What do I do if I need to see a doctor on vacation? 5 steps to get travel health care abroad

Question

Step 1: Contact our 24/7 travel assistance provider

Feeling under the weather on your trip and want to get treatment right away? The first thing to do is call our emergency assistance provider, Zurich Travel Assist — even if it’s not an emergency. This way, you can discuss your symptoms with trained nurses and paramedics to ensure you get the right travel health care based on how you’re feeling.

You can reach 24/7 travel assistance anytime and anywhere. Here’s how:

Tap the assistance button in our Travel On app.
Call 1-800-555-0870 if you’re inside of the U.S. or Canada.
Call 1-416-977-1803 if you’re outside of the U.S. or Canada.
Email [email protected].

Step 2: Use our provider's telehealth network to get access to travel health care

When you call 24/7 travel assistance, our provider can give you access to telehealth care or help you find the closest international doctor who can see you in person.

Zurich Travel Assist has its own up-to-date network of go-to care facilities around the world. This means no matter where you're located, our assistance provider can help you find reliable nearby medical facilities that are equipped to provide you with the care you need when you need it.

Step 3: Schedule your medical appointment

It’s always best to make an appointment when you need to go to the doctor at home, and the medical facility our assistance provider finds for you may require it, whether it’s a video appointment or an in-person one.

Not sure how to make an appointment? Worried you don’t speak the native language in your destination and want a doctor who speaks your language? Don’t worry — our emergency assistance provider can schedule your appointment for you with a doctor who speaks your chosen language so you can get access to travel health care easier and faster.

Did you know?

Travel assistance services can also help while you’re getting medical care abroad. Our emergency assistance provider can arrange hospital transfers, emergency medical evacuations, prescription assistance, transfer of medical records, and more.

Step 4: Keep all medical records, reports, and receipts

One of our most important travel health care tips for when you’re sick on vacation is to save all the documents you receive from the international doctor.

Why? When you file a claim, you’ll need to submit as much documentation as you can to support your claim. We’ll need evidence of your treatment, its cost, and more.

If you have questions about this, you can ask our friendly assistance provider when booking your doctor appointment. If our emergency assistance team arranges a telehealth appointment for you, you should receive your booking confirmation and any receipts via your chosen email.

Step 5: Submit a travel insurance claim for your travel health care

If you need to — and whenever you’re feeling better — you can submit a Travelex claim for your doctor’s visit. Just don’t forget to submit it within one year of arriving home!

As a Travelex customer, you’ll usually be eligible for coverage for the cost of your medically necessary doctor’s visit. If the doctor must write you a prescription or says you must purchase medication to treat your unforeseen illness, it would be beneficial for you to submit a claim — so we can potentially cover your expenses.

When you have all your documentation together, you can file a claim online or call our claims administrator at 1-800-501-4781.

Important: Your U.S. health insurance likely won’t provide coverage for costs you incur in another country. This means our travel insurance with emergency medical and dental coverage can help keep you from worrying about unforeseen expenses. At Travelex, our claims administrator can reimburse you for unexpected doctor and hospital visits, x-rays, and more.