2009 June 05 | Healthcare, Health Insurance, Vitamins, Nutrition

Healthcare, Health Insurance, Vitamins, Nutrition

June 5, 2009

Eligibility Requirements of International Insurance

While you plan your travel, you can ensure a secure trip if you are covered by an international insurance plan. Traveling involves many inescapable risks. Loss of luggage, medical emergencies and evacuation are some of the most vital complications that could arise during your travel. To protect you from these complications, it is an absolute must to avail of an international insurance policy which provides worldwide coverage.

International insurance policy not only covers you in your home country but across many countries of the world. Unlike travel insurance policy, health insurance for international travel covers maternity, preventive care and also pre-existing conditions after a pre determined waiting period.

In order to enjoy full benefits of your international insurance package, you need to meet some eligibility criteria which would be mentioned by your insurance provider irrespective of your age, nationality and status. It is compulsory to comply with these requirements.

Many international insurance policies have restrictions on the amount of time spent in the United States by US citizens. Some policies require that if you are a US citizen, you must reside abroad or leave the United States on the effective date and live outside the US for about 6 months. For non-US citizens, most plans are less restrictive and do not require the 6 month stay outside the US.

You may be as young as 14 days or as old as 74 years. You can apply for international health insurance with worldwide coverage. However, most international insurance providers do not allow those who are older than 74 years to apply for a new policy. People older than 74, could continue to be covered by the same policy if they have been covered continuously by the international insurance policy for several years before they turn 74.

You can also opt for health insurance for international travel policy for all your family members. For married individuals who have children, the entire family can be covered under one international health insurance plan. Some of the providers even offer free coverage for children if both the parents opt for the same coverage plan.

Newborns are typically covered from birth for illnesses provided the mother of the baby is covered by the insurance policy and qualifies for pregnancy coverage under the plan. Newborns are required to be included under their parents plan within 31 days of the date of birth.

International Health Insurance enrollment permits both individual and family coverage. Many plans offer incentives for family coverage. A few benefits like maternity coverage and preventive care may require a 12 month wait before becoming available to the enrollees.

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Swine Flu

Swine influenza (also called swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu) is an infection of a host animal by any one of several specific types of microscopic organisms called “swine influenza virus”. A swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is usually hosted by pigs. Swine influenza is common in pigs in the midwestern United States (and occasionally in other states), Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe (including the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Italy), Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of eastern Asia.

Transmission of swine influenza virus from pigs to humans is not common and does not always cause human influenza, often only resulting in the production of antibodies in the blood. The meat of the animal poses no risk of transmitting the virus when properly cooked.

The 2009 swine flu outbreak in humans is due to a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 that contains genes closely related to swine influenza. The origin of this new strain is unknown. However, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reports that this strain has not been isolated in pigs. This strain can be transmitted from human to human, and causes the normal symptoms of influenza.

In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. There are antiviral medicines you can take to prevent or treat swine flu.

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