| You've booked your flight, made reservations at | | | | even have an added bonus that if you're |
| the hotel, got someone to bring in the mail and | | | | hospitalized for a week or longer they will have a |
| watch the dogs, what about the travel insurance? | | | | family member flown to you. |
| I know what you're thinking, "I'm only going for | | | | Travel insurance can also cover trip cancellations, |
| two weeks", "I'll be fine I'm in great shape", "other | | | | lost luggage, and a change in travel plans |
| people get sick on vacation, not me", but what if | | | | depending on what options you choose. You may |
| you're wrong? | | | | not have a great vacation if you get sick but if |
| Thailand is known for being a bargain for | | | | you have to pay for it out of pocket as well then |
| westerners. Cheap clothes, food, hotels, | | | | it's sure to be a memorable trip and not for the |
| entertainment, even the hospitals and clinics are | | | | right reasons. |
| cheap compared to the west and with some of | | | | I'm writing this because I came down with acute |
| the best doctors in the world. Contrary to what | | | | tonsillitis on my first trip to Thailand. Luckily a few |
| some people may believe Thailand has excellent | | | | trips to the clinic got me back into shape but it |
| health care. Even though Thailand is cheaper than | | | | could have been bad and I wouldn't have been |
| the west in almost every category if you wind up | | | | covered as I didn't even think about insurance. |
| in the hospital for a week or two it's still going to | | | | The flight to Thailand is a long one if you live in |
| cost you and it will be more than you bargained | | | | the states (17 hours non stop from JFK |
| for. | | | | International) Which will have you nice and |
| If you need some stitches or you pick up a bad | | | | dehydrated if you don't drink a lot of water. The |
| case of pink eye then a clinic can patch you up | | | | temperature in Thailand is HOT which can and will |
| easily and the cost will be minimal...around 700 | | | | dehydrate you further if you don't take care. |
| Baht - 1200 Baht ($20-$30) and thats including all | | | | Foreign food, foreign microbes, burning the candle |
| the medicine you'll need to take for whatever | | | | at both ends, endless sight seeing, and a host of |
| length of time. But if you have seriously problems | | | | other things can and will come back to haunt you |
| and are admitted to a hospital then the bills start | | | | if you don't take care. Even if you do take care |
| to rack up. Hospital room, medicine, diagnostics, | | | | to prevent sickness there is always the |
| and so on. Then you could be looking at 30,000 | | | | unexpected and in Thailand that could be anything |
| baht and up...you do the math. | | | | from an over amorous elephant, a motorcycle |
| Whereas travel insurance won't be much help for | | | | taxi running you over and a host of other things |
| the minor ailments it will certainly be worth the | | | | just waiting for you around the next corner. |
| cost if something major comes up. On average | | | | You may have great insurance in your home |
| for a two week trip most travel insurance will | | | | country but in most cases they won't cover you |
| cost you $20-$30 which isn't much in the grand | | | | overseas. |
| scheme of things. That amount will usually cover | | | | Find a good travel insurance and buy it for your |
| major medical, flights to your home country if it's | | | | trip no matter where you're going or for how |
| decided thats the best place for you, and most | | | | long! |