So what exactly does repatriation of remains mean to someone who is shopping for an international health insurance plan and why is it important?

Although no one likes to think of the worst possible scenario when planning for a trip, it is often necessary in order to be prepared. In the event of an accident or even a death, medical bills and other expenses should be the least of worries for the individuals involved.

With that being said, repatriation of remains is coverage for the worst case scenario. It is a benefit that provides coverage for the transportation of the covered individual’s bodily remains back to their area of principle residence, in the event of a covered illness or injury that results in death.

For individuals who are traveling for a minimum of 5 days up to 3 years, the Atlas Travel plan provides coverage for repatriation of remains along with its other benefits. This benefit will provide coverage up to the overall maximum limit of the plan.

Individuals who will need coverage for repatriation of remains for a longer period of time might be interested in exploring the Global Medical plan. Those with the platinum level Global Medical plan will have the return of mortal remains benefit along with many other benefits such as hospital room and board, out-patient care, maternity coverage and emergency room illness and accident coverage. This benefit is up to $50,000 lifetime maximum per insured and is not subject to a deductible or coinsurance.

For more information on these plans contact one of our licensed agents today.

Haiti is not the only area affected by this disease. In November of 2010 the Dominican Republic was also hit with a Cholera outbreak which the CDC still has an outbreak notice warning in effect for.

Cholera might seem like a disease of the past but it is still responsible for over 100,000 deaths globally each year. Characteristics of the disease that call for immediate attention include vomiting, watery diarrhea and leg cramps. When treated right away full recovery is possible without any long term effects.

One basic way to fight the battle against Cholera is by ensuring proper sanitation measures are taken. Since the disease is caused by the spread of a bacteria, the CDC advise that hands should be properly washed and only treated water should be used for drinking and cooking, all  messes should be cleaned up as necessary, food should always be thoroughly cooked, and toilets or other proper means of fecal matter disposal needs to be used at all times.

If a political warning is issued by the United States government after your arrival in your host country, the Atlas Travel plan can provide coverage of up to $10,000 for political evacuation along with providing you other international travel medical coverage benefits like hospitalization/doctor visits, lost luggage, repatriation of remains, accidental death and dismemberment, complications of pregnancy and prescription medication. This plan can be purchased for a minimum of 5 days and up to twelve months with renewability up to 3 years in total.

If you would like to explore your options by comparing plans that include political evacuation, you might also want to check out the Global Medical Platinum plan. The platinum plan option provides $10,000 lifetime maximum for political evacuation and repatriation. The Global Medical Platinum plan is a comprehensive major medical plan, other benefits include surgery, transplants, mental health, hospitalization, vision, dental and emergency evacuation.

If you already have medical insurance coverage, but are in need of political evacuation coverage, you are able to purchase a stand-alone emergency evacuation insurance plan. This plan will give you up to $10,000 in coverage to ensure you are able to evacuate to a location outside of your host country that the warning has been issued in. This plan also offers a few other key benefits like emergency medical evacuation, emergency reunion and repatriation of mortal remains. With this plan you are able to choose from three periods of coverage options: three months, six months and twelve months.

During your travels, ensure that you keep up to date on travel warnings and have proper coverage for any situation.

On this monumental day for Australians there are ceremonies, community events, live entertainment and of course fireworks.

Along with the celebratory events of this holiday are moments of recognition. The National Australia Day Council names one individual the Australian of the Year in each of the following categories: Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s Local Hero.

If you do decide to visit Australia during this time, you will have plenty of events to choose from to celebrate with the locals. The National Australia Day Council is a group of 13 individuals who work year round for this special day. Any holiday that has a team dedicated to making sure it is spectacular is sure not to disappoint.

There are events throughout the country, below are a few that you won’t want to miss if you are in the area.

Brisbane:

If you attend the Australia Day Festival in The Parklands, South Bank at 10 am you can start you day off with a multi-faith ceremony that will have representatives from the Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, Baha’i, Taoist, Christianity, Buddhist and Islamic communities. You can follow this with attending a traditional flag raising ceremony. Throughout the rest of the day you can expect a variety of entertainers from the Cook Islands Cultural Dance group, to the Ferny Grove State High School Percussion Ensemble to the Cleveland Air Magic. From 7pm-9:30pm you can look forward to a firework show.

Canberra:

If you are more of an early bird, the Commonwealth Park in Canberra has performances starting at 7am and lasting to noon. Events will include entertainment from Kiwi G, a meet and greet from Fireman Sam and a traditional flag raising and citizenship ceremony.

Karoonda:

What better place to recognize Australia day than the Karoonda Football Clubroom for an Australian Day Breakfast January 25? Breakfast starts at 8am and a presentation of awards follows.

If you are not visiting one of these locations, don’t worry, you will not miss out on the festivities. There are other events in towns everywhere in-between. You will have comedy debates, firework shows, races, and a plethora of breakfasts to choose from.

Whether you are going to explore a continent for a year, a few countries for six months or one city for a few days, if you are trying to stay within budget it is useful to have an itinerary. A general guide of where you want to go can help you establish what you want to see and gain insight into your overseas travel expense.

Perhaps your financial budget is not of any concern to you, but budging your time is. Creating an itinerary will also ensure you are attacking your expedition with the best plan possible and not zig-zagging across the world. Adding or subtracting days to a trip is easier before it has started.

Once an itinerary is laid out, you are then able to select which mode of transportation would be most efficient. If your destinations have a long distance between them, flying would be a reasonable option. If you are town hopping through the countryside, a train would be best way to get where you need to go. Find out how you want to get there, then do research to ensure you are able to purchase the dates you need.

Another big chunk of your overseas travel can come from your accommodation fees. Booking your hotel or hostel ahead of time will give you a good idea how much of your budget is left after this necessity is taken care of. This is also a good way to ensure you won’t be stuck rushing around your entire trip searching for your next night’s resting spot.

This small amount of preparation ahead of time can make overseas travel more enjoyable.

Although the threat of mosquitoes and ticks might sound minuscule, these little creatures can carry big consequences such as diseases like yellow fever and malaria. To be prepared for mosquitoes and ticks the CDC recommends the following preventative measures:

Avoid Outbreaks: Before your adventure takes place, check the regional disease transmission patterns and outbreaks to ensure the area you are headed to does not have a warning.
Dress to NOT impress: The mosquitoes and ticks that is. To avoid giving them easy access to biting you, wear clothes that cover as much skin as possible. Long pants should be tucked into socks or boots and shirts should be long sleeved. It is best to avoid shoes that are open such as sandals.

Don’t Bring Home Guests: After your time outdoors ensure that you don’t have any ticks attached to your clothes or body. If one is found, remove it promptly.

Use a Repellent: Not all repellents are made equal. Ensure that your repellent is providing you with long-lasting protection. Look for repellents that contain the following ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, Oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD, or IR3535. When using a repellent ensure you read the safety precautions and instructions.

Be Aware: Research the time of day when the creatures you are trying to avoid bite most. Keep up your guard during the peak times and use preventative measures. You can also stay protected at night by using a bed net.

Just as you probably know your home town or city like the back of your hand, living abroad allows individuals the chance to learn foreign towns just the same. Perhaps there is somewhere you have always wanted to go, or a culture that you have been interested in for a long time. Living abroad allows you to become fully emerged in the other culture and even grants you the chance to “live like the locals.”

Of course “living like a local” does not always come automatically. It requires the individual living abroad to make conscious choices every day. If you would decide to live in another country for a year you would come across situations that allow you to make a choice to live as you do in your home country or to live as they do in the area you are visiting. For example, many locations around the world have the same fast food chains that are offered in multiple countries. Instead of frequenting what you have already become accustom to in the past, try something new that the locals frequent.

What you are going to eat for dinner might seem like a simple suggestion for living like the locals, but the advantages of this one act can be great. Not only will you be able to experience a new cuisine, but you might find a new favorite dish. Also, you might even run into the chance to meet new people who live within the culture you are trying to submerse yourself in. Making connections like these can open multiple doors for your cultural experience.

If you choose to experience living abroad ensure you have proper International Health Insurance as medical expenses should be the least of your worries while having the change to experience a new culture.

You might be thinking what sort of tank top or toothbrush emergency could I possibly get in on my trip? However, imagine this, you are taking your ‘Sound of Music’ tour through Salzburg, Austria that you have been planning for months when all of a sudden you trip down the stairs of the church where Maria and the Captain got married. Your fall lands you in the hospital. Since you brought child size toiletries in order to meet airline regulations and had budgeted in the free hotel toiletries the rest of your trip, you might be in for a shock if the hospital you are staying at does not offer these free amenities like your hotel.

However, under the Atlas Travel plan there is a hospital indemnity benefit. Hospital indemnity will provide $100 for each night you spend in the hospital as an inpatient when receiving treatment for a covered illness or injury. Hospital indemnity benefits are not subject to a deductible or coinsurance and are in addition to the payments for other covered expenses. If you need to purchase toothpaste, meals or soap because the hospital does not supply these items free of charge this benefit will allow you to do so without tapping into your travel budget.

For more information on international travel medical insurance and hospital indemnity through the Atlas Travel plan please feel free to contact one of our licensed agents today.

In terms of the housing market for Singapore expats, how does Singapore rank? It is in third for having the most costly rentals in Asia, not yet beating Hong Kong in this department. However, ECA International’s latest survey on this topic brought in results showing that the cost of apartments in areas where expats typically reside has spiked 15 percent in cost since 2005.

Even with a consumer price index rise of 5.4 percent in a year as of October, it hasn’t frightened away expats in Singapore. You might be wondering why they still make up 18 percent of the 4.4 million population in Singapore even with the cost of living increase. Perhaps it is thanks to Singapore ranking fifth as the highest net take-home pay location for expatriates in Asia, according to an ECA survey.

If you are leaving your home country to contribute to the 18 percent of Singapore expats, you might want to consider first looking into purchasing a health insurance plan that meets your needs. International Citizens allows you to compare expat health insurance plans side-by-side, and then download a brochure for more information on benefits and exclusions.

If you have questions regarding any of the plans you are able to contact one of our licensed insurance agents who would be happy to assist you.

Emergency medical evacuation can literally be a life saver; however it can also break the bank costing thousands of dollars if you have to pay out of pocket due to lack of coverage. To save yourself from dwindling away your life savings in paying the bills associated with this one accident, ensure you have proper international health insurance. One plan that provides this coverage is the Atlas Travel plan. It provides emergency medical evacuation with a $500,000 lifetime maximum ($25,000 if for acute onset of pre-existing condition). Medical evacuation coverage provides benefits for expenses associated with transporting you to the nearest medical facility that is qualified to treat your life-threatening condition.

Another benefit included in the event of a covered medical evacuation is emergency reunion. When a life threatening accident occurs most people want to have a support system nearby. The emergency reunion benefit will cover transportation, lodging and meal costs for a family member (parent, spouse, sibling or child age 18 or older) to join you when you are faced with a life-threatening condition. This benefit will cover them for up to 15 days.

Don’t let the thought of a life-threatening situation stop you from exploring the sights you have always wanted to see. Simply ensure that you are covered to prepare for the worst.