www.CostaRicaTicas.com

No doubt fate has its say. My thinking is to minimize what fate can say.

That was a good link that Flaco posted. The travel medical insurance co I had been using, Frontier-Medex, checked out favorably. I need to google Estebanh's "RoamRight" carrier and see how they measure up, alot cheaper then Medex.

Re: regulation of travel insurance companies, if a carrier is selling travel insurance, even over the net, in your state, they will have had to register with the Insurance regulators in your state, so any claim you have against them for breach can be litigated in your home county and/or the county you were in when you bought the policy on-line.

"RoamRight" from my research appears to be a new company started in 2012.
Because of me getting older, evacution and medical insurance is now become a necessity.

Just some thoughts when purchasing travel insur.
check out all the exclusions,
ease of fileing a claim, what do you need to do when in C.R. or any other country to file proof of claim
I've been sick twice in the last two years when in C.R. luckly The Doctor down the street from the Amistad got me better so I could travel back to the US.
Like I posted previously make an effort to talk to a representive of the company and find out what the exclusions are.
Flaco in Ft.Lauderdale

RoamRight.

When I ran a bid thru RoamRight yesterday for foreign med etc, it came back at $35, $25 less then I had been paying with Frontier-MedEx. It had plenty of coverage for CR medical, repatriation to the US of my remains, med evacuation to a hospital in CR, but not med evacuation back to the states should I need it. Also, they were putting themselves as secondary to any primary insurance I may have--like my Blue Cross health coverage. To me, that means delay in getting coverage at crunch time--that I'd have to prove to them, if I was conscious or able, that I wasn't covered by another carrier before they would cough up. Maybe I am wrong, but that part worries me a little.

Re: how to make a claim, with MedEx you get a little card w/ your policy number and 800#'s to call, 24 hours.

I have extra coverage from American Express. You can choose to do a per trip coverage or since I am out of the country a couple of times a year and am more than 150 miles from home quite a bit it makes sense for me. The cost to cover just yourself is 109.00, with spouse 149.00 and a family is 209.00. If you are over 65 then it is like 30.00 more.

Key Features
Toll-free number to call for 24-hour emergency support anywhere in the world.
Up to $100,000 for emergency medical and dental treatment, in excess of your other medical coverage.**
Emergency evacuation to a local hospital or to the U.S., if necessary.
No deductible or co-payments for covered medical expenses.
Fly a loved one to your side if you're hospitalized for five days or more.

Additional Benefits
Coverage is worldwide*. You can be covered anytime you are 150 miles away from your Permanent Residence.
Up to $100,000 in Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefits.**
If you have medical insurance, we work with your provider to make sure you can be covered while traveling, even when you are out of network.
Flexible plans. Choose the coverage amount and plan option (individual, joint or family) that meets your needs.
Coverage is up to 45 days.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41072&p=467495&hilit=TravelGuard#p467495

The obtainment of medvac insurance is critical and also be aware that it is the "doctor" in the country where you are jacked up who has the most amount of say as to whether or not you get medivaced back to the USA. The question here is "Can the country and hospital you're in take care of the medical problem?" Most of these 3rd world dung heaps are too proud to admit they're not. That means you'll have to appeal the decision NOT to med jet you back to the USA. How do you do that if you're jacked up to the point where you can't speak for yourself?: Have it all written out ahead of time on the policy you purchase and make them aware what you're hospital of choice is AHEAD of time.

I have always anticipated a headache and had the appeal process already underway and the hospital of my choice in the USA ready to go to bat for me BEFORE the trip. It is worth the small amount of pay to pay the extra juice to get the $1,000,000.00 "upgrade" for med jet back to the USA in my view. Too, paying for the upgrade gives YOU the choice as to where they fly you to instead of to the "nearest" hospital that can handle your case. Yeah, I'll pay the extra....what....$12.00 to be able to let them know they're flying me "up town" as in the Mayo Clinic in Rochester instead of to some community hospital in Texas.

Too, don't forget about http://medjetassist.com/ as well as http://discounts.aarp.org/offer/index/o ... _DEC17_010

_________________
"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Why not just bribe the doctor in Cr making the fly out decisions? How much should the bribe be?

Good point.

Still, I'm a very dis-trusting soul and anybody that'd take a bribe is gonna find some way to take something else.

_________________
"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

http://www.insuremytrip.com/index.html? ... Mgodp24Alw

I use this site to compare different companies and plans, pre-existing conditions exclusions can be waived if you buy the insurance within 14 days of making your first payment.

Better safe than sorry.

Excellent site, and you are right, lot's better safe then really, really sorry.

The plan I have been using Frontier Med-Ex is included in their selection. Checking it out again for my next trip on this site, it still is the best value for what I want--plenty of local med $$$ and gets me back home if I'm messed up or dead. Has alot of other med and trip coverage, but for $31, that one was the best.

Buy some coverage and let someone close to you know that you have it, the policy #, and the 800 tel #.

You can also post it on the US Embassy CR travel check in page. Some guys don't want anybody to know they're in country, but Uncle knows anyway with the new passport system, so wtf. Worst thing I can think of is being messed up, and probably trapped, in a CR hospital solo.

I recommend TravelEx business traveler insurance. For a few extra bucks per year, you can get medical expenses covered. Here is a link:

http://www.travelexinsurance.com/travel-insurance/business-traveler-protection

I pay some $300 per year and it covers everything, including accidental death and dismemberment. It even covers you as primary health in the US when you travel state to state. You cannot make claims in your home state, but you can fly to a different, get health care, and make a claim. You need to have a primary address in the US, where you receive bills and bank statements.

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http://TipsCostaRica.com for pratical advice on living in Costa Rica.
In order to write about life, first you must live it! - E. Hemingway.