Traveling abroad can be an exciting and enriching experience. However, it also comes with potential health risks that travelers need to be prepared for. Illness or injury while overseas can lead to exorbitant medical costs if you don’t have adequate travel health insurance coverage. This is where AAA Travel Health Insurance comes in.
AAA is a renowned auto club that provides a range of insurance products and travel services to its members. One of their offerings is travel health insurance plans that provide emergency medical coverage for domestic and international trips. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore AAA Travel Health Insurance in detail – its pros and cons, different plans and coverage options, how to apply, customer reviews, alternatives, and more. Read on to learn everything you need to make an informed decision about this travel health insurance provider.
Contents
About AAA Travel Health Insurance
AAA Travel Health Insurance offers plans that provide emergency medical coverage while traveling within the United States or abroad. It covers expenses associated with medical care during your trip if you get sick or injured.
Some key facts about AAA Travel Health Insurance:
- Offered to AAA members only
- Provides coverage for trips 15-180 days in length
- Emergency medical costs covered include hospitalization, doctors’ fees, prescription drugs, emergency dental care, ambulance transportation, etc.
- Additional coverage like Emergency Medical Transportation, Trip Cancellation, etc. available
- You can buy coverage for just one trip or get an annual travel health insurance plan
AAA partners with designated insurance carriers to offer travel health plans. The underwriters include Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Arch Insurance Company. Applicants must have an active AAA membership to be eligible to purchase this insurance.
Pros and Cons of AAA Travel Health Insurance
Pros of AAA Travel Health Insurance
- Reputable provider: AAA is a well-known and trusted brand in auto and travel services, providing peace of mind.
- Industry experience: AAA has over 100 years of experience in the insurance and travel industries. They have a time-tested travel health insurance product.
- Customizable plans: You can customize your policy with add-ons like trip cancellation/interruption, lost baggage coverage, etc. based on your specific needs.
- Pre-existing condition waiver: You can get coverage for pre-existing medical conditions if you buy the plan within 15 days of your initial trip payment date.
- Emergency assistance: 24/7 worldwide travel assistance services provide help with medical emergencies, evacuations, travel issues, etc.
- Online convenience: Applying, finding provider networks, and claiming reimbursement can all be done online.
Cons of AAA Travel Health Insurance
- Membership required: You need an active AAA membership, which has an annual fee starting at around $60.
- Age limits: Coverage is limited to those under 85 years of age.
- Trip length limits: Trips must be between 15-180 days for coverage eligibility.
- Pre-existing condition limits: Claims relating to undisclosed pre-existing conditions may be limited or denied.
- Specific exclusions: Certain adventure activities, mental/nervous disorders, and other exclusions may apply.
- Reimbursement basis: You have to pay upfront for medical services overseas and file a claim later for reimbursement.
Plans and Coverage Offered by AAA Travel Health Insurance
AAA offers travel health insurance for both domestic and international trips. Some key plans and coverage details include:
Domestic Travel Health Insurance
- Blue Plan: This covers emergency medical care during trips within the U.S. up to 180 days. It has a maximum benefit of $50,000.
- Red Plan: This offers higher limits of up to $100,000 for emergency medical costs for domestic trips up to 180 days.
- Silver Plan: This plan has a maximum benefit limit of $1 million for emergency medical care within the U.S. for trips up to 180 days.
International Travel Health Insurance
- Blue Plan: This offers coverage up to $50,000 for emergency medical costs overseas for trips 15-180 days in length.
- Red Plan: With this plan, you get up to $100,000 in emergency medical coverage for international trips up to 180 days.
- Gold Plan: This provides up to $250,000 in overseas emergency medical coverage for trips ranging from 15-180 days.
- Platinum Plan: This high-end plan has up to $1 million in coverage for emergency medical costs incurred during international trips of 15-180 days.
All plans provide coverage for hospitalization, ambulance, emergency dental care, prescription drugs, and more while traveling. You can also add optional benefits like Medical Transportation, Trip Cancellation, Baggage Loss, and so on.
How to Apply for AAA Travel Health Insurance
Here are the steps to apply for AAA travel health insurance coverage:
- Become a AAA member: You need an active AAA membership number to buy travel health insurance. Join them online or at a local branch.
- Determine your coverage needs: Decide which plan (Blue, Red, Silver, Gold, Platinum) provides sufficient overseas or domestic medical coverage for your trip.
- Provide travel details: Have details like your selected coverage period, exact travel dates, destinations, purpose of travel, etc. handy.
- Fill application form: Complete AAA’s travel health insurance application online or through a AAA agent. Provide membership, personal, and travel details.
- Pay premium: Choose your payment method and pay the quoted travel health insurance premium online to complete enrollment.
- Get policy documents: Review policy documents, ID card, claim submission guidelines, and keep them accessible during your trip.
The application process is quick and convenient online. You can also speak to a licensed AAA agent for assistance with picking a suitable plan and filling out the application.
AAA Travel Health Insurance Reviews and Customer Satisfaction
AAA Travel Health Insurance earns positive reviews from most customers. On Trustpilot, it scores an ‘Excellent’ 4.2 out of 5 rating based on over 230 reviews. Here are some common compliments and complaints:
Pros from customer reviews:
- Easy and fast online purchase process
- Responsive and helpful customer service
- Quick claims processing and reimbursement
- Good network of overseas hospitals and doctors
Cons mentioned in some reviews:
- Finding in-network providers is difficult in some countries
- Pre-existing condition coverage could be better
- Dental care limitations with basic plans
- Claim documentation needs improvement
In general, AAA’s strong brand reputation, years of experience, and responsive support result in happy travelers. Most are pleased with the coverage provided relative to the premiums. But the plans may lack comprehensive pre-existing condition coverage and dental care benefits.
AAA Travel Health Insurance Alternatives
Some alternatives to consider for travel health insurance include:
- WorldTrips: Offers customized plans for domestic and overseas travel with strong pre-existing condition coverage. Wide range of add-ons available.
- IMG Patriot Travel Insurance: Specializes in international travel health insurance at competitive rates. Good emergency medical and evacuation benefits.
- Seven Corners: A popular choice with different tiers of travel health insurance plans. Offers trip cancellation/interruption benefits.
- Travel Guard by AIG: Known for comprehensive travel insurance bundles with health, dental, and evacuation coverage. Strong reputation.
- Allianz Travel Insurance: A major provider with different levels of medical expense coverage starting at $50,000. Annual multi-trip plans available.
Compare AAA travel health insurance against alternatives like policy benefits, exclusions, premiums, etc. Choose one that best meets your specific trip and health coverage needs.
Conclusion
AAA Travel Health Insurance can provide members with peace of mind through emergency overseas and domestic medical coverage while traveling. Its key advantages are reputable underwriters, strong customer service, and quick claim processing. Just be aware of membership fees, age limits, trip length restrictions, and some coverage gaps before purchasing. For comprehensive protection, adding enhanced benefits or comparing against other leading providers may be wise. Carefully evaluate your unique situation before buying AAA or any other travel health insurance.