We've written about Allianz travel insurance before but we continue to get questions regarding how they compare to some alternatives.
Most of the insurance we sell is from Allianz. Sometimes we sell insurance from the suppliers but mostly we use Allianz. Why? We think they offer excellent policies, are easy to work with and provide great service in the case of an event. Plus in most cases, it's the most economic choice since it covers the entire trip.
Allianz by the numbers
As a global company, Allianz has relationships with over 1000 hospitals in 40 developed countries. Further, they individually rate over 1700 hospitals in 500 cities in 130 developing countries. That means that virtually anywhere in the world, you're not too far from a hospital that you can trust. Allianz has a team of 120 country correspondents in 167 countries to evaluate and assess the conditions on the ground. In 2018, they handled over 53,000 calls and 670 medical transports! They have a 97% customer satisfaction rate , speak 70 different languages and are available 24/7/ 365 days a year.
Allianz vs Vendor coverage
- Allianz offers primary medical coverage; supplier's plans are secondary meaning you pay the hospital before they release you and then you file a claim to recover your fees.
- Allianz makes sure you go to a vetted health care facility and will pay to transport you to the nearest appropriate place of care.
- When you check into a foreign hospital with Allianz insurance, the facility is guaranteed it will be paid which can help get you admitted; this is not the case with other insurance companies, especially secondary policies.
- Allianz will proactively purchase your return flight to a destination of your choice, with a medical escort if necessary
What about coverage from my credit card?
Credit card companies typically offer some very good travel protection. But rarely is it enough. Consider the following:
- Many hospitals require payment before admitting you. Allianz sends a Guarantee of Coverage letter to the hospital. Credit card companies don't - rather they require you to pay for all hospital stays yourself.
- Many health care facilities do not speak English; your credit card company won't provide a translator or transport you to an English speaking facility like Allianz.
- Allianz insurance vetts health care facilities to ensure you will go to only reputable facilities. There's no such vetting with credit card insurance.
- Allianz covers you not only for issues that affect you but also your family (spouse, children, parents, traveling companions, siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, nieces and nephew, cohabitants and employed caregivers). Credit card companies don't.
Mind the gaps
Make sure you ask the right questions to avoid potential coverage gaps like:
- Gaps when purchasing from cruise companies: Is reimbursement 100%, is it cash or some future credit? are there black out dates?
- Gaps with credit card coverage: are you covered for medical situations? What are the covered reasons and are they comparable to the Allianz policy? Are pre-existing medical conditions covered?
- Gaps with health insurance (like medicare): dDoes it include medical transportation coverage? Do they vett foreign facilities? Do they provide primary or secondary coverage? What are the out of network charges and deductibles?
Eliminate these gaps with an Allianz travel insurance policy.
Travel insurance - why do I need it?
We've written before about why you should get travel insurance:
So it's clear I strongly believe in buying not only travel insurance, but insurance with the right kinds of protections and from the right company. Allianz travel insurance, for most situations, checks all these boxes.
Travel insurance can be hard to understand and I'm very happy to explain the intricacies to all my clients.