Medical care can be extremely expensive abroad and in many areas you will discover that you will not be able to receive medical care, even in emergency circumstances, unless you are able to pay up front. If you think this is strange then believe me � it is fact.

On a recent vacation I accompanied a friend to the local hospital in a well known Far Eastern holiday town following a luckily minor road traffic accident in which he suffered a nasty cut to his foot requiring stitches and, in addition to the nurses and doctors in the emergency room, we were also met by one of the hospital cashiers who required details of my friend's travel health insurance or a credit card/cash payment before any treatment could be commenced.

International travel health insurance is designed to provide medical coverage for people traveling abroad and is a very flexible form of health insurance. It often allows for daily rates (rates based on the number of days you will be traveling) and can usually be bought without the need to answer health questions and regardless of age. Coverage is also usually available on a worldwide basis and can also be arranged to provide cover for travel to specified countries.

One especially important thing to think about when buying international travel health insurance however is just where in the world you will be traveling to and what sort of health care will be available on arrival. Against this background, you should ensure that any plan covers you for every possible eventuality including such things as hospitalization, ambulance fees and, most importantly, coverage for your return home should this prove to be necessary.

Remember too that, if you are vacationing as a family, then any plan should cover all members of the family and provide for such things as expenditure should it be necessary for one or both parents to stay in the hospital with a sick child or to travel home with a child by air ambulance.

One of the very last things that we ever imagine happening when we travel abroad, especially on vacation, is being involved in an accident or being taken ill while we are away with anything more than a simple upset stomach. However, accidents happen daily and sudden and serious illness can and does strike without any warning. Indeed, the chances of such an event are considerably heightened when we find ourselves out of our normal environment, so why should we take the risk.

When it comes to buying international travel health insurance the principles are exactly the same as those which apply to buying any other form of insurance. Do not rush and shop around looking at plans from several companies before selecting a plan. Stick with well know major insurers, which have an international reputation, and read carefully through the small print of any contract document before signing on the dotted line.

Finally, keep in mind that dealing with health problems when you are sick and hundreds or thousands of miles from home is something which needs to be quick and simple. So, do not be tempted to cut corners when arranging your plan! You may pay a little more than you would perhaps like to but, if you have to use your plan, you will be extremely glad that you spent those few extra dollars.