for its air-hotel packages. For details, contact one of the following recommended insurers: Access America (tel. 866/807-3982; www.accessamerica.com), Travel Guard International (tel. 800/826-4919; www.travelguard.com), Travel Insured International (tel. 800/243-3174; www.travelinsured.com), and Travelex Insurance Services (tel. 888/457-4602; www.travelex-insurance.com).

Medical Insurance -- Although it's not required of travelers, health insurance is highly recommended. Most health insurance policies cover you if you get sick away from home -- but check your coverage before you leave.

International visitors should note that unlike many European countries, the United States does not usually offer free or low-cost medical care to its citizens or visitors. Doctors and hospitals are expensive, and in most cases will require advance payment or proof of coverage before they render their services. Good policies will cover the costs of an accident, repatriation, or death. Packages such as Europ Assistance's "Worldwide Healthcare Plan" are sold by European automobile clubs and travel agencies at attractive rates. Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc. (tel. 800/777-8710; www.worldwideassistance.com) is the agent for Europ Assistance in the U.S. Though lack of health insurance may prevent you from being admitted to a hospital in nonemergencies, don't worry about being left on a street corner to die: The American way is to fix you now and bill the living daylights out of you later.

If you're ever hospitalized more than 150 miles from home, MedjetAssist (tel. 800/527-7478; www.medjetassistance.com) will pick you up and fly you to the hospital of your choice in a medically equipped and staffed aircraft 24 hours day, 7 days a week. Annual memberships are $225 individual, $350 family; you can also purchase short-term memberships.

Canadians should check with their provincial health plan offices or call Health Canada (tel. 866/225-0709; www.hc-sc.gc.ca) to determine the extent of their coverage and what documentation and receipts they must keep in case they are treated in the U.S.

Lost-Luggage Insurance -- On flights within the U.S., checked baggage is covered up to $2,500 per ticketed passenger. On flights outside the U.S. (and on U.S. portions of international trips), baggage coverage is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound, up to approximately $635 per checked bag. If you plan to check items more valuable than what's covered by the standard liability, see if your homeowner's policy covers your valuables, get baggage insurance as part of your comprehensive travel-insurance package, or buy Travel Guard's "BagTrak" product.

If your luggage is lost, immediately file a lost-luggage claim at the airport detailing the luggage contents. Most airlines require that you report delayed, damaged, or lost baggage within 4 hours of arrival. The airlines are required to deliver luggage, once found, directly to your house or destination free of charge.

Staying Healthy

Baltimore's health care is among the world's finest. In fact, people come from all over the world seeking the medical expertise of specialists at Johns Hopkins Hospital or the University of Maryland Hospital. The University of Maryland's Shock Trauma Center is renowned for its efforts at saving the lives of those injured in crashes or through violence.

Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT; tel. 716/754-4883, or tel. 416/652-0137 in Canada; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in the countries you're visiting, and for lists of local, English-speaking doctors. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (tel. 800/311-3435; www.cdc.gov) provides up-to-date information on health hazards by region or country and offers tips on food safety. The website www.tripprep.com, sponsored by a consortium of travel medicine practitioners, Travel Health Online, may also offer helpful advice on traveling abroad. You can find listings of reliable clinics overseas at the International Society of Travel Medicine (www.istm.org).

Healthy Travels to You -- The following government websites offer up-to-date health-related travel advice.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au
• Canada: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html
• U.K.: www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAdviceForTravellers/fs/en
• U.S.: www.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx

Common Ailments -- Maryland and Delaware don't pose any unusual health risks to the average visitor. If you're hiking or camping, be aware that this is deer-tick country, and deer ticks can carry Lyme disease. Wear long sleeves and pants tucked into your socks, cover your head, and inspect yourself for ticks later. Insect repellent containing DEET also helps repel ticks. After your trip, watch for a bull's-eye-shaped rash that can appear 3 days to a month following infection (but be aware that not everyone who is infected will get the rash). There is now a vaccine available for Lyme disease; consult your doctor if you're planning to take an extensive trip to deer tick-infested areas.

For information on West Nile Virus -- which has been seen only rarely in Maryland -- or Lyme disease, visit www.edcp.org and click on "Fact Sheets."

What to Do If You Get Sick Away from Home -- If you face a life-threatening illness, call 911 anywhere in Maryland or Delaware for an ambulance. Every hospital has an emergency room whose staff won't turn anyone away. Bring your health insurance card, if you have one.

If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before your departure. Pack prescription medications in your carry-on luggage, and carry them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels -- otherwise they won't make it through airport security. Visitors from outside the U.S. should carry generic names of prescription drugs. For U.S. travelers, most reliable health-care plans provide coverage if you get sick away from home. Foreign visitors may have to pay medical costs upfront and be reimbursed later.

Safety

While most of Maryland and Delaware enjoy relatively low crime rates, Baltimore has a nagging problem with property and violent crime, and Wilmington also has neighborhoods where visitors are advised not to go. The major tourist areas of both cities are fairly well policed, but be alert and follow common-sense precautions.

If you're using public transport, it's best to travel during the day and to keep valuables out of sight. It is safer and smarter to drive or take a cab between neighborhoods (unless otherwise noted) than to walk, even when the distance is not too great. Keep a good city map at hand to help you out if you're lost. Neighborhoods can go from safe to scary in a matter of a few blocks. It's best to keep on the main routes and turn around if anything looks worrisome.

In parts of Baltimore and Wilmington, panhandlers may approach you. Don't open your wallet or purse to give money. Offer only what's in your pocket. It's okay to say no, too.