How Does Primary and Secondary Medical Coverage Work in a Travel Insurance Plan?

Contrary to popular belief Secondary Medicalmedical insurance plan. Let's say it has a $5,000
Coverage in a travel insurance plan has a bigdeductible with a 20% copay.
advantage over a Primary Medical Coverage in a3) Of the remaining $20,000 your medical
travel insurance plan. Here's how they work:insurance plan will pay $12,000 and you will be
What Do Primary or Secondary Medical Coverageliable for $8,000.
Mean and How Do They Differ?Secondary Medical Coverage means your medical
Primary Medical Coverage means your medical billsbills are paid after any other coverage you have
are paid from the first dollar. No "coordination ofpays their share. This means that Secondary
benefit" claim forms need to be filed.coverage will pay any deductibles, out-of-pocket
This works best if the medical claim's less thanexpenses or co-pays up to its coverage limit.
the coverage amount. That's because evenHere's a little detail that's good to know: You
though you had insurance pay for part of theprobably will have to pay your medical bills
claim, when the Primary benefits are exhausted,yourself while on your trip. That's because travel
your other insurance won't consider anyinsurance plans are "indemnification" plans (you will
deductibles or co-pays to be satisfied.be reimbursed - indemnified) after your trip by
For example, here's what happens if you have athe insurance company. Travel insurance is not a
$70,000 medical claim with a travel insurance plan"pay on behalf of" plan. You don't just give the
that has $50,000 Primary coverage:medical facility a card. In some cases, a few
1) You submit the $70,000 medical claim to thecompanies can guarantee payment to the medical
travel insurance. It pays $50,000 (its maximum)facility, but it's on a case-by-case basis.
2) You submit the remaining $20,000 to your