Panama Travel Insurance – Worry Free Panama Vacations

No More  – Now What?

A few years ago we posted on the benefits of free medical insurance for tourists in Panama.  Panama’s department of tourism was offering visitors one of the most amazing incentives to travel to Panama: peace of mind!  Unfortunately, many unethical people were exploiting their generosity and were coming to Panama just to have costly medical procedures done.  The cost to keep the program running was well beyond the benefit of bringing in extra tourism, so the program got cancelled.

So, since free medical insurance in Panama is no longer available, we figured it would be good to follow up with some recommendations for good travel insurance and a few reasons it is important to buy before you travel.

Should I Buy Travel Medical Insurance When Traveling to Panama?

Simple answer is, yes.  The benefits far outweigh the cost, and really, peace of mind during your vacation is priceless.  You are on vacation to relax and enjoy after all, so why worry about being uninsured and unprotected.  I also may offend a few friends here over my next words, but the older we get the more likely we are to run into a medical emergency.  We just don’t bounce like we used to.  If you can relate…get medical insurance.

I Already Included Trip Insurance When Booking My Flight.  Isn’t That Enough?

If all you care about is being reimbursed for any inconveniences while on vacation such as missed flights or lost luggage, then your Trip Insurance should cover it.  If you are more concerned about getting proper medical attention in case of emergency as well as an evacuation plan to get you back to your home country, then Travel Medical Insurance is a much better option.  You may be surprised to know that in many cases Travel Medical Insurance is even cheaper than the Trip Insurance that you purchased.

If you are mildly considering both, then look for a Travel Medical plan that includes some trip cancellation benefits.  They are a bit more expensive, but cheaper than purchasing separately.  If both are extremely important to you, then purchase both plans. Having that assurance for your entire vacation is definitely worth the peace of mind.

I Am Healthy and Active, Do I Really Need Travel Medical Insurance When Traveling to Panama?

You may think because you are young and healthy that travel medical insurance really is not necessary. I traveled like this for several years with no incident.  Then there was that one time in Whistler, BC when a snow-boarding accident sent me to the emergency room.  I barely had enough money to cover the lift pass, let alone the hospital bills.  That was about 15 years ago. If I search for full coverage insurance today, the quote is about $42 for the week, so imagine how little it would have been back then! Oh my goodness the money I would have saved! PS…I am forever grateful to my friend’s parents who bailed me out of the hospital with their credit card.

You may be thinking to yourself, “Well snowboarding is a dangerous sport, I do not plan on doing anything that dangerous on vacation.”  You may want to re-think that.  There are a lot of unplanned scenarios that can ruin your vacation that are not at all dangerous.

• Sunbathing next to your resort pool, you get up to wander over to the poolside bar for a daiquiri when you slip and fall on the cement and break a couple of teeth.  Your vacation fun funds just got re-allocated to an emergency dental visit.  Not to mention you will no longer be able to share smiley happy selfies of your vacation without making your friends cringe.
• That day hike through the jungle was beautiful except the pesky mosquitoes.  You thought your itchy scratchy bug bites were annoying, but then the fever set in and it feels like some thug took a baseball bat to all your joints.  Congrats, you are one of the lucky few travelers to contract Dengue!  Your 5 stars resort stay just turned into a much less desirable stint at a local hospital where the only beverages you are getting served come in an IV. (PS, insider tip here.  If you do not have bug repellent or the bugs do not seem to be phased by it, try a natural oil like olive oil or coconut oil instead.  It prevents the toxins that make you all itchy from permeating your skin)
• You found super cheap flights and an all-inclusive hotel in the Caribbean in September saving you hundreds of dollars woo hoo!  Unfortunately, September is in the middle of hurricane season in the Caribbean.  A hurricane damages most of the island and your hotel is wiped out just 2 days before you fly out.  Good news is…that was BEFORE you left for vacation.  Bad news is, you now have to pay for a whole new vacation.

So no, age and health have little to do with whether vacation travel insurance is right for you.

What Are The Typical Benefits of Medical Travel Insurance? 

As mentioned, medical insurance focuses on mainly that, assuring you that you have proper medical care that is covered financially so that you can concentrate on recovering rather than stressing over how you are going to pay the bill.

The basic elements of any Travel Medical Insurance Plan are:

• Reimbursement for emergency medical care
• Reimbursement for emergency dental care in case of an accident
• Pre-payment of ambulance service or transportation to medical facilities
• Coordination and payment for evacuation services to transport you to the most appropriate medical care facility
• Accidental Dismemberment or Death (AD&D) travel accident benefits which typically cover the entire affected family while traveling
• 24/7 Travel assistance.  In case of emergency, you can reach a representative who can quickly help you find the emergency assistance wherever you are traveling

These are the bare basics, but there are a ton of plans out there with all sorts of perks and benefits.  The cost of the medical insurance you choose typically depends on 3 main factors; the length of the trip, your age, and which medical and evacuation coverage you choose.  You also want to keep in mind that some travel insurance companies do not cover adventure sports such as Scuba Diving and Bungee. Be sure to read the fine print!!

Which Travel Medical Insurance Plans Are The Best?

Here at The Real Deal Tours, we are the experts on fun activities and things to do in Panama, not Travel Medical Insurance. The best for you entirely depends on what services are the most important for you. I started using World Nomads over 10 years ago and have stuck with them ever since.  Fortunately I have not had to test their services.  However, the market is saturated with Medical Insurance for travelers these days.  Actually, after researching this info for you, I may opt try out another service on my next trip!

You can find basic advice about purchasing Panama Medical Insurance from the travel experts at Lonely Planet. For the most updated list Medical Travel Insurance plans, you can get a nice graphic breakdown at Top Ten Reviews.  I like that one because I am more visual, but Consumer Advocate does a fantastic job breaking it down for which insurance is best for your demographic. Consumer Advocates list was also updated as the Coronavirus Pandemic has thrown a real wrench in travel for everyone. During this global crisis, Booking travel insurance has become more important than ever before.

For some great tips, professional advice and tools to help you find the perfect plan for your travel needs, we suggest you check out Travel Insurance 101 – A Beginners Guide to Travel Insurance.

Who Do I Contact In Case Of Emergency In Panama?

911 is not universal, so it is really important to have the correct numbers in case of emergency when traveling to a foreign country. Something we do not always think about until we are actually faced with an emergency. Of course purchasing the travel medical insurance allows you access to a professional representative that can assist you.  But in most situations it is best if you first contact local authorities. One thing you can do before you leave on vacation is save the emergency contact numbers into your smart phone.

In Panama, there are 3 different emergency numbers to contact depending on the situation.

Police (Policia): 104

Fire Department (Bomberos): 103

Medical Emergency: 911

One note, the hospitals in Panama City are actually quite good with well-trained doctors and great medical facilities.  The first responders on the other hand are not always able to be the first to respond.  Traffic in Panama City is atrocious and the sirens and lights are no match for the gridlock.  If you are having a medical emergency and the ambulance is taking too long to arrive or you already know the traffic is terrible, your best bet is to hop in a taxi.

 What Happens If I Have To File A Claim?

That depends entirely on the company you choose as your Medical Insurance provider.  This is something you will need to consider when purchasing your plan.

My top tips for choosing a Panama Travel Medical Insurance plan are:

• Choose your plan as soon as you book your trip.  Most providers will not accept last minute requests or they charge a premium.
• Compare what is included with your trip insurance vs. what is included with your medical insurance to ensure all your top concerns are covered.
• Choose a plan that includes some trip insurance such as theft, loss and of course full medical coverage.
• Choose a plan that pays the doctors or hospitals directly rather than having to cover it with your own credit card and file a claim later.
• Choose a plan that includes a ambulance service and medical evacuations (standard EVAC service from Panama to US or Canada is a $50,000 min.).
• Read the fine print in your policy.  Sometimes there are exclusions you would not consider such as trekking or riding a motorbike and most common scuba diving.
• Be sure to keep all of your documentation in case you have to make a claim.  You would not want to cover a $20,000 medical bill because of one missing document.

All that said, Panama is a very safe tourist destination.  Should you land yourself in emergency, you will be in good hands.  Many of the medical professionals are trained in the US or Cuba and speak English.  Below is a list of hotels and links to their websites.

Hospitals in Panama City

Centro Medico Nacional – Ave Justo Arosemena y Calle 38, Panama City

Centro Medico Paitilla – Avenida Balboa y Calle 53, Panama City

Clinica Hospital San Fernando – 3A Via España, Panama City (Also a location in Coronado)

Hospital Nacional – Avenida Cuba entre Calle 38 y 39, Panama City (National Hospital For the Republic of Panama)

Hospital Punta Pacifica – Boulevard Punta Pacifica y Via Punta Darien, Panama City (Only John Hopkins affiliated hospital in Panama)

Hospital Santa Fe – Avenida Frangipani y Simón Bolivar, Panama

As I mentioned before, we are not the experts in this field, we are the experts in fun things to do in Panama.  How do people have more fun?  Having less things to stress about.  So you see, peace of mind is kinda related to what we do.  I hope you found this information Panama travel insurance helpful rather than scared you away from booking your trip to Panama. Once you get all that insurance planning sorted out, let us help you with the fun parts.

Safe Travels!!