HCC Travel Insurance Review

HCC Travel Insurance Review 

Due to the remote nature of my intended global trot, which included many third world and developing nations I thought it prudent to acquire a travel insurance policy which would cover hazardous sport activities and medical evacuation, never imagining I’d have to use it.  Obviously I have, and thus I am writing a review of my experience with  The Atlas International Series policy insured and sold by HCC Medical Insurance so others may have the opportunity to make an informed decision.   In general I’d give HCC a “D” for service and encourage anyone looking for travel medical insurance to look elsewhere.  (Read the next post International SoS)

The Atlas policy provides worldwide 24/7 emergency medical assistance, worldwide evacuation, and medical insurance for injury or sickness while traveling outside your home country .  The policy premium was competitive and in the mid range in my comparison shopping.    In my case, $590 for a twelve month policy with a $250 deductible per incident/injury.

Before I purchased this plan I had read the policy along with a half dozen other travel insurance policies.  I would encourage anyone who is seeking this type of insurance to make sure and read the policy in full before purchase as there is a big difference between provider’s terms.  Many are so restrictive  they cover virtually nothing and not worth the money.  The HCC policy was more liberal, a plus, than the other policies I reviewed and part of my reason in selecting it.

HCC was great up until I needed them.  I called the emergency assistance line while in the Namibian hospital several times.  According to their marketing literature I should be able to call them anywhere in the world for assistance, from locating a doctor for the sniffles to medical evacuation arrangements.  They are supposedly there to assist during a time of need.  Well, while someone immediately answered each time and was friendly receiving an “A”, I found them to be utterly useless.  As I noted in my Clinic Stay post when it was deemed necessary for me to be moved to another facility, instead of assisting me and making arrangements I was simply told to figure it out, pay for it, keep the receipt and submit it for reimbursement.  I was in a third world nation stuck alone in a hospital bed, not fully sure what’s wrong with me and the only doctor where I am is telling me I need to be transferred to another facility.  I’m doped up on morphine and now it’s up to me to figure it out.  Thanks for nothing HCC.  They get an “F” for medical assistance, as there was none.

How about Medical insurance?  I give them a “D” at this stage barely above Failing.  Four months after my accident they are just beginning to pay my medical expenses.  HCC’s method of operation regarding claims is they have 30 business days (6 weeks) to respond once a claim has been submitted.  They wait until the very last day and request some sort of documentation, from legitimate request of the doctors records to the ridiculous of a copy of every page in my passport.  Oh, and the clock resets to another 30 business days (6 weeks) once the requested documents are submitted and they wait it out to repeat the same cycle again.  I’m going into my 4^th 6 week waiting period after having submitted what I’m told each time was the last information they needed to process the claims.  Request and delay hoping I’ll give up is their status of operation.

To date my medical bills total roughly $70,000 and I’ve been successful thus far in getting about half of them paid as they run out of errant things to request.  I’m anal about documentation and have been on top of them the entire way.  At this stage I have no doubt they are going to eventually pay the remaining claims; however the shear effort has been tiring and ridiculous.  Some bills are 120 days old and the claims letters and calls are just starting to come in.  Let’s hope I’m on my last round of request and delay as some payments have recently rolled in.

So, if you decide to purchase an Atlas policy from HCC be warned.  While it’s a reasonable price, if you have an accident while traveling abroad such as I did, don’t expect any medical assitance, expect to pay all your medical bills out of pocket, and then be prepared for a long drawn out hoop jumping process to get reimbursed.  The only good thing,  you can get a polite friendly person on the phone immediately with each call.

I’ve completed posting picutres for the trip.  Enjoy!