An unexpected injury or illness can quickly ruin a vacation. The best way to protect yourself while you are travelling abroad is to purchase visitor health insurance before you leave for your trip.

The traditional coverage that you have at home may not offer the same benefits as tourist insurance does when you overseas.It’s a common misconception that the same insurance plans that cover you at home will cover you during your trip.

Tourist medical insurance will protect you in case of an emergency medical situation. To be eligible for these plans, you must be travelling outside of the U.S. for a minimum of 5 days, or be a non-U.S. citizen who is travelling outside of their home country for a minimum of 5 days. Coverage is available for a maximum of 1-3 years and depends on the plans that you purchase.

The deductible amount for tourist insurance varies based on your budget and desired level of coverage. You have the option of selecting one of the following deductibles for your plan: $0, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or $2500.

With tourist medical insurance, coverage is provided for medically necessary services, including emergency care, hospital stays and prescription costs. It is important to have an insurance plan that offers this important benefit, as these types of services can often costs thousands of dollars.

Tourist health insurance also includes additional helpful benefits. Useful additions to any tourist insurance include assistance with identity theft, lost baggage and trip interruption. Coverage can be extended for two months once they return to the U.S. when travelers purchase End of Trip Home Country coverage.

The cost of your visitor health insurance depends on your age, the number of days you need coverage, the coverage amount and your desired deductible amount. Optional coverage for extreme sports for travelers up to age 65 is available for the more adventurous travelers.

Before you leave for an overseas trip, make sure that you are protected with visitors health insurance. It’s a necessity for anyone who is planning a trip abroad and the plans are designed for travelers like you.

Dan Miller frequently writes about visitors health insurance