Leaving without good Vietnam travel insurance is terrible because nobody is safe from risk or an unforeseen event. It only takes one event to turn your trip or expatriation into a very unpleasant financial and administrative adventure.
Choosing the right travel insurance with repatriation insurance is, therefore, essential! In the following lines, we will help you to identify the best offer for you, whether you are traveling or expatriate in Vietnam.
Why Buy Travel Insurance Vietnam?
Subscribing to Vietnam travel insurance before leaving is relevant because it allows you to face difficulties that could strongly penalize you during your stay.
Multiple Risks
The risk of resorting to travel insurance in Vietnam is not negligible. No one is safe from an unforeseen event, and the tropical climate, certain endemic diseases, or frequent road accidents are likely to put some foreigners in unpleasant situations.
If, in theory, the local health care system allows to benefit from low-cost care in Vietnam, the reality is different. This is especially true since the Covid-19 pandemic hit Vietnam between June and September 2021.
The country was forced to take drastic measures to restrict movement in almost all of Vietnam’s provinces, especially in the south of the country. The government reopened its borders to tourists and foreigners in December 2021.
In most cases, foreigners cannot use the public health system for treatment due to overcrowding. In addition, the chronic lack of public hospital facilities is a problem.
Private health care is, therefore, the norm for foreigners in Vietnam, but the cost of care is much higher than in the public system.
Healthcare and Repatriation Costs in Vietnam: What You Need to Know
To be treated in Vietnam it is not uncommon to be treated in a different location than where the accident or illness occurred. Sometimes, patients are treated in a better-equipped neighboring country such as Singapore.
In the worst case, planning repatriation to the US will be necessary to receive the appropriate care.
All evacuation or repatriation costs are generally at the patient’s expense. This is the case even if the patient is affiliated with the Vietnamese compulsory health insurance scheme or American Social Security.
This includes transportation costs (train, airplane, ambulance, etc.) but also possible hospitalization costs, health care personnel costs, and the cost of airplane tickets for relatives who must also be repatriated. The final bill can therefore be very high.
Evacuation and Repatriation Are Not Rare in Vietnam
Sometimes, repatriation can become a necessity when you stay in Vietnam. It is then the individual responsibility of each one to plan travel insurance that covers repatriation insurance before any trip to this country.
Two types of repatriation are possible:
Medical Repatriation
Medical repatriation corresponds to the evacuation of a person suffering from medical problems to his country of residence. Medical repatriation can be medicalized (the presence of a nurse or a doctor during transport) or not.
About ten medical evacuations by emergency chartering of medical aircraft are organized each year in Vietnam for American travelers and residents.
Safe Repatriation
In case of a natural disaster or armed conflict, safe repatriation guarantees the protection of Americans in Vietnam. Security repatriation is a response to a global context made more and more unstable by the multiplication of crises.
Situations We May Not Think About
To subscribe to Vietnam travel insurance by opting for the repatriation of the body in case of death may seem useless because we all tend to think that it happens only to others. However, death is a tragic and unpredictable event that can, unfortunately, occur abroad.
With the repatriation of the body guarantee, the care is complete with the return of the body to the country of origin. Moreover, this simplifies the formalities for your loved ones at this particularly difficult and trying time.
In any case, whatever the cause or reason for the repatriation, the bill can rise very quickly ($40,000 for repatriation by medical plane). This amount alone justifies the subscription to travel insurance for Vietnam before leaving.
Repatriation and COVID-19: an Update on the Situation in Vietnam
In the context of Covid-19, contracting the disease does not allow you to benefit from medical repatriation. However, the guarantees related to health expenses provided by the insurance contracts apply in case of suspicion or detection of the coronavirus.
This means that if you contract the disease in Vietnam, the prescribed exploratory drug treatments will be covered by your insurance. In case of forced hospitalization for quarantine, your Vietnam travel insurance will also cover all your expenses.
Please note that all Covid-19 screening tests on medical prescriptions are covered by the Vietnam travel insurance.
Covid-19 vaccines are only covered if you have a policy that includes vaccination, just like any other vaccine.
Choosing the Travel Insurance for Vietnam
Discovering the treasures of Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, or the Phong Nha Ke Bang national park is certainly very tempting. However, before anything else, you need to choose insurance that offers you all the guarantees you need.
The best travel insurance for Vietnam is the one that will bring you the expected serenity without impacting your budget too much.
Travel Insurance for Your Credit Card
Medical expenses, repatriation assistance, death insurance, cancellation insurance, and luggage insurance: the travel insurance of your bank card can contain many guarantees. However, this is not systematic.
In most cases, medical repatriation is the main coverage offered by your credit card travel insurance. It also allows you to repatriate your spouse, your children, and even your dog or cat.
However, it is important to understand that in case of hospitalization in Vietnam, for example, this guarantee will only advance the expenses. This means that you will have to reimburse them within two months.
In addition, medical expenses other than hospitalization (doctor’s visits, purchase of medication, etc.) are only covered in addition to the American Social Security, with a deductible ranging from $30 to $50.
American International Insurance: a Guarantee of Seriousness and Efficiency
When it comes to Vietnam travel insurance or repatriation insurance, choosing American international insurance is often a very good solution.
If such a contract costs more than the insurance that comes with a bank card, it is also much more protective and allows it to cover a broader range of guarantees.
Indeed, international insurance allows covering what is not reimbursed, it is, therefore, a complete insurance that offers global coverage. This type of insurance also offers access to the best hospitals in Vietnam without having to worry about the price.
American international insurance generally offers all of the following benefits:
- Reimbursement of hospitalization expenses without limit or deductible
- Repatriation assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Reimbursement of up to $500 for dental care.
To subscribe travel insurance for Vietnam with an American company specializing in international insurance is also :
- Benefit at any time from a qualified English-speaking assistance
- Benefit from efficient care and logistics in case of emergency.
Travel insurance is much more than financial assistance: it is also practical support. In the event of an unforeseen event, the insurance company will initiate the repatriation from Vietnam in conjunction with the local medical staff.
The 1st Dollar Insurance: Reactive and Flexible
It is also possible to subscribe to a 1st dollar offer with an international insurance company for your travel insurance in Vietnam.
In this case, the medical questionnaire is mandatory. This questionnaire may even increase the insurance premium or generate exclusions from coverage if you suffer from a medical history or a chronic illness.
Nevertheless, the flexibility of these contracts allows you to benefit from extensive coverage adapted to each situation. These contracts also offer excellent value for money thanks to their advantageous reimbursements.
As a general rule, the 1st dollar insurance policies cover repatriation costs and the visit of one of your relatives on-site in the event of hospitalization (under certain conditions). This type of insurance also covers your doctor’s visits.
DID YOU KNOW?
Some of your current contracts may already include repatriation coverage. So, remember to check the guarantees offered in your home insurance, car insurance, and personal accident insurance policies. Almost all insurance policies provide personal assistance services, even abroad.
The Average Price of Vietnam Travel Insurance and Level of Coverage
The price of travel insurance varies greatly: from $15 per month for the cheapest insurance policies to $150 per month for the most expensive.
As a general rule, opting for top-of-range travel, health, and repatriation insurance for Vietnam is reassuring. It guarantees you a return to your country among your relatives in case of an extreme emergency, whether it is an accident or an illness. It is better to be prepared.
