Short-Term Group Coverage for International Business Trips: Protecting Your Employees’ Health
Good Neighbor Insurance, available at https://www.gninsurance.com, is thrilled to present the Aetna World Traveler plan, an all-encompassing and adaptable travel insurance option tailored to meet the unique needs of your organization.
What is it?
The Aetna WorldTraveler plan caters to employers and offers comprehensive emergency and urgent medical benefits, along with health-related services, specifically designed for employees on international business trips lasting six months or less. It ensures coverage for illness or injury that occurs outside of the employee’s primary residence while they are traveling for work purposes.
- To be eligible, the employee must be traveling outside his or her home country.
- It is expected that they have their own insurance when at home.
- Optional add-ons:
- Medical coverage for dependents traveling with the employee
- Business sojourn medical coverage leisure travel that is connected to a business trip.
- The WorldTraveler Product is available in two different plan designs:
- WorldTraveler – includes $300,000 medical coverage per person per calendar year maximum, plus up to $250,000 in emergency assistance services.
- WorldTraveler Plus – includes $500,000 medical coverage per person per calendar year maximum, plus up to $250,000 in emergency assistance services. maximum. Additional benefits include: $1,000 for lost luggage and $2,000 for trip interruption due to a medical reason.
Who is eligible?
- The employee must be traveling outside their home country. If the member’s country of residence and/or domicile is the U.S or any U.S. territories or protectorates, it is considered traveling within the member’s home country.
- People under the age of 70 who are regular full-time employees of an employer participating in this plan are eligible.
- We cannot write WT plans for groups based in MD, NY, or MI.
- To be eligible, the employer can have no more than 40% inbound travel to the United States.
- Eligibility will be limited to groups with an employer/employee relationship. Board members, consultants, students, etc., do not qualify.
Availability and pricing
- WorldTraveler is offered on a fully insured basis (the WorldTraveler is not U.S. domestic medical insurance for non-US citizens employees living in the US).
- There is a minimum premium amount of $1,000 for the group; key factors that impact pricing are location of travel and total travel days (Travel to US is a higher rate than travel outside the US).
How do we start the process to get our Aetna World Traveler set up?
Contact GNI at [email protected] and request an application.
FAQs
Question 1: What if we go over our reported travel days due to an increase in opportunity for the 12-month policy year? Will our staff be covered on their travels?
Answer 1: If you have more travel dates than initially reported, Aetna will not adjust the premium mid-contract; they will be covered as long as they are on a true work-related trip. Aetna will only adjust during the renewal each year.
Question 2: Will the World Traveler also cover our travels in the U.S. and her territories protectorates?
Answer 2: The plan defines the U.S. as any of the 50 United States or U.S. territories / protectorates. Travel between any combination of the States and U.S. territories is considered traveling within the home country (U.S.) and is excluded from coverage on the World Traveler. It will cover your foreign employees for short-term business-related travel to the US.
Question 3: Is there a limit of days of travel for each of our team members traveling outside their home countries?
Answer 3: Travelers are covered for trips outside of their home country that do not exceed 180 consecutive travel days with no more than 270 travel days in a 12-month period. Trip duration includes business sojourn (leisure) if included in the quotation.
Question 4: Is the World Traveler an annual plan for our organization?
Answer 4: Yes, it is an annual plan and may be renewed at the end of each policy year.
Question 5: How do we pay our premiums?
Answer 5: Premium reflects plan design and travel assumptions. Your premium is prepaid for annual coverage.
Question 6: Is there a deductible that each of our employees who travel have to meet?
Answer 6: No, there is no deductible.
Question 7: What shall I do if the local hospital requests cash payment, but I don’t have enough cash?
Answer 7:
- Outside the U.S.: If you are unable to submit a credit card to pay for medical services received and you do not have cash to pay for the hospital visit, call Aetna International and request a direct settlement. Aetna International will then contact the hospital to arrange payment on your behalf. Please note, that if the hospital does not accept the arrangement with Aetna International, then you would be responsible for payment and will need to submit a claim form to Aetna International for reimbursement.
- Within the U.S.: Identify yourself to the hospital as an Aetna member and show your World Traveler medical ID card. Ask the hospital to call Aetna International at the number on the card for verification of benefits. Inform the hospital to use the member line and provide the 11–digit number found on your World Traveler medical ID card. By providing Aetna International this number, they will be able to identify you as being covered under the World Traveler Plan.
Question 8: What if I need to have a root canal or other major dental work done while I am traveling for business?
Answer 8: There may be situations where you cannot wait until you return home to have dental services and you will need to have it done during your business trip. However, the World Traveler Plan does not cover dental services unless the injury is to sound teeth caused by an accident.
Question 9: I went to the emergency room for services and the doctor recommended that I see a doctor for follow-up care. Is the follow-up care covered under the World Traveler Plan?
Answer 9: Yes, the follow-up services by a doctor, when recommended by the emergency room doctor, are covered under the World Traveler plan. Routine visits / preventive coverage is not covered by the World Traveler plan. Follow–up care while still on their business trip is covered. However, no follow–up care is covered once they return home. It is also important to point out that physical therapy (PT) is NOT covered as follow–up care.
Question 10: Does the Aetna World Traveler cover Kidnap and Ransom?
Answer 10:
- The World Traveler does not cover Kidnap and Ransom. It is primarily a travel medical policy to cover illness or injury when outside one’s primary residence.
- Kidnap and Ransom (K&R) is usually either a stand-alone policy or part of your Foreign General Liability policy.
- Good Neighbor Insurance (GNI) can provide both options.
- Please write to [email protected] to request a K&R–only plan or a Foreign General Liability plan, and request an application or call us here in our Gilbert, Arizona office at 1-480-813-9100.
How do we start the process to get our Aetna World Traveler set up?
- Please contact GNI at [email protected] and request an application.
- Or call us here in Gilbert, Arizona at 1-480-813-9100 to talk to one of our International Insurance Advisors
- Or visit our web page at https://www.gninsurance.com/group-health/supplemental/employer-group-world-traveler.
May your team embark on safe and fruitful journeys across the globe!
