The World Health Organization - with traveller's health information such as warnings, required vaccinations, etc.
https://www.who.int/en/

Consular Affairs - information and assistance for Canadians abroad
https://www.voyage.gc.ca/consular_home-en.asp

US bureau of consular affairs - information for US travellers and those travelling to the US
https://travel.state.gov/


Also, just a question ... how many of you travel to other countries with additional health coverage to cover your expenses in case of a health related emergency?

I've gotten it every time I've left Canada ... but next time I really should read the policies more carefully because if something did happen, I'm not sure I would know what to do. In Australia, I did have an accident and early on in my recovery process I toyed with the idea of seeing a Dr. but I wasn't sure of the procedures so I didn't. When I went to the US earlier this month, I actually forgot my policy papers at home ... oops! So if something happened, and it almost did, I wouldn't have had the foggiest clue what to do! Definitely something I should be more careful about in the future.

For general information and a good browse, I've always liked the CIA Factbook site:

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

Medical insurance comes for "free" when you pay for a trip (e.g., airfare or hotel) using certain credit cards. My Visa gold card has an annual fee of $99, and covers out-of-country health insurance, rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and more. If something I purchase by credit card is stolen or lost, I can get it replaced. Warrantees are automatically extended, too. There are restrictions, of course, but so far, it works for me.

The first time I paid for an out-of-country trip using this card, I was in the USA and got sick. I was rushed to hospital by ambulance, and spent six hours in intensive care. The bill came to about $2000, but the insurance paid the whole shot.

$2000 is roughly twenty years worth of annual fees, so it seems like a bargain to me... provided I pay my monthly credit card bills on time.

I hadn't thought of that aspect of credit cards ... mine is just a little one with a small balance.

But I get my insurance through CAA. They've got a pretty good deal for both insurance and other travel related items.

I just thought I'd bump this and update the Canadian website (the one I posted in the first post is out of date):

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada: Essential Information for Canadians Abroad (but with a lot of useful information for those from other countries as well)
https://www.voyage.gc.ca/

This is where I find out about new travel requirements for getting into other countries, where I get information about stuff going on in other countries (like wars, etc.), and where I can get other general travel information.


I believe this is Australia's site: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/
"Smartraveller: The Australian Government's travel advisory and consular assistance service"

I used to be an active contributor in Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree discussion forums. I haven't written anything there for years now, but I still occasionally check it. It's a good place for finding / asking info regarding small details about your destination: local timetables, opening hours, bank holidays, if a particular hotel is as good as they claim they are and such.

Regarding health insurance abroad, mine comes bundled with my homeowner's insurance policy. For several years I went with a pay-as-you-go system, bought from the airport on departure. The one I have now has better coverage. For the annual cost of maybe 1,5x single PAYG for a short trip, I can now travel practically as much as I like. Goes without saying, now when I have the good coverage, I don't get to travel so much anymore.

--J

Me. In Germany I can buy a health insurance for foreign countries for 10 EUR per year. It covers 6 weeks per year. In emergency I go to a doctor. Pay it with credit card and get my money back. Had no problem in Zimbabwe: 9 USD for 5 days in govermental hospital, 9 USD for a visit at a private doctor (to remove the stiches made in hospital), and 1 USD for pain killers and antibotica. It worked without problems.

Also my friend how broke his shoulder in Ghana last year he got his 80 EUR back (Visited 3 hospitals)...

... if anything happens in developed countries the prices increase a lot. I think a day in a German hospital costs 200-500 EUR.


Thomas

This must be specifically a Canadian insurer that pays to fly you back to Canada for Canada's free health coverage, paying the cost of the flight? C'est vrai?

Howard

I'm currently working so my long distance touring has been limited, but I have been hosting touring cyclists through www.couchsurfing.com
So far, no weirdos It's a cheap way to travel and also meet interesting people at the same time.